Orientation of stacked wood

I'd go for the wind for priority.

Evaporitive effect should have the same value on wood as clothes out on the line.

It may actually be better for the wind to go down the rows, though.
That is the preferred method for planting rows of grapes.

Not trapping cold air should apply to damp air , too.

I know I’ll catch hell for this but the last couple of years I’ve just dumped my wood in a hugh pile and just tarped it over late in the fall.

This past year the pile ended up real long and uniform so I improvised 2 tripods at each end, connected them with a 35’ ash sapling and with a couple of hugh tarps made a real big tent. I just walk right in with the wheelbarrow to replenish the house.

It’s a pain getting the snow off the tent where it doesn’t contain any wood so next year I’m going cobble up a gambrel style enclosure 14’wide x 35’long and tarp that over too. Oh and I’m going to excavate a pad to pour 1’ washed stone as a base to keep the water out of the base.

Years ago I got sick of falling threw pallets in my wood lean to and found the washed stone to work out excellent in keeping the wood dry at the bottom.

I think I save about 40hrs of labor by not stacking wood anymore and the wood still cures. I cut and split about 25 face cords a year.

As long as the wood seasons enough that should be okay. I've known several who do the same thing but they always have a year ahead on their wood too as it does take a little longer for the wood to dry when it is unstacked. Also, it seems that it would be best to not cover it during the summer months.

Wood processer don't stack their wood. I'm two years ahead I'm going to pile mine on pallets and leave it till I stack by my basement door.

I'm in the decision making stage right now on whether to stack several short north/south or one great big long east/west row. To add prevailing wind issues to the equation would complicate things entirely too much as the house gets in the way.
We're pretty much going to have to go with the "several north/south" purely due to yard layout issues. I figure as long as I get all my rows up off the ground, cover the top securely during monsoons, and leave room between for a wheelbarrow to pass (plus a foot or two ) then that will have to do. If I had unlimited space I'm sure I could do a better job but my yard serves other purposes besides wood storage.

However we do it I'm sure it will be scads better than the "seasoned" crap we were forced to buy this year.
The first year of burning is one big learning curve and next year has to be better!

Cearbhaill said:

However we do it I'm sure it will be scads better than the "seasoned" crap we were forced to buy this year.
The first year of burning is one big learning curve and next year has to be better!

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Amen, Brother!

I've got lots of full-sun and near constantly breezy space, but the ground is uneven and mostly sloped. My small stove takes max 15-inch splits, so between the short lengths and the uneven ground, I'm not even going to try to do a freestanding stack. I got some of those metal bracket kits you can just slip various lengths of treated 2x4s into to make a rack and I'm hoping that will make things a little easier. I've also got three young outdoor cats who are gonna love to prowl around on top of those stacks, so they'll have to be rock-solid stable.

ya mean 'Amen Sister!'


stack it, it looks nicer and dries better.
wind is best, sun is a big +

1 split at a time in your toaster oven @ 150 degrees for 2 hrs is best but it takes over 6 weeks to dry a cord.

Ok, this might sound like a really dumb question. When stacking, do you put the bark side of the wood up, or down. Or, does it make any difference as far as drying time is concerned ?

BeGreen said:

It probably doesn't matter much, but I try to put the bark side up on the final upper 3 course of splits on the stack. Then I take the large slabs of bark (soft maple or doug fir) and make my top covering out of them. I lay them down like roof tiles, alternating seams, about 3 layers thick. This looks better to me than a tarp and seems to resist the wind fairly well.

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Ah, then I'm not nutz %-P I've been stacking with the bark side up. I figured the bark might prevent, or lessen the amount of water that might get into the wood when it snows or rains.

I like the idea of your bark roof tiles. Never thought of putting the bark on top of the stack but it makes sense. Now I know what I'll do with all that loose bark around the wood pile

that's pretty much what mdf and particle board looks like on top of a pile all Winter.

It ain't pretty but it beats tripping over it. It's cheap, it's plentiful, it's free.
If it falls off it doesn't have to be picked up or aknowledged.

wind is not a constant. Sun always comes up in the east and sets in the west.
I stack mine in rows going east to west. But it is up to the beholder.

I'm surprised that after so many posts on the subject, no one brought up the most important thing for stacking orientation:

Feng Shui

It is widely known that Feng Shui is the single most crucial factor in how well and speedy would your wood seasoning develop!
Get a Feng Shui advisor, pay him/her a hefty fee, listen to what they say, take notes, and orient your woodpile accordingly!
You won't regret it. This will ensure harmony and happiness in the pile and every split would season twice as quick, if not even quicker.

Later,
IK

A happy split is a drier split

Or, play classical music for your stacks :coolhmm:

glad I found this post. Other years I split and stacked my pile in one long row. Then I cover the top 1/3rd with plastic in the fall. Since I am the only one working with my wood, I want to make things eisier. I was thinking of buying a carport and adding some sturdy free air sides to it so I could just throw the wood in and not stack it. Problem is, I like knowing how much wood I have. Is there a way to measure loose split wood? And will this not dry the wood nearly as well as stacked? Id like to buy a 12x 20 and fill it up. use tarps along the sides to let down when it rains and snows.
Any thoughts?

barnartist said:

Is there a way to measure loose split wood?
Any thoughts?

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Post a pic here of your pile.
Ask for guesstimates.

Average the answers.

i am done stacking. i stacked for years and it was a waste to me.
i just installes a owb and my splitting might be overwith also.
here is a pic.

barnartist said:

glad I found this post. Other years I split and stacked my pile in one long row. Then I cover the top 1/3rd with plastic in the fall. Since I am the only one working with my wood, I want to make things eisier. I was thinking of buying a carport and adding some sturdy free air sides to it so I could just throw the wood in and not stack it. Problem is, I like knowing how much wood I have. Is there a way to measure loose split wood? And will this not dry the wood nearly as well as stacked? Id like to buy a 12x 20 and fill it up. use tarps along the sides to let down when it rains and snows.
Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

I could be wrong (I do that allot %-P ) but I don't think the wood will season as well just piled up. Tough for the wind to get to the lower and center pieces. JMHO

But I know how ya feel. I'm alone with my wood pile too. Also alone in/with the house. Being a one man show is allot of work. And wood heating sure adds to the work time.