drying wood piles

[PaulinNY]

Ive been stacking my splits in very neat piles 25 to 30 feet long 5 to 6 feet high and two skids deep. Which is about 7 1/2 feet. Carefully cribbed on each end and covered with either tarp or plastic roll sheeting. I was wondering if my wood will dry properly being so large. I doubt the wind gets thru it and i have 4 piles this size within 2 feet of each other. Under average conditions in NY could my piles be dry in 6 months or more like 2 years?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Do you stack them neatly, or do you have random piles?

Fully wrapped stacks are for cured wood, loose piles get better convection and dry faster. Being in the wind helps drying too. I've read that surface wetting and drying will help draw moisture out of the wood and will not increase decay rates if they get airflow needed to dry.

German studies have shown that there is better convection in random piles that are raised off the ground. I know people who have taken this and put wood on pallets in random piles

If random piles are not good for you due to aesthetic reasons then loose stacks are better then tight stack.

Though these stacks are a bit too close together for good air drying

 

[STLfirewood]

I put my wood in one big pile. My pile was 40w x 80L x15 high in the middle. I et it si close to a year and the wood is dry even in the middle. I never have any complaints from people about the way it burns and I get some picky people. So I doubt you will have any trouble.

Scott

 

[Al Smith]

German studies have shown that there is better convection in random piles that are raised off the ground. I know people who have taken this and put wood on pallets in random piles

I use pallets also.Covered in the late fall,which I have to do today,and uncovered in the summer.Even in 4 or 5 cord stacks it will cure pretty good in about a year.

 

[CharlieG]

I pile my split wood neatly on pallets, paying close attention to crisscross the ends. This helps steady the wood. During the summer and early fall I leave it uncovered. When I move the wood close to the house for the heating season, I cover the top to keep the rain, snow, and other debris out. This lets the air/pass through the pile and prevents moisture build up (which leads to premature decay of the wood). Check out some of AS threads on firewood and look at the way some people do it, and take the best from that. Stack anyway you want, but I would highly recommend the pallet route. Keeps it off the ground (and dry), provides air flow under the pile (dries it), and keeps the wood out of the dirt and mud.

 

[Stihlboy088]

Four pallets lain in a square, stacked neatly with spacing then covered with steel roofing sheets. just make sure to tie them down or throw cinder blocks up on top of them otherwise wind grabs hold of them. this seems like alot of work but if you work it your wood up a couple years ahead and have a tractor to load it pallet by pallet it's pretty slick.

Dave,

 

[Chavez7]

4 piles that are roughly 25 feet by 5 feet by 7 feet? Do you mean 4(25*5*7)? That's 27 cords which is A LOT of wood and I would think you're years ahead and no need to worry about quick drying!

One thing I've noticed as I store wood in different stacks on my property is that direct sunlight makes a HUGE difference. Yes keep it off the ground and not too tight, but if you can, have the wood doing some serious sunbathing!

 

[Wood Scrounge]

A family friend built a shed out of corrugated steel spray pained black in the middle of a field that had direct sun most of the daylight hours. There was a 10 inch gap between the roof and top of the wall with about a 10” overhang. He swore green wood cut in Aug and placed in there could be burnt by late Oct. One hot day I remember the thermometer in there being maxed out at 120. Kind of an ugly thing but it seemed to work.

 

[aandabooks]

All of my wood stays outside unsplit on pallets. Pile is currently about 35' longx 6' highx 4' deep. It is stacked in rounds and is nice and neat. Not tight but big stuff on the bottom working its way up to small.

The split wood for the winter goes in the woodshed. I built it last year and is more of a three sided lean to. It is between two other buildings in my back yard. Basically had to put an angled roof and back on. It is 7'wx6'hx12'd. The floor is white rock and if I fill it about 2/3 full, that is one winter worth. Keeps the front edge of the wood back from the edge of the roof.

