How long can logs sit?

[Bagelboy]

I have a friend who wants to drop off some logs, about 4 cords. Unfortunately, I already have about 12 cords ccs, and don't have room to ccs. Can it sit one year , or will it get punky on me? It's all red oak, so naturally I want it. I can put it up the road from my house, where it will sit safely, but if I ccs, I think someone will grab it!

 

[BEConklin]

In my limited experience, even on the ground in the woods, the sapwood of red oak will turn to dust before the heartwood rots. So I'd say take it!

 

[bmblank]

I wouldn't even flinch at taking that offer.

 

[Grisu]

The part that is sitting directly on the ground may get a bit soggy; if you have something suitable (old treated lumber for example) to raise it a bit up that would be great. The rest will certainly be fine especially if it just a year.

 

[yooperdave]

Never look a gift horse....

 

[Bagelboy]

Thanks guys

 

[PapaDave]

I've gotten a couple log loads, and the 1st was put on the ground. Took me over a year to get it all c/s/s, and not much punk happened.
2nd load was up on sacrificial logs, and went over 2 years before the stuff on the bottom started going.
I've even used quite a few small Oak logs under my stacks for several years, before hey got kind of bad. I finally pulled them, then c/s/s 'em. They'll get burned in a year or 2.
Almost forgot to mention.....it was all Oak.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I have a friend who wants to drop off some logs, about 4 cords. Unfortunately, I already have about 12 cords ccs, and don't have room to ccs. Can it sit one year , or will it get punky on me? It's all red oak, so naturally I want it. I can put it up the road from my house, where it will sit safely, but if I ccs, I think someone will grab it!

First off, that is a great friend! I do not see anything unfortunate about this situation at all. So you want to stack it in logs. That is fine. Just first lay down two logs as sacrifice then stack the rest on top of those 2. With red oak, the outside layer will tend to punk a little but it is nothing to be concerned about. If you plan on leaving the wood there quite some time, I would also not hesitate to cover it. How long will it keep? Probably not more than 35-50 years or so if kept dry.

 

[Bagelboy]

I already have a driveway filled with wood, so I figure I probably won't get to it til next spring.

 

[tsquini]

35-50 years sounds about right.

Probably not more than 35-50 years or so if kept dry.

 

[Bagelboy]

Problem is I had to have them dropped in the woods near my house, and the area is not sunny, it's all shade, but I'm hoping they don't get punky til I ccs next year this time.

 

[BEConklin]

Problem is I had to have them dropped in the woods near my house, and the area is not sunny, it's all shade, but I'm hoping they don't get punky til I ccs next year this time.

That will only make the bark fall off more easily when you split the rounds

 

[yooperdave]

Problem is I had to have them dropped in the woods near my house, and the area is not sunny, it's all shade, but I'm hoping they don't get punky til I ccs next year this time.

With all the re-assurance you received, you should have no worries at all!
With the snow and the wet (lower logs) there will be some white on the logs when you get around to the pile next year. I think it's some form of mildew. But they won't be "punky". Around here, when someone describes wood as being punky, it means that even though the wood is still in its original form-rounds, logs or splits- it has a sponge like consistency that is pretty much the last stage before it loses it shape and rots completely. Pretty much the only use it has is to be thrown onto the burn/brush pile. I have never seen this happen in a year. The logs are in good shape to begin with, right??

 

[tsquini]

We had 4 white oak logs sit in my front yard for 15 years in hopes of making them into flooring. Never happened. I started cutting them up to length. The moisture meter was still reading over 30% after tha amount of time.

 

[smokedragon]

Just for perspective, there was a red oak down at my grandparents house that had been down for nearly a decade. It fell across a small ravine. The top 1/3 of the tree was on the ground, and was just mush. The part that was elevated was still solid through and through.

Either a) take it and if it gets a little punky on the bottom, split that off and keep the rest

or b) take it and try to elevate it with concrete blocks, scrap treated lumber, etc. to keep it from getting punky


Either way, take it

 

[Bagelboy]

Thanks for all the reassurance guys, I'll let it sit til next year and be glad it's there!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Problem is I had to have them dropped in the woods near my house, and the area is not sunny, it's all shade, but I'm hoping they don't get punky til I ccs next year this time.

We've never worried about wood sitting where it gets no sunshine. So long as there is air movement, it will keep well.