Stacks and water

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whatisup02

Member
Feb 3, 2012
164
MI
Ok. I have dry cracked wood in my stacks. Good right? Well after 2 days of rain my once dry wood is bubbling when I burn it???? This is only my second year burning and my first full writer at that. Does wood really absorb that much water from rain?
 
Most folks that burn right out of their stacks, cover at least the top during burn season. And usually their is a place out of the weather for a couple of days worth of burning, on covered porch, in the house somewhere. But it does take a couple of days for wood in an uncovered stack to dry after a rain.
 
Any chance the wood that is bubbling is small rounds? I ask because it always amazes me how these 2-4" rounds left whole in the stack for a couple years end up bubbling on me. Nothing to do with rain though.
 
Look like I need to look into some covers
 
Can you put some wood near the stove to dry out?
 
Some not much.
 
Wood is not a sponge but the cracks & splits let water in when it rains.
It takes a few days of good weather to dry it out again.

Like oneleg said, the dry, seasoned wood you are going to burn
should at least be top covered a few weeks before burning it.

Another problem might be what type of wood is in your stack, if it's oak,
it may not be dry inside. 2 years+ to get it seasoned & dry enough to burn well.
or
whatever type wood it is may have not seasoned & dried enough before the rain hit it.
Cracked wood does not mean its dry enough to burn, but it's drier & maybe still drying.

The question are;
How long has it been split & stacked & does it have good air circulation?
What's the location & weather conditions for the stack the past year?
Type of wood?

Some here say they never cover their wood for seasoning .
but most have a way to keep the wood that will be burned thru the next week (or more) dry & out of the rain ;)

1 solution, if it's good dry , well seasoned wood & got rained on,
Burn it hot for about 30 minutes, that should evaporate the rain moisture off the surface & after that it should burn OK
 
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The question are;
How long has it been split & stacked & does it have good air circulation?
What's the location & weather conditions for the stack the past year?
Type of wood?

Wood is ash/maple/pine/cottenwood.

Location is 100% sun with rows going east-west so the sides get the sun from the south. Also lots of wind. Its was a very hot and dry summer.
 
The question are;
How long has it been split & stacked & does it have good air circulation?
What's the location & weather conditions for the stack the past year?
Type of wood?

Wood is ash/maple/pine/cottenwood.

Location is 100% sun with rows going east-west so the sides get the sun from the south. Also lots of wind. Its was a very hot and dry summer.
 
Dont know why it posted 3 times. Sorry about that.
 
Wood is ash/maple/pine/cottenwood.

Location is 100% sun with rows going east-west so the sides get the sun from the south. Also lots of wind. Its was a very hot and dry summer.

Those woods should be fairly dry after a year of seasoning c/s/s. I would guess then that the bubbling is surface moisture from the rain. I don't cover my stacks and I occasionally have some of this too. That moisture should burn off fairly quickly, as opposed to when the wood is unseasoned and it seems to take forever to get going. A way to keep a few weeks' worth covered is very convenient though.
 
Wood is ash/maple/pine/cottenwood.

Location is 100% sun with rows going east-west so the sides get the sun from the south. Also lots of wind. Its was a very hot and dry summer.

That wood should be dry enough. Give it 2 days and you'll likely never know it got rained on. But I would still top cover the stacks.
 
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The multiple post thing happens when I lose my patience after clicking the "post" button and nothing happens, then I double click and that can give a triple post.
 
I'm having the same problem. Have my wood pile under my deck and didn't get it covered on the top very well. Got some water into the outside of it, but didn't think too much of it (thought that it being below 20% inside would make up for a bit of water in the surface). WRONG. I had a heck of a time getting the fire started with our warmer weather. Pulled some wood from inside the pile, nice and dry surface, fired right up!

So yeah, get it covered!
 
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