Best place to season wood?

I have enough room to put next years wood in my basement. Is it better put in this winter when the heat is on (21c) in the basement or leave it outside stacked until next fall?

Don't know about moisture where you are. Obviously on an island you are surrounded with water....

I live in a very dry climate and it is even drier in the winter. The cold just sucks the moisture right out of things so my wood stays outside until ready to burn.

Best place is in an open spot where both sun and wind can reach it - stacked loosely so wind can blow right on through. Just a tarp on top if rain is a problem durning summer months.

Sounds pretty good huh? It's what I've learned here and I have learned that it does work. ;-)

Is your basement well ventilated?

Definitely outdoors to season. Uncovered during the summer months. No need to cover when it rains unless you live in a very wet climate where it rains almost every day. Rain from summer showers drys extremely fast and won't soak into the wood. Leaving the wood uncovered allows for maximum evaporation of moisture. We leave ours uncovered until late fall or early winter then cover the top only.

Stack wood where it will get good wind and hopefully good sun.

Yes my basement is well ventilated with infloor heat and an air exchanger. Built in 98

I've learned this lesson the hard way. Keep it outside for seasoning. Sunshine and a breeze do a lot more to dry the wood than keeping the rain off it.

For a variety or reasons I wouldn't bring wood into a basement until it was thoroughly seasoned.

Wood that goes through wet and dry periods will dries faster. Wood will season better outside. Besides, you don't want the added moisture in your house until fall / winter. Cover the pile in fall before the rain and snow start. I bring the wood in after we've had a few good hard frosts to reduce insects. Any wood left outside over winter here in WI is best kept covered.

This is what works for me as well ! I keep my racks in the back of the property were the sun and wind are on it.

I store mine in a corner of my yard that is out of view. Unfortunately is has a fair amount of shade, but it is warm and breezy and when stacked on pallets, it really dries wood.

I have just had about a cord of gum, a cord of maple and a cord of cherry given to me from a building lot. the trees had to go before construction could sart ... we have agotten it split and racked criss cross.... on average how long will it take before I can start to burn???? is there a difference between tree spec.s in terms of time to season???

I keep 1 cord in basement, but do not have moisture issues. Wood insid e dries well if close to stove/furnace. But for large quanitues, drying outside using the wind and sun work better!

Death Valley outside