3 weeks of rain, wet wood to the shed

[bogydave]

Been getting some wood in for 2012-13/14 winter depending on how much I use this winter.
Won't burn all the 2 yr old stuff that's been in the shed over a year, so this will have a year+ to season.
Had a break in the rain, so started moving it, last of it was in a sprinkle. Rain predicted for next week.
I decided to move the birch to the woodshed. Glad I did, mold growing on lots of the splits.
Spruce in the background above the table, no room in the shed if I get some more birch so it'll have to make it there.
Some was there all summer some 4 weeks.
I'm leaving a 4 to 6" gap between rows to help it season there, 2 rows so far & starting 3rd.
With the rainy season on us, I figured it would dry better & faster in the shed.

 

[tfdchief]

NICE! Makes me warm just looking at that wood shed. How much will it hold if full?

 

[bogydave]

Thanks
Each section holds roughly 5 cords, so 15+ cords (Used 5-1/2 cords last winter)
The section on the left was empty, now back to over 1/2 way to replacing what I burned. (middle & right section are 2 year old wood.)
each section is 16' X 7', holds 4 rows @ about 1.25 cords per row, I cut 17", average about 7-1/2' high.
I figure if it's stuffed full, 3 years worth of heat.
Wasn't able to cut last year, back issues, so it feels good to be adding to the supply this year.

 

[tfdchief]

Thanks
Each section holds roughly 5 cords, so 15+ cords (Used 5-1/2 cords last winter)
The section on the left was empty, now back to over 1/2 way to replacing what I burned. (middle & right section are 2 year old wood.)
each section is 16' X 7', holds 4 rows @ about 1.25 cords per row, I cut 17", average about 7-1/2' high.
I figure if it's stuffed full, 3 years worth of heat.
Wasn't able to cut last year, back issues, so it feels good to be adding to the supply this year.

Wow, I can sure relate to that! I am 9 weeks into recovering from 3 broken vertebrae, Still off work and not sure whether I will get to cut anything this winter or not. I have plenty of wood thank God, but I will probably need some help getting it in my wood shed for the winter coming. Mine is completely enclosed so I have to wait until my wood is completely seasoned before I move it in, and it will only hold about half a winter's worth. So, I cover my wood and then when the shed gets low, I wait for nice weather and fill it back up.

 

[DexterDay]

That is a STELLAR Shed!! 15 Cord. They say everything in Texas is Bigger. Well Alaska makes Texas look like Ohio. Everything in Alaska is HUGE..

Looks Great. Bogeydave, those stacked ends look like BackWoods has been over. Very nice and neat.

 

[nate379]

Yeah it's real fun. Broke 2 vertabrae about a year ago and I'm still not even 50-60%. I went to work THAT day though, never took a day off. Just lots of pills and sucked it up.

My wood is all done for a couple years, have ~10 cords in total and I burn about 3 cords or so a year. I guess Dave must have a really big house cause I think we live pretty close to each other.

Thanks
Each section holds roughly 5 cords, so 15+ cords (Used 5-1/2 cords last winter)
The section on the left was empty, now back to over 1/2 way to replacing what I burned. (middle & right section are 2 year old wood.)
each section is 16' X 7', holds 4 rows @ about 1.25 cords per row, I cut 17", average about 7-1/2' high.
I figure if it's stuffed full, 3 years worth of heat.
Wasn't able to cut last year, back issues, so it feels good to be adding to the supply this year.

Wow, I can sure relate to that! I am 9 weeks into recovering from 3 broken vertebrae, Still off work and not sure whether I will get to cut anything this winter or not. I have plenty of wood thank God, but I will probably need some help getting it in my wood shed for the winter coming. Mine is completely enclosed so I have to wait until my wood is completely seasoned before I move it in, and it will only hold about half a winter's worth. So, I cover my wood and then when the shed gets low, I wait for nice weather and fill it back up.

 

[MasterMech]

Now that my friends, is a proper woodshed! Diggin' it...

