Drying during the Autumn Snow Storms

[ValentineHill]

Hey all,

After all of the snow that came down on a lot of the East Coast last weekend (we got 3-4 inches and lost power for 3 days. Damn wet early snow!), I have been wondering about the drying effects that will be happening to the wood piles in my backyard. Now, I know that in addition to the usual drying factors of wind and sun, sublimation (the direct transition between ice and water vapor) becomes a factor when the temperature goes under 32 degrees.

This got me thinking: since for the last few 5 days or so it's gone below 32 degrees every night and for some of the day, but the midday highs have been solidly above freezing (45-55 degrees) and there has been a decently steady wind going most of the time (thanks to the storm), is this ideal conditions for some rapid drying (wind + repeated sublimation)?

 

[CTYank]

First-order approximation & SWAG- No on the drying. Infinitesimal at best.

If wetting is a problem near term, COVER IT. Works for me.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Just don't try to over-think it. Wood just needs time to dry right. Wood, unless it is punky will not soak up water as it is not a sponge. Split the wood, stack it off the ground where wind will hit the sides of the stack and all will be well. As for 3-4" of wet snow on it for a few days, I would not worry a bit about that.

 

[bogydave]

Rapid drying, hmmmm?
Good thought though.
Most woods take a year, oak 2 yrs + while seeing weather similar to what you have now at various times of the year.
You have the right thoughts, "getting your wood dry".
I doubt it will dry much faster than normal, you have high humidity for a while after a big storm.
Off the ground & good air circulation is good, but a few days of dry windy weather won't speed it up noticeably.
Patience helps allot though.

 

[Wood Duck]

I'd say that repeated sublimation is definitely not going to result in faster wood drying. Sublimation is a slower process than evaporation, all things being equal. However, maybe repeated freezing and thawing of wet wood helps break open the pores of the wood and that allows water to escape faster. I sort of doubt it, sine wood is probably flexible enough to accommodate the formation of ice crystals without cracking, but maybe...

 

[oldspark]

If you need to have rapid drying wood this time of year you done waited too long.

 

[ValentineHill]

I should clarify -- this year's wood varies between pretty dry (~25% MC) and very dry (<20% MC). So I'm not hoping for a magic bullet or anything with getting the recently split stuff dry for two weeks from now.

But, what can I say, I spend too much of my time thinking about this stuff. When I wake up in the morning I see the stacks in my backyard, so I've just been wondering what's been going on out there this time of year. Sublimation is a bit of an odd concept after all!

 

[velvetfoot]

I've got 4 pairs of gloves drying out on the hearth as I type this.
I managed to stack the splits that were covered in snow.
Stilll pretty wet. Makes for cold hands.
Still have more rounds to split....running out of stacking room.