Is it absolutely necessary to season tree trunk wood before making a table out of it?

Question

I want to make a table out of a tree trunk, maybe just a portion of the trunk, or just a slice of it. Is it absolutely necessary to season the trunk before sealing it with a polyurethane or varnish?

I don't really want to wait a year for the thing to dry out.

Answer 1

I made a table out of a log and all I did was varnish it. It prabably would have been better to do something to it, but so far no issues

Answer 2

Yes, or it will crack or warp.

Answer 3

You want the moisture content low.  Thats why it has to dry.

Answer 4

if you don't wait you will have wasted your time as you will just throw it away after it has split and warped...go out and buy a kiln dried piece