How do logs "go bad" while sitting?

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softdown

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They dry out and split in dry climates of course. But I don't understand how logs become bad for lumber or firewood while sitting for extended periods of time.

Just watched a series called "Big Timber" that was filmed in Vancouver. They were logging trees that were chopped down many years ago. Wet climate though.
 
Many people feel that seasoned wood is simply aged for a while but they leave it outdoors and allow the wood piles to get rained on. The piles dry up in between rains
and then just soak up the moisture like a sponge when it rains. You have to prevent
the wood from getting wet if you want good firewood. Shed or tarp can work but try
not to let the wood set directly on the ground. Concrete blocks on pressure treated
2x4s serves as a good foundation for stacked firewood or uncut logs.
 
They dry out and split in dry climates of course. But I don't understand how logs become bad for lumber or firewood while sitting for extended periods of time.

Just watched a series called "Big Timber" that was filmed in Vancouver. They were logging trees that were chopped down many years ago. Wet climate though.
The inner bark on certain species like yellow poplar will hold water forever, sit for a year and still be a slimy mess inside. I always try to split wood at least once to break the bark seal even if I do not have time to split down to manageable size.
 
They dry out and split in dry climates of course. But I don't understand how logs become bad for lumber or firewood while sitting for extended periods of time.

Just watched a series called "Big Timber" that was filmed in Vancouver. They were logging trees that were chopped down many years ago. Wet climate though.
if they get wet they begin to rot wood hates moisture and it destroys the wood
 
Basically what’s happening for you is the sandy soil drains away any water and prevents it from being absorbed into the log. What dries a log is the ambient humidity being lower than what is inside of a log. With dry winds the log becomes dedicated very quickly and because the trapped water is always trying to remain in a balance it seeks areas of low moisture(outside the log). In a very humid area like the coastal rainforests of Vancouver island the humidity is often much higher and it rains frequently into the organic top layer the water doesn’t leave the log quickly and is held near the surface of the soil. This creates an environment where bacteria, insects, and fungus thrive, trees being full of carbohydrate are then a gigantic reserve of energy that allows the cellular structure to be broken down by decomposition. When logs are being used for structural timber you don’t want any of the lignin to deteriorate by being rotted out as this will reduce the strength that the wood has. I hope that answered at least in part what you were asking.
 

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