New to the Site and a quick question

[HittinSteel]

I'm new to the site and just wanted to introduce myself and say I have learned a lot in the last few days reading the posts and opinions here. I grew up cutting, splitting and heating with wood and after a long hiatus, my wife and I have purchased a Napoleon 1400 and are looking forward to our first winter heating with wood. I have been diligently working on my wood supply and have about 4 cords ready for the winter, neatly stacked on pallets supported by cinder blocks. I would like to continue cutting and splitting, getting ahead for the following winter. My question is whether this wood (to be used in winter #2) can be stored on the ground and then moved on to my pallets in the spring once my current stuff has been burned?

Thanks for any opinions and this is a great site.

 

[Tfin]

Welcome and congrats on the new stove. I'm sure you'll get varying opinions on this, but If it were me, I'd simply aquire some more pallets and stack the stuff for next year on them now.

You'd probably be ok moving them to pallets in the spring, but if you have the space and access to more pallets my recomendation would to be to always keep your splits off the ground.

 

[fossil]

Welcome! I would never store firewood in direct contact with the soil. On a bed of gravel, perhaps, but not smack dab on the dirt. Moisture absorption/retention, rot, insect infestation...yer just asking for it. Getting it up off the ground also allows for some airflow beneath. Where are you located? Rick

 

[billb3]

ground contact increases the likelihood of Nature's tendency to absorb itself.

It's a game of percentages.
The longer it stays there, per centages go up.
If the ground you are on drains well, then there will be less tendency to rot.
Just the stuff making contact usually gets (partially) ruined.

Sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do.


I've had piles covered with tarps and the only problem was having some splits frozen to the ground in February.
I've had stacks on pallets left for way too many years that the termites built tubes up to to get into. and cherry just rot.

 

[the_dude]

I would think getting your hands on a couple more pallets would be easier than moving all your wood a second time? You could always build a platform out of treated 2x4 and plywood. That is what I did, and I think I had about $80 into a 8x12 platform. At five feet tall, that would be 3.75 cord.

 

[HittinSteel]

Thanks for the replys. I'm in Northeast Ohio. Guess I'll get some more pallets since I have access to them for cheap and enough area to store the wood.

 

[gerry100]

If available, throw 2 lengths of pine down as rails to stack on.

You'll sacriifce a liitle pine, but its' quick, cheap and will get you the air flow you need.

 

[savageactor7]

HittinSteel if that's your only option then go for it, the worst that will happen is that the wood actually touching the ground will get punky. You'll still be farther ahead in the long run by working a year ahead...eventually when you restack year 2 wood look for any punky wood and save it for shoulder season...I've been burning dried punky wood for years...

...hey it has it place once it's dried out if I burn it all day saturday when I'm in and about the house and my backup doesn't kick on I just saved a some more dough...and that's why I burn wood.

 

[HittinSteel]

I may just construct a holz hausen because all of the metal stakes and concrete blocks are getting expensive. Just came across some split cherry and oak at a very good price. I may try to get 3 years ahead.