 

[bogydave]

Steve,
Thanks; & I can relate. So can Backwoods Savage (Dennis) & North of 60. We were all laid up for a while & couldn't cut wood.
Was nice , we had enough wood ready & were OK for this winter's wood being in the shed.
Leaned having a few years ahead can be a very good thing, not only seasoned well, but if stuff (life) happens, one less thing to worry about.

DexterDay; Thanks
Yep; got the idea from Dennis (BWS) a few years back & have gotten better at stacking with his help & his pictures, works great. He's a great teacher.
Well if you are going to have wood here, in the cold, snow & wind, it sure is nice to find it & not chase tarps like I did for years. Nice to have the room to put it too. Should've built it years ago.

Some of the pictures during the build: Built July 2010
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/56894/
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/56965/
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/57290/

 

[bogydave]

Nate;
Kinda nice having 3 years of wood CSS isn't it.?
Your are one tough cookie.
4 level house, over 2200 sq ft. + wife got used to 74° in the winter

Roger that, MM, Thanks

 

[fabsroman]

Steve,
Thanks; & I can relate. So can Backwoods Savage (Dennis) & North of 60. We were all laid up for a while & couldn't cut wood.
Was nice , we had enough wood ready & were OK for this winter's wood being in the shed.
Leaned having a few years ahead can be a very good thing, not only seasoned well, but if stuff (life) happens, one less thing to worry about.

DexterDay; Thanks
Yep; got the idea from Dennis (BWS) a few years back & have gotten better at stacking with his help & his pictures, works great. He's a great teacher.
Well if you are going to have wood here, in the cold, snow & wind, it sure is nice to find it & not chase tarps like I did for years. Nice to have the room to put it too. Should've built it years ago.

Some of the pictures during the build: Built July 2010
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/56894/
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/56965/
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/57290/

It is just like having money in the bank. The more money you have saved, the easier it is to deal with stuff happening in life. Essentially, the more prepared you are for something, the easier it is to deal with.

I would love a 32 foot woodshed. Is the base of the shed cement or just dirt?

 

[firefighterjake]

Happiness is a full woodshed.

 

[Kenster]

[quote author="DexterDay" date="1313731400"] They say everything in Texas is Bigger. Well Alaska makes Texas look like Ohio. Everything in Alaska is HUGE.. /quote]


Aw, once global warming really kicks in, Alaska will be smaller than Rhode Island. ;-) And when that happens, Ohio will shoreline on both the Atlantic and the Gulf.

Nice shed!

 

[wood-fan-atic]

Dave - you are my woodshed HERO! That shed is so very sweet!

 

[cptoneleg]

All summer 4 weeks thats funny, You just have to do things different up there. And love your shed, mine holds about 4 to 41/2 cords one burn seasons worth. I dry (season) 100% outside of shed then move in sometime in Oct.

 

[bogydave]

Thanks everyone. raining again today, sure better for the wood to be under cover so it can dry.

fabsroman: "I would love a 32 foot woodshed. Is the base of the shed cement or just dirt?" ::
Semi leveled, well the right side is a foot or so taller than the left side, it's on a slight incline.
Then I put down some sand , raked it close to level , then some old carpet & landscape cloth to keep weeds from growing up thru. then some pallets.
I built it in 3 steps, Three 16' sections. I had to move wood into it to have room to build the next sections.

 

[woodchip]

That is some woodshed, glad you are able to fill it again, you're in good company here with back problems ;-)

 

[fabsroman]

Thanks everyone. raining again today, sure better for the wood to be under cover so it can dry.

fabsroman: "I would love a 32 foot woodshed. Is the base of the shed cement or just dirt?" ::
Semi leveled, well the right side is a foot or so taller than the left side, it's on a slight incline.
Then I put down some sand , raked it close to level , then some old carpet & landscape cloth to keep weeds from growing up thru. then some pallets.
I built it in 3 steps, Three 16' sections. I had to move wood into it to have room to build the next sections.

