Firewood stacking-too exposed

[RCR 3 EVER]

I am sure this has been discussed somewhere but anyway.
At our cabin we usually stacked the logs in piles in the woods to dry for a season then we split them and bring them into the huge woodshed for the cabin use to burn or sell.
This year however I am trying to buy my own fireplace for the house. I need to stack the split wood on pallets behind the garage or next to the garage. I have treated Oak pallets available. The problem I foresee is the the exposure to NW driven rain or snow against the wood I intend to burn during the current season it is stored at the house.
Both areas are on West side or North West corner of garage. Both areas are exposed to prevailing winds.
Is it better to have a tarp or solid plywood along the exposed sides and back ,but that would not allow it to breathe? The top would need to be covered as well since the gutters overflow directly on the stack.

At this time I would only be storing only face cords on the Western exposure and several 8' long rows behind the garage.

The attached garage is 40' long and I could put some of the wood inside along 1 wall for immediate use or even keep a load in the trailer, but that does not keep the outside wood dry and ready to use and I do not want ants or such in the garage or house.

In other words, how much cover to keep wood dry for immediate use yet still be able to breathe and not get mildewy or critter infested, (mouse,squirrel ants).

Note: we have used firewood every year for decades at the cabin in the stove, the shed is completely enclosed and holds more than enough dry seasoned wood from the piles in the woods for the limited time we spend there during the Fall (hunting) and Winter.

I need to bring some split wood home from cabin that is 250 miles away for our new fireplace and keep it dry for immediate use. :help:

 

[mga]

I need to bring some split wood home from cabin that is 250 miles away for our new fireplace and keep it dry for immediate use.

you're going to haul some wood 250 miles????

 

[Wood Doctor]

RCR said, "I need to bring some split wood home from cabin that is 250 miles away for our new fireplace and keep it dry for immediate use."
------------------
Do you mean 25 or 250? Could be a typo.

I generally never haul a load of wood longer than 30 miles, usually 15 miles to the splitter and then back to the stack is about it for me.

Covering wood is optional in my neck of the woods because we average about 28" of precipitation for an entire year. My cover consists of a 35' tall linden tree and a couple of birches for the long-term storage. For short term, and just prior to burning, I have a small stack underneath my deck.

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

WE go to cabin (250 miles away) numerous times per year and we would just bring home a load of wood home with us. The last load we brought home cost us an extra $42 with gas $3.95.
That is pulling a trailer loaded with a little more than a face cord and some in pick up. We could bring more home when we stay for only a weekend and we do not need to pack the truck with other stuff.
I think a face cord @ $42 is pretty good. We do the cutting and splitting from the trees on the cabin property.

 

[neu-rich]

Don't Try And Bring Firewood Back Across The Bridge (From The UP), They Will Make You Unload It...

Jeff

 

[Wood Doctor]

OK, that explains it. I figured it was just a "why should we drive the truck empty?" reason. That's great! I do the same thing all the time, trying to use the truck as a truck, not as a sedan.

You probably get a lot more rain than I do. A couple of big tarps with a few logs weighting them down should work to cover the wood ouside the garage. Harbor Freight and Northern Tools have the cheapest tarps I know of. Use the garage for final drying before you transport the rest inside the house.

Inside the house I have a bin, about 2' x 3' x 2' that rolls around on 4" casters. I fill the bin up with relatively dry wood and it always dries in time for the stove. Next to the stove I have enough room for about 4 cu. ft. that the stove really dries off before I fill it. My system works.

 

[ASEMASTER]

metal roofing

on the backside of the garage some used metal roofing will work just right leave an air space all around so that the wind will dry it dont worry about the rain that gets blown in on it the wind will dry that out in no time.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

I heard once "You can't make any money running empty." So I stayed loaded ever since.

If you can put a couple of longer splits at the ends and in the middle a bit down from the top to create an eave with the tarp or over hang the tin off the end to turn the majority of the rain off it will help keep the stack dryer. It doesnt take a lot, just so the water drips off away from the stack. So long as it doesnt set right on the ground and the stack isnt fully enclosed in the tarp holding all the humidity in and the wind out. We stack bark side up to help turn the water too. Bark is darker and helps absorb more of the suns energy to aid drying

Stacked wood needs exposue to sun or wind to dry out, prefferebly both.

