Best way to stack wood

[maxburton]

I know everyone here thinks I know everything ...but I've been splitting wood (mostly just to clear the yard) and I don't know the best way to stack it to get it to dry. How do you guys stack wood? How long does it take to dry? I'd imagine species, weather, and location are factors. My wood is being kept in a very windy spot in Pennsylvania (lots of moisture in the summer). Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[EastwoodGang4]

stacking

I like to stack mine on pallets to keep it off the ground.

 

[Husky137]

I stack it one piece at a time,sometimes two if I'm feeling ambitious.

Don't forget to use your hands and bend at the knees.

 

[Locoweed]

It's so dry out here it doesn't make any difference

 

[ericjeeper]

stack it in rows east to west

That way the southern sun in the winter will get at it a little better.

 

[fixitguy75]

That's a good idea eric. I never really thought about it that way.

 

[beelsr]

I know everyone here thinks I know everything ...but I've been splitting wood (mostly just to clear the yard) and I don't know the best way to stack it to get it to dry. How do you guys stack wood? How long does it take to dry? I'd imagine species, weather, and location are factors. My wood is being kept in a very windy spot in Pennsylvania (lots of moisture in the summer). Any ideas? Thanks.

Not me....

I'm a bit north of you up in the North Poconos. What I do is just stack the split pieces in a self-made lumber rack (this style: http://www.amazon.com/Finley-Products-Inc-09092-2x4basics/dp/B00006RK54). I have a few of them and just load them up. Don't care about east-west or north-south or anything like that - I'm 1700 feet up and on the top of what we call euphamistcally a "mountain" so I just split it and stack it. When it's going to rain, I cover it with a roll-roofing rubber tarp and throw a few logs on the ends to keep it from flipping off. When the rain passes, I uncover them again.

There is also a rack inside the garage behind the wood stove and I stack wood there. The heat from the wood stove and chuimney piping drive out any remaining moisture and ensure a good burn. I also keep a good stack of kindling underneath the wood stove.

 

[Biketrax]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm?

I stack it one piece at a time,sometimes two if I'm feeling ambitious.

In addition I stack it from the ground up ya know towards the sky

:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[rb_in_va]

Anyone ever heard of a Holz Hausen? Supposed to be able to season wood in 3 months. A friend told me about it a few years ago. Never have tried it though.

http://www.thechimneysweep.ca/6seasoningwood.html

 

[pyromaniac guy]

Anyone ever heard of a Holz Hausen? Supposed to be able to season wood in 3 months. A friend told me about it a few years ago. Never have tried it though.

http://www.thechimneysweep.ca/6seasoningwood.html

i have to spread some rep, but that was an interesting article...

 

[rb_in_va]

i have to spread some rep, but that was an interesting article...

I thought so too. Wonder if anyone here has tried it.

 

[ray benson]

I have heard of Holz Hausen a few years ago but do not know anyone that has tried it. I just stack my wood off the ground in 4 long rows about 4' or 5' high. Then cover(tarp) the wood in the fall.

 

[sredlin]

Here is how I stack mine. Between 2 wooden fence posts about 6 feet apart and on top of 2 wooden rails of some type -- 2x lumber or landscape timbers that are setting on top of concrete blocks--hope you can see the pictures

 

[logbutcher]

Holz Hausen/Inquisition

Sound so much alike there must be a semantic relationship. Say it fast: "Holz Hauzen" "Inquisition" , repeat . In historical fact , the pile of wood called HH, was used to efficiently get rid of heretics (which also begins with an "H" ). Lesson over. It really, really worked ,boys and girls.

Here and now we tried the HH for our wood pile once when we used to buy firewood green in late winter. I had seen them while on maneuvers in Germany, and asked (in English) how they worked . "Fine". What they didn't tell me was that 1. It saves storage space if you've got the small village lots found in N. Europe. 2. Takes a damn long time to stack ever-so-neatly and get the pile just right ("..you will make a perfect circle..." ), 3. The shape makes it tough to cover, and 4. Getting the splits off the HH to burn is not so simple.

So, make it easy, build a woodshed. Check out woodheat.org for a simple KISS pole woodshed. We did for 4-5 cords.

Professor out.

 

[Buckeye]

Is there some advantage to stacking wood like this:

It appears to me that this method of stacking might be slightly more stable, but less space-efficient.

 

[SmokinDodge]

Is there some advantage to stacking wood like this:

It appears to me that this method of stacking might be slightly more stable, but less space-efficient.

That's how I stack all my firewood. The criss cross is just on the ends to support the weight of the wood in the stack. This way it doesn't take anything else other than firewood and I can stack a square cord. I put all my cords on old sheets of tin with nothing on top. It will all season for a year and my roofed porch will hold bout half a cord so it has plenty of time to get rid of any rain/snow before it gets burned.

 

[Buckeye]

That's how I stack all my firewood. The criss cross is just on the ends to support the weight of the wood in the stack. This way it doesn't take anything else other than firewood and I can stack a square cord. I put all my cords on old sheets of tin with nothing on top. It will all season for a year and my roofed porch will hold bout half a cord so it has plenty of time to get rid of any rain/snow before it gets burned.

I know that some folks criss-cross the ends for that reason, but I have seen some stacks that are all criss-crossed - From one end to the other.

It makes no sense to me, maybe I'm missing something.

 

[wdchuck]

Anyone ever heard of a Holz Hausen? Supposed to be able to season wood in 3 months. A friend told me about it a few years ago. Never have tried it though.

http://www.thechimneysweep.ca/6seasoningwood.html

There's a guy in town who stacks his wood in a similiar fashion, now I understand what/why.

Thanks for the link.

 

[046]

interesting way to stack wood in a circle...

 

[JamesJems]

About a Holz Hausen

I thought so too. Wonder if anyone here has tried it.

Yep. I keep my wood in one. Here's a pic:


They're a bit tricky, the wide angle lens distorts this one a bit. Mine is about 8 feet around by about 7 feet high. Around 2 cords of wood in there. The reason they're tricky is that they're tempermental to build. They fall over. As a matter of fact, the one in the pic is now a tumbled, jumbled mess that I've been ignoring for a couple of days. Still trying to figure out how to stabilize them. :bang:

But they are striking in their uniqueness. Yard Art. By the time I have my yard cleaned up there will be three of equal size. Do they aid in drying time? I don't think so. It's so darn wet here in the PNW. I'll cover mine with clear plastic (or perhaps I should make it dark plastic) on the tops only when I get them finished. But I know that by October '07, I'll have lots of dry wood to burn/sell.

james