This is my 3rd season of burning. First year I didn't install burner until Nov and scrambled all winter for wood. Thank god for FIL that has been burning for 20 years and has atleast a 4 year supply laid in at any one time. Last year I filled the woodshed with 5 rows of wood floor to ceiling and it lasted the winter.

 

[PaulinNY]

Years ahead

Im new to the wood scene so to speak. Installed a zero clearance 3 years ago and a wood stove last November. Im sure i have more than i need for a while but i really put alot of time and effort processing my wood and want to see it get good use. This year i am planning on using as little home heating oil as possible so i dont know how many cords i may use. My Brother In law takes a couple of cords and my Father in-law...

 

[shokidq]

I put tarps on my stacks late september / october when the rains should be starting, always use pallets also


View attachment 59476

View attachment 59477

 

[Stihlboy088]

Log cabin

dude that is a sweet setup, i've never thought of piling firewood in like that. i've got a lot of jack pine that i want to get rid of and can't afford the time or the fuel to pile it on the pulp wagon and drag it into the papermill. looks like ive got a new use for it. BTW how high are your piles 6 Ft, 7 Ft?

 

[shokidq]

dude that is a sweet setup, i've never thought of piling firewood in like that. i've got a lot of jack pine that i want to get rid of and can't afford the time or the fuel to pile it on the pulp wagon and drag it into the papermill. looks like ive got a new use for it. BTW how high are your piles 6 Ft, 7 Ft?

8ft / 9ft would go higher but for the angle of the conveyor on the processor

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I put tarps on my stacks late september / october when the rains should be starting, always use pallets also

Where do you get those custom printed super sacks?

Are they are they sized for a standard measure? eg 1/12 of a cord or 16"x2'x4'.

 

[shokidq]

Where do you get those custom printed super sacks?

Are they are they sized for a standard measure? eg 1/12 of a cord or 16"x2'x4'.

We just contacted a local F I B C bag supplier (http://www.sgbaker.co.uk) gave him the measurements we wanted which is 50 x 50 x 108 cm which is slightly over 1/4 cubic meter,
we trialed some UK made sacks (roughly 20 miles from here) to see how they performed but the cost worked out at a little over $10 a sack before printing & the ones shown on the site were made in India with the printing & delivery $4.00 a sack

 

[Rob G.]

Hi Everyone,
This is my third year burning wood for heat, but my first time stacking it this way. These are small versions of a traditional German Holz Hausen.
The traditional Holz Hausen is 10' in diameter and 10' high (about 6 cords). Mine are 6' dia. and 6' high (about 1 1/3 cords each).

 

[Al Smith]

That's different ,I can't say I've ever seen it done that way.What is the advantage?

 

[Rob G.]

Hi Al,

While I don't have scientific facts or any personal experience, it is believed that firewood stacked that way will be fully seasoned in three months.
The wood in the center of the stacked outer ring is placed vertically.
The theory is that the center allows air to rise, drawing air in from the sides so there is constant air movement even if there is no wind.
The wood on the top is layered, ideally bark side up, like shingles minimizing excessive rain from saturating the center of the pile.
As far as size, 6 cords is about what is needed to get through a German winter.

My reasons are a little less traditional.
They take up less space in my small yard.
If I had made them 7' in diameter and 7' high, I would only need to make two to store 4 cords (I usually need about five cords).
I also think that they are a more interesting shape than the rows that I usually make.
This is important to me because most of my yard can be seen from the road.
I have evan had some people stop by just to compliment me on them.
I also noticed that it doesn't take any more time or effort to stack this way.

Thanks for commenting,
Rob

 

[ADAMH]

i heap mine loose in a cone shape pile about 15 feet high per cone..and about 15 cords per pile...

i dont cover it or anything, since i sell 100% of it before winter comes..

and then start fresh in the spring

 

[Husky137]

I have been suffering from a lack of interesting wood stacks lately. I was going to see a therapist about it but I may have found my cure.:hmm3grin2orange: :chainsawguy: