long term firewood storage

[PaulinNY]

Im curious to hear the opinions on long term firewood storage. Ive been storing my split wood on pallets two wide and approx 25 to 30 feet long. About 6 feet tall and cribbed on each end. I no longer use tarps to cover. I found rolls of sheet plastic at Lowes does that job well, aside from a little tear here and there. Im way ahead of my usage, approx 3 years heating stored. Im always figuring on my wood source to end. I split year round and have 3 of these large piles right now. Anyone have any problems storing long term? Wood rot or Ant/ insect issues. Much of the wood i get from tree service has a carpenter ant colony but i usually throw the obviously infested pieces in the woods. I spend many hours workin the wood and it sure would be a shame if it was for nothing.

 

[Marc]

Im curious to hear the opinions on long term firewood storage. Ive been storing my split wood on pallets two wide and approx 25 to 30 feet long. About 6 feet tall and cribbed on each end. I no longer use tarps to cover. I found rolls of sheet plastic at Lowes does that job well, aside from a little tear here and there. Im way ahead of my usage, approx 3 years heating stored. Im always figuring on my wood source to end. I split year round and have 3 of these large piles right now. Anyone have any problems storing long term? Wood rot or Ant/ insect issues. Much of the wood i get from tree service has a carpenter ant colony but i usually throw the obviously infested pieces in the woods. I spend many hours workin the wood and it sure would be a shame if it was for nothing.

Depends a lot on the species. We're about 3 years ahead as well, but if we have any white birch or softer maple, we try and use that first as it can rot by year 3. We don't keep any wood covered except the wood to be burned in the coming winter. Most of the good hardwood (red oak, hickory, ash, elm etc.) seems to do just fine after 3 years of seasoning. And will leave your chimney quite clean as well.

 

[PaulinNY]

wood

Thats reasurring. I get a fair amount of oak but ill estimate 70% to be some kind of Maple. Its mostly from a tree service so i never know what suprises im getting. My son helps as well. We put in several hours a week splitting for other family members too. Im using a Swisher splitter which works fine but it sure seems slow. Thanks.

 

[Buckethead]

We graded the wood storage area, layed down landscape fabric, and covered it with 2-3" of 3/4" crushed stone. We have 7 cord of oak cut, split and stacked 6' high in two rows (18" logs) on a single row of pallets about 20' long. This wood is for the 2010 heating season. This years wood (12+ cord) is piled on pallets 3 wide and about 6' high. It will all remain uncovered for maximum air/sun exposure for the summer. Around Oct or Nov we'll cover it with some tarps to keep the rain and snow off of it for fall/winter.

 

[Lignum]

Im curious to hear the opinions on long term firewood storage. Ive been storing my split wood on pallets two wide and approx 25 to 30 feet long. About 6 feet tall and cribbed on each end. I no longer use tarps to cover. I found rolls of sheet plastic at Lowes does that job well, aside from a little tear here and there. Im way ahead of my usage, approx 3 years heating stored. Im always figuring on my wood source to end. I split year round and have 3 of these large piles right now. Anyone have any problems storing long term? Wood rot or Ant/ insect issues. Much of the wood i get from tree service has a carpenter ant colony but i usually throw the obviously infested pieces in the woods. I spend many hours workin the wood and it sure would be a shame if it was for nothing.

It is the same way I have stacked mine up for a couple of years now and had no problem. The only thing I did this years was get a bottle of Carpenter Ant and Termite killer and mix up 1.5 gallons and spray around the house and wood piles for extra insurance, not that I had any problems, I just don't want a problem to develop.

 

[PaulinNY]

Wood

Thats exactly the reason that made me think to ask about it. As we were stacking yesterday, my son said "what if there were a couple of colonies of carpenter ants living somewhere in the pile? Could they do any considerable damage if left to their own devices for two years?" I would be suprised to hear it if they could but i had to ask. i mentioned alittle chemicals carefully placed around but he responded "And keep them trapped in?".

 

[Lignum]

Thats exactly the reason that made me think to ask about it. As we were stacking yesterday, my son said "what if there were a couple of colonies of carpenter ants living somewhere in the pile? Could they do any considerable damage if left to their own devices for two years?" I would be suprised to hear it if they could but i had to ask. i mentioned alittle chemicals carefully placed around but he responded "And keep them trapped in?".

If you have your wood on skids, with at least 3-4 inches of clearance, you are fine. I have relatives who just toss the wood into a huge pile and pick at it over the course of the winter and never had any problems either, and that is having the wood piled in the same spot for 30 years of more.

 

[woodfarmer]

we still have oak in the back of the woodshed on dirt floor from a tree my grandad cut down in 1963 when he built our cottage, we just keep piling wood in front of it every year but occasionally i can reach a piece or two to burn

 

[Chuck Diesel]

I've been stacking mine on pallets so far. I've been concering just pileing it, but i like to know much the family burns. 24x24x6.5 i should have about 3 years worth.

