I need firewood stacking advice

[Racerboy832]

This spring I had 10 trees taken down. It was 2 locust, hickory, sugar maple, ash and then I got a huge load of Black birch. Everything except the birch is split. Most of it with the exception of the few small piles of locust got mixed up. I am going to split the birch this weekend...

My question is? A) Will any of this be good to burn this winter coming up?

b) What should be stacked in front, The mix, Locust or birch.. Should it all be stacked next to each other or do you guys leave rows to walk between the pallets? I will be only able to access it from one side once stacked.

I am putting it all on pallets, should be about 15 cords. It will last a couple years so I want to get it all stacked now and not have to worry about moving it around .

 

[ulyssesjones]

I have not cut Locust but I have cut everything else on your list. If you get it stacked now you should be able to burn it this winter. Leave as much air flow between the stacks as you can and let it get as much sun as possible. I don't know about the Locust but I am sure someone else will chime in.

-Jones

 

[Tree Pig]

I would stack it so Birch, maple, ash first (will be ready by winter if you stack now) then hickory, locust and any oak later. You may be able to burn any of it this year but with Birch you may have rot issues over time.

 

[atvdave]

You can burn it all, but different wood type's but out different BTU's than others. Here's a link to a BTU chart of some different wood's.

http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm

I stack my wood in row's about 1' apart. I just have 2 long row's at my house and if I need more I'll get it at my Mom's house where my brother and I store a bunch of it.

I would think that most all of the wood should be fine to burn by winter. I usually here to split & stack wood for 9 months as a general rule, but I'm sure some wood takes a bit longer to dry out.

 

[flotek]

first ash and locust then maple last would be hickory and oak

 

[Racerboy832]

I will have 7+ cords of black birch, should that be ok to burn first if I get it split first. I don't want it to rot if it sits a season or two.

 

[Scootermsp]

Birch

Use the Birch in the Fall and Spring. Keep the good stuff for the coldest months.

 

[Dalmatian90]

Yep, I was thinking along Scooter's line.

Ash cut in winter needs least seasoning of any of the "top tier" hardwoods. I'd consider seeing how the maple & oak burn in winter -- depending how much you have, might be useful to mix in ash with them to get up to temperature quick and get a nice fire going, i.e. don't burn all your ash up first, then find out your maple and oak aren't quite ready for prime time. Or use the ash to make a nice bed of coals, then toss on the oak for the overnite. You'll have to play around with what works best for you.

I was walking in an Audobon sanctuary today...probably was committing a thought crime when I was sizing up some Ash trees thinking, man, I'd love to cut those

 

[rngrchad]

If you can stack them in seperate rows, not against eachother, so that air can get around both sides of your rows the wood will season much quicker.

I guess what I'm trying to say is for you to not sandwich in any wood between rows...that is if you are looking for your wood to season as quickly as possibly.

Air circulation between your stacks is key.

Have I mentioned that air circulation is important LOL?