The dryer it stays the longer it will last in the stack.

250 miles is a long distance to be hauling wood. Be sure not to take it from or through a quarinteened area. Through might not be so bad if it is tarped to discourage any insects and prying eyes.

 

[ms310]

I read in another thread that rain makes wood dry faster. I also read on the mich.gov web site that transporting firewood across eab quarenteen runs around $10,000 that would be an exspensive price for a cord of wood:jawdrop:

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

Our property is in Lower peninsula and all of the Lower counties are in quarantine. Also our property has a higher level of quarantine than our house, so bringing wood from property to house is a non issue. We could not transport wood from house to our property though.

We stack the wood bark side up already. So I guess I will just put the wood on the pallets and cover top with panels overhanging the sides a bit to allow for dripping. The snow will need to be kept away from the stacks of wood though.

The trailer gets stored in the unheated garage anyway and it will hold 1.5+ face cords, I would need to support axles so as not to flat spot the tires all winter long.

I have read something about the use of borax for a deterrent is this for rodents or ants?

Thanks for the info.

 

[ms310]

quarenteens

Make sure you arent crossing any high to low quarenteen areas, they will bust you even if you are bringing it from a low to a high. If on your way home you cross a low to high then a low that will not be good

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Our property is in Lower peninsula and all of the Lower counties are in quarantine. Also our property has a higher level of quarantine than our house, so bringing wood from property to house is a non issue. We could not transport wood from house to our property though.

.....

Thanks for the info.

If I'm reading that right higher quarantine at the property where the wood is, means it can't leave the county. Am I reading that right ? I'm thinking a quarantine is put in place to limit the spread of infection/infestation. What goes into a quarantined area doesnt come out till sterilized

I'd think twice about trying to save $40 on a facecord if that is the case. Probably not what you wanted to hear.

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

EAB Quarantine DNR Quarantine explanation

I mean that the level is higher for cabin, Level II Oceana county. So that wood can not be transported from SE MI to Cabin. Wood can be transported from higher level (II) to lower (I) Not the other way around. I hope this will help, here is the MI DNR explanation:

The state’s EAB interior quarantine is designed to restrict the artificial spread of EAB. The elements of the quarantine are as follows:

A 21 contiguous county quarantine (Level I) of Southeastern Michigan is in effect and includes these counties: Branch, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Ingham, Jackson, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Saginaw, Sanilac, Shiawassee, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne. Movement of hardwood firewood and other regulated articles within this 21 contiguous county area is allowed however, movement of hardwood firewood and other regulated articles out of Quarantine Level I and into Quarantine Level II or into Canada or other states is not allowed.

Forty-seven additional counties in the Lower Peninsula (Level II) are also quarantined as a second level of protection: Alcona, Allegan, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Barry, Bay, Benzie, Berrien, Cass, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Clare, Crawford, Emmet, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Huron, Ionia, Iosco, Isabella, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Kent, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, Montcalm, Montmorency, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, Ottawa, Presque Isle, Roscommon, St. Joseph, Tuscola, VanBuren, and Wexford. Movement of hardwood firewood and other regulated articles within this 47 contiguous county area and into the Level I area is allowed however, movement of hardwood firewood is not allowed into the U.P., or into Canada or other states.

All of Mackinac County and a portion of Chippewa County in the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) are quarantined. The Mackinac County quarantine is divided into two levels: the City of St. Ignace, and the townships of Moran, Brevort, and St. Ignace are quarantine level II; and the remaining portions of Mackinac County are quarantine level III. In Chippewa County, the area near Brimley State Park is quarantine Level II. Although EAB has now been detected in parts of the U.P., the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) remains committed to protecting the U.P. from the artificial spread of EAB. Movement of regulated articles, including hardwood firewood, from quarantined areas of the U.P. is prohibited. MDA will continue to focus on regulatory enforcement, detection, response efforts, and communications activities in the U.P.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

I mean that the level is higher for cabin, Level II Oceana county. So that wood can not be transported from SE MI to Cabin. Wood can be transported from higher level (II) to lower (I) Not the other way around. I hope this will help, here is the MI DNR explanation:

The state’s EAB interior quarantine is designed to restrict the artificial spread of EAB. The elements of the quarantine are as follows:

A 21 contiguous county quarantine (Level I) of Southeastern Michigan is in effect and includes these counties: Branch, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Ingham, Jackson, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Saginaw, Sanilac, Shiawassee, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne. Movement of hardwood firewood and other regulated articles within this 21 contiguous county area is allowed however, movement of hardwood firewood and other regulated articles out of Quarantine Level I and into Quarantine Level II or into Canada or other states is not allowed.