 

[tatra805]

Hi,

I am stacking my wood on a base of rocks. It are piles with stacked sides.

I never use any cover as the cracks that will appear will also concentrate the water ingress in 1 spot which will be not drying over the extended period.

My piles are normaly 12x12ft and about 4 to 6 feet high but i also have one standing of 18x12x10ft.

My experience between open piles and covered storage over long time is that hardwood is really burning better from the exposed piles. Its as nature is keeping a balance in humidity which gives a better burning result. (water contributes to the burning process, see als water injection in racing cars)

Too dry is too fast or just way slow and not creating enough heat depending on the type of wood.

I dont use pallets as these tend to break or make stacking more difficult.

Regarding the ants and other creatures living in the piles. Never had a real problem with them. I do have ants and bees eating away but they are not able to become a real damage factor. I also notice they concentrate on the worse wood in the pile and leave the good stuff alone.

my 2cents

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Around here you're growing mushrooms by year 2 if it's not in full sun. I don't think any wood I stacked this year would be good in 2010!

Different areas, different conditions.

I have plans to build a woodshed in a sunny spot. Plan to make it 8x12, so I don't have to worry about permits (150 square feet or more require a permit).

That's 128 square feet, so I'll have a cord per foot of stacked wood. Figure to stack about 6 feet high to keep it manageable, and that gives me a year's supply.

 

[gink595]

Around here you're growing mushrooms by year 2 if it's not in full sun. I don't think any wood I stacked this year would be good in 2010!

Different areas, different conditions.

I have plans to build a woodshed in a sunny spot. Plan to make it 8x12, so I don't have to worry about permits (150 square feet or more require a permit).

That's 128 square feet, so I'll have a cord per foot of stacked wood. Figure to stack about 6 feet high to keep it manageable, and that gives me a year's supply.

I find your idea interesting but I'm not following the math. 8x12 is 96 sq.ft, which at 1' high is 96cu.ft. 8'-0" x 16'-0" would give you want you want, Thats if I'm comprehending what you wrote correctly. Great Idea.

 

[Mike Van]

From what I've seen here, firewood left uncovered never really dries out down in the pile. Leaves get in there, stay wet all the time. Good living for carpenter ants, maple will go punky pretty fast. Covered on top, I think the worst you'll get is powder post beetles & mice. I've burned old lumber that was stored in barns for 40 - 50 years some of it. Just loaded with the PP beetles, but burned well.

 

[gink595]

From what I've seen here, firewood left uncovered never really dries out down in the pile. Leaves get in there, stay wet all the time. Good living for carpenter ants, maple will go punky pretty fast. Covered on top, I think the worst you'll get is powder post beetles & mice. I've burned old lumber that was stored in barns for 40 - 50 years some of it. Just loaded with the PP beetles, but burned well.

Thats what I'm afraid of, I have about 12 cord outside on the concrete in my barn lot. So every week or so I get the skid loader and stir the pile. The top of the pile usaully is really dry but the center is soaking wet so I try to make sure it gets rotated to keep from rotting until I can split and stack it.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I find your idea interesting but I'm not following the math. 8x12 is 96 sq.ft, which at 1' high is 96cu.ft. 8'-0" x 16'-0" would give you want you want, Thats if I'm comprehending what you wrote correctly. Great Idea.

Well, see, your problem is you're reading what I wrote, instead of what I meant to write. If you'd just get your mind reading act together, you wouldn't have this little problem now, would you?



I meant 8x16.

 

[gink595]

Well, see, your problem is you're reading what I wrote, instead of what I meant to write. If you'd just get your mind reading act together, you wouldn't have this little problem now, would you?



I meant 8x16.

I see, I see. One of those "Watch where I'm going" type deals. I'll keep my eye open in the future for ya!

 

[rancherii]

Best solution is to take a break from splitting and stacking and build a woodshed with good roof. Do not worry about pests as not a thing you can do about it if they decide to vist.

 

[spike60]

Best solution is to take a break from splitting and stacking and build a woodshed with good roof. Do not worry about pests as not a thing you can do about it if they decide to vist.

+1

My woodshed is the best thing I've done firewood wise. Nice and dry, and I a light in it. Just flip the switch and grab an armload of wood. As easy as getting a beer from the fridge.

It was sized to hold two years worth, which it did at first. But as I've leaned more towards wood the last few years as oil prices have climbed, I usually end up taking some wood from the other side. But for the most part each side covers one season. So before burning, the wood usually spends a summer in the sun followed by a year in the shed.

 

[dolmen]

I just managed to get a few pics of my Dad's newly renovated woodshed, it was an old hay shed.

I live a couple of miles from him, so I'm kinda hoping if I store my logsplitter with him, I might be able to store some firewood too

The spacing of the boards was decided, as we have so much wind and rain. There's a door going on that will be slatted also.

Cheers

 

[DonB]

I have no problems keeping oak in good shape for four years in an open sided woodshed. I stack it on iron T-post runners.