Thanks for the info. I think I am going to have to build myself a wood shed, but I am going to have to look at the local code first.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Dave, are you stacking twice even with the shed done or are you phasing out the other stacks?

 

[bogydave]

Dave, are you stacking twice even with the shed done or are you phasing out the other stacks?

I was stacking twice, using the principle that stacked out in the open with sun & wind it would dry better & faster, but rainy season hit right after I got it & rained for 3 week
since I got it all split.
Had a 1 day break in the rain, so I put the birch in the shed (filled the section I used last winter about 1/2) with more space between rows.
I'm thinking now that if I'm able to keep it in an open shed (basically a roof) even 4 rows would dry in 2 years it'll be there not getting rained on..
Birch is more susceptible to mold & rot so I'm gonna start putting it under cover in the shed after splitting. (save a stacking step as we all know we handle fire wood enough times already)
Our cold, dry, windy winters should suck the moisture out of it pretty good & I'll take care to have some space between rows.
What's left uncovered is spruce & I'm going to try to get more birch this winter to get the 1/2 full section filled up.
Trouble then, is they dryer stuff will be in the back rows. :zip: ?

Nice day today (able to mow the yard) but rain & showers forecast for the rest of the week, typical moose season.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

Dave, looks great, you must be anal, those splits look exactly the same size and stacked to perfection.

By the way I like the golf picture, as you can tell by my handle I am a golf nut too, came in second in the club championship today in the first flight, lost it on the last damn hole.

 

[bogydave]

Thanks.
After back surgery last winter, I'm totally happy just playing golf. Low to mid 80s. Break 80 sometimes, rare but a 1 or 2 times every (short) season.

I guess I'm a little anal with the length when I cut. I mark 17" with an old sears saw with a 17" rod on the bar tip, then grab the 20" & cut the rounds.
I have to walk the log twice but get the lengths of splits my stove likes.
I can get within about 2 to 3" if I don't use the marker & then some are too long to fit in the stove N/S
Some guys are good at getting the exact length, I'm not one of them.
Some logs I can put it on the 20" saw & walk down the log & cut rounds as I go, some I mark then cut.
1st one was 18", found 17" to bet best for the stove so I cut 1" off & it's been working well since. I call it my bar jig.
(piece of old broken graphite fishing rod with 1/4" threads epoxied in the end):
video:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/51317/

 

[woodchip]

I don't worry too much about exact lengths, I tend to work around where the knots and joints are to make splitting easier.

Probably why my stacks are a bit ugly next to most on here...... ;-)

 

[bogydave]

Yea, I here you. My old stove handled anything up to 24" but I loaded it E/W so it was not a problem.
The new BK burns best loaded N/S, & the bottom holds a 17" split perfect. I like to load it to the gills & get the
long burn times, as I stack it in the stove I can get 19" pieces near the top but sometimes finding the 17" pieces for the bottom is tough so I decided to just cut it all 17"
Anal !! ;; I know, but we all have some idiosyncrasy in our DNA.
If I cut around knots, I wouldn't get very many 17" lengths, but the hyd. splitter busts them up pretty good.

It's funny to me when I cut "free hand" how varied my round lengths are. I cut a bunch of beetle killed spruce, out at moose camp, a few weeks ago & am 12" to 24" long. But a camp fire don't care.

Ugly stacks Never! Any stack of wood it a thing of beauty. Kinda like sex, "it's all is good , but some is just better than others".

 

[firefighterjake]

I don't worry too much about exact lengths, I tend to work around where the knots and joints are to make splitting easier.

Probably why my stacks are a bit ugly next to most on here...... ;-)

A bit ugly . . . my stacks are downright Shrek-like hideous looking . . . especially when I throw my punks, chunks and uglies on top. I figure as long as the wood fits in the firebox and is seasoned it's all good . . . I mean it's not like I'm trying to win a prize for the best looking stacks of wood -- I'm just stacking the wood to dry it out so I can then turn around and burn it for the heat. It doesn't have to be pretty . . . just functional.

 

[cptoneleg]

Don't forget you heard it here first Firewood Is Like Sex