Forty-seven additional counties in the Lower Peninsula (Level II) are also quarantined as a second level of protection: Alcona, Allegan, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Barry, Bay, Benzie, Berrien, Cass, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Clare, Crawford, Emmet, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Huron, Ionia, Iosco, Isabella, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Kent, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, Montcalm, Montmorency, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, Ottawa, Presque Isle, Roscommon, St. Joseph, Tuscola, VanBuren, and Wexford. Movement of hardwood firewood and other regulated articles within this 47 contiguous county area and into the Level I area is allowed however, movement of hardwood firewood is not allowed into the U.P., or into Canada or other states.

All of Mackinac County and a portion of Chippewa County in the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) are quarantined. The Mackinac County quarantine is divided into two levels: the City of St. Ignace, and the townships of Moran, Brevort, and St. Ignace are quarantine level II; and the remaining portions of Mackinac County are quarantine level III. In Chippewa County, the area near Brimley State Park is quarantine Level II. Although EAB has now been detected in parts of the U.P., the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) remains committed to protecting the U.P. from the artificial spread of EAB. Movement of regulated articles, including hardwood firewood, from quarantined areas of the U.P. is prohibited. MDA will continue to focus on regulatory enforcement, detection, response efforts, and communications activities in the U.P.

Once you get it home, take no chances and burn it all by Spring.

Thanks for providing the article. Leave it to a politician or lawyer to make things confusing. Untill I read the article I would have thought it to be reversed. That a higher level of quarantine would mean stiffer fines and more awareness of what is getting transported. Sounds like you have those bases covered. It wouldn't hurt to save some reciepts for fuel, eats, whatever if needed to help prove its origin.

Thanks again for setting that straight.

 

[CLEARVIEW TREE]

WE go to cabin (250 miles away) numerous times per year and we would just bring home a load of wood home with us. The last load we brought home cost us an extra $42 with gas $3.95.
That is pulling a trailer loaded with a little more than a face cord and some in pick up. We could bring more home when we stay for only a weekend and we do not need to pack the truck with other stuff.
I think a face cord @ $42 is pretty good. We do the cutting and splitting from the trees on the cabin property.

You're assumption of the face cord being brought home for 42 dollars is really low. Figure in the fact that you've got to work the trees down, then cut, and split as well and that takes time and fuel. Fuel isn't free. So really your cord costs you probably around 100 bucks. Bet you could find a cord by your house from someone for 100 bucks, pick it up yourself and still not have to travel 250 miles. In business, you must count all the pennies in the pot!! You're also poluting mother earth while shufflin all that wood down the road!:

 

[CLEARVIEW TREE]

WE go to cabin (250 miles away) numerous times per year and we would just bring home a load of wood home with us. The last load we brought home cost us an extra $42 with gas $3.95.
That is pulling a trailer loaded with a little more than a face cord and some in pick up. We could bring more home when we stay for only a weekend and we do not need to pack the truck with other stuff.
I think a face cord @ $42 is pretty good. We do the cutting and splitting from the trees on the cabin property.

Whoa, wow! 500 miles round trip for firewood, that's insane man. Now you're really costin your biz time and money!:monkey:

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

Business or pleasure, Pleasure you bet

You're assumption of the face cord being brought home for 42 dollars is really low. Figure in the fact that you've got to work the trees down, then cut, and split as well and that takes time and fuel. Fuel isn't free. So really your cord costs you probably around 100 bucks. Bet you could find a cord by your house from someone for 100 bucks, pick it up yourself and still not have to travel 250 miles. In business, you must count all the pennies in the pot!! You're also poluting mother earth while shufflin all that wood down the road!:

We go to cabin anyway for recreation, Hunting, vacation, upkeep, working in the woods, running the dogs, gatherings, cutting trees for lumber, dead tree clean up, and blow downs, picking up peaches, blueberries and wines.
Therefore, there are more than enough reasons to go up North to the cabin. Instead of driving the truck home with just the luggage we plan to tow the trailer home with the wood.

Granted the cost of time, cutting and splitting should be taken into account but we have to do that anyway and the wood would be burned at the cabin. There are more than enough dead trees and blow downs to keep us busy for many years to come. If we decide to have some trees cut for harvest that will only create more firewood for us to gather. That will occur if the lumber prices go up enough.

We sell some of the firewood but that is actually more work since it has to be stacked at owners location after it was 1st stacked at our house.

Driving up North last time with the trailer empty primarily to work on kitchen remodeling it cost approx. $40 going ONLY 65 mph to save gas money. On the way back we had 1.25 face cords in trailer and wood in pickup bed and it cost us $82. That is a $42 difference and I maintained 65 mph.

During that week we also cleaned up a blown down Cherry and Maple tree that netted us over 300 logs to be seasoned some of which were between 20-24" in diam. :chainsawguy: I will post some pics later.

We also gathered and split logs that were aging from previous year work.
We do NOT consider this a job but recreation in the care of our property and the "profit" from this upkeep is firewood. Even if it takes weeks to accomplish, property taxes and such.


It is like owning a 24' boat for fishing which we had at one time. Have you looked at the cost of a # of fish versus the cost of owning,maintaining and running a boat, let alone purchasing fishing gear. Some people called that stupid but we spent our vacations on the water instead at the Grand Canyon or Hawaii.

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

I have checked local prices and a face cord costs about $95 dumped in the drive,:jawdrop: I would then need to pick it up and hobble over to my stack 75' away and stack it. With my trailer of wood I bring home I can drive next to stacks and and sidestep to the stack. ADVANTAGE for my wood

Disadvantage:
I have a friend who is an arborist and he says that I could come along with him to his cuts and load logs into my trailer. These would all be cut to different lengths and not split so I would need to either buy another splitter for home use or rent a splitter. Since, I probably would have to carry the wood from cutting location to the trailer, my back will not allow that with full size logs. I usually carry only a few pieces of split wood or small logs a few feet.

Advantage:
If the wood is not split at our property such as from a downed tree we can back the trailer up next to the tree and lift or roll wood into the trailer a few feet away.
A 27 ton splitter is also at the property.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

We go to cabin anyway for recreation, Hunting, vacation, upkeep, working in the woods, running the dogs, gatherings, cutting trees for lumber, dead tree clean up, and blow downs, picking up peaches, blueberries and wines.
Therefore, there are more than enough reasons to go up North to the cabin. Instead of driving the truck home with just the luggage we plan to tow the trailer home with the wood.

....

It is like owning a 24' boat for fishing which we had at one time. Have you looked at the cost of a # of fish versus the cost of owning,maintaining and running a boat, let alone purchasing fishing gear. Some people called that stupid but we spent our vacations on the water instead at the Grand Canyon or Hawaii.

You have a good point. You are already there. It isn't like you are making the trip just for the wood.

We brought back a bushel of peaches from Georgia last year on the way back from a week in Florida. They were good peaches, but they weren't worth the $4,000 trip to find them. Great week ! The peaches were just one more plus for the whole trip.

 

[iowawoodcutter]

RCR said, "I need to bring some split wood home from cabin that is 250 miles away for our new fireplace and keep it dry for immediate use."
------------------
Do you mean 25 or 250? Could be a typo.

I generally never haul a load of wood longer than 30 miles, usually 15 miles to the splitter and then back to the stack is about it for me.

Covering wood is optional in my neck of the woods because we average about 28" of precipitation for an entire year. My cover consists of a 35' tall linden tree and a couple of birches for the long-term storage. For short term, and just prior to burning, I have a small stack underneath my deck.

Linden tree are pretty eaten up here by the Japanese Beetles. Most have 80-90% of the leaves with all those tiny holes in it!!! Your not too far from me so I assume you have the same problem??

Iowa