Pallets are a good mode of storing wood off the ground, but I only get a few years out of the pallet. They're generally made of Oak, and Oak and gound don't mix well. If you let an Oak stump on the ground for just 2 short years, you'll find the outer part of the stump, about 1/3rd, will turn to punk. If you have the pallets available, use em.
Wood drying questions from a new guy
- Thread starter CWME
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clinchscavalry
ArboristSite Operative
Someone might have already mentioned this, but the climate you live in will certainly affect the curing process. I cut and split my firewood (mostly pecan with some oak and cherry mixed in) in early July, and I think it will be just fine for burning when we start in earnest about a month from now.
I used to work in a furniture factory, and the smell coming from my wood shed reminded me of the dry kiln. We had months of miserable heat, even unusual for Georgia, this summer. The wood was "cooked". I will let the next batch cure for a full year, but, in my experience, wood stacked outside in our humidity will stabilize at about 15% moisture content and won't go any lower. Therefore, you just can't squeeze but a certain amount of moisture out of it, and letting it sit for a couple years doesn't accomplish much.
I used to work in a furniture factory, and the smell coming from my wood shed reminded me of the dry kiln. We had months of miserable heat, even unusual for Georgia, this summer. The wood was "cooked". I will let the next batch cure for a full year, but, in my experience, wood stacked outside in our humidity will stabilize at about 15% moisture content and won't go any lower. Therefore, you just can't squeeze but a certain amount of moisture out of it, and letting it sit for a couple years doesn't accomplish much.
Ambull
OCD Muscle Saw Collector
I have gravel in my woodshed, and it works great. I would go with 2" though, as it will allow more airflow underneath. Never had a piece of wood rot on me.
clinchscavalry
ArboristSite Operative
+1 on that ! Our wood was stacked on the dirt winter before last since we had no shed. Now it's under cover stacked on about 3-4" of #57 stone with landscape fabric between the soil and the gravel. We had no rot problems last year at all, and the bugs are down considerably
Snowchief
ArboristSite Member
Well CWME, as long as this thread is back from March can you report on how the red oak is burning for you? I suspect you've burned a few so far this fall...
if your splitting an 8" round into 4 pieces i think youll be fine this winter
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