Piling in heaps rather than stacking

For years I have religiously stacked my wood in neat rows and had it stored inside my driveshed which had good air flowing through it. It usually sat for three years before burning, mostly ash and hard maple. In the last few years have been lazy and just threw it into a big pile, about eight feet high and twenty feet approx across bottom, where the rows used to be. Will just start burning this coming winter for the three year old pile. In the summer it gets lots of air but no direct sunlight but gets hot during that time.
Wondering if anyone has thoughts as to pros or cons of this? Sure is easier than stacking, not as pretty but is it functional in your opinion?
Thanks for any comments,
Kevin

Is it just sitting on the ground? Either way, I think that each time it rains the water in the center will take a long time to dry as opposed to single row piles that get more air/sun and dry out quicker. In a big pile I don't know if the center would ever dry properly. Let us know how it works out for you this fall.

A pile has a lot more wood in contact with the ground than a stack does. Also, a pile seems like it would trap a lot of moist air inside - the moisture would come from the ground or from rain, but either way there won't be much air flow through the pile.

Wood Duck, the pile is in a covered shed so does not get rain and the floor is dried clay. My concern as you have mentioned is air flow. I have to resize a bunch of these larger logs for my Jotul 400 so will be ripping apart the pile shortly to do that. So will report what I find in the bottom of pile.
Thanks,
Kevin

Being covered for 3 years before burning in a heap should be OK.
On pallet might help get air under it, & help air movement.
Where do you keep the wood you burn the 2 seasons before the covered heap is burned?
Pictures?

Would be interesting to see moisture content on some of the wood in the middle if you have a moisture meter.

I have heard through a few wood processing sources out my way that after processing and placing the splits into large piles that the wood that suffers drying time the most is the wood in the center towards the ground. These guys say they rotate their stock for better drying but its hard to believe they actually do.
I would think if you have your wood piled inside a shed with a dry floor you should be ok after 3 years. Your pile gets the wind but no direct sunlight however it would get heated air on warmer days. Only way to really know would be the check the splits with a MM from the center/lower portion of the pile.

Dave I like the pallet idea as more air could get under the pile. All my wood when first cut and split in the spring goes onto a concrete barnyard and sits over winter so one year outside. Then I size it and recut( have to since moving to a Jotul 400 from a larger stove) and move up to my covered shed where it used to get stacked into rows but now piles. I have 3 years of wood in that shed so usually I start the season with 15 bush cords in the shed and have been burning 5 per year. So as that pile gets used in the spring I then fill up the pile with my outside pile. I keep track of the age of each pile so I know the age of each - just a system I have developed over the years. I will try and get pics so you can see.
Thanks for your input, the pallet idea is great.
Kevin

Yea 3 years and a dry bottom should work fine.

Go with the term "rebel" . . . it makes you sound like you have a cause and not that you're a spurned member of a family group.

If the wood was outdoors just thrown into a heap, I say no. But yours is indoors and 3 years to dry, I say it will be fine.

And welcome to the forum Kevin.

My reading comprehension is really bad....I didn't catch that it was in a shed. I still prefer 2 years out in the sun/wind, but it's a lot more work. I don't see much differance between tightly stacking and a big pile. There might be more air circulation in a pile!

Wait a minute.....I've never heard of a "rebel sheep". Please to explain.
As to the wood, we'll only know for sure when you've gotten into it. I'm curious.
Well, Jags knows but.......

"rebel sheep" Do I know about them?........................ NNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I have tested many of my large piles of wood that are 25ft high cones that are on concrete and what I have found is that the pieces on the outside of the pile are about 2% drier than the pieces in the center on the direct bottom I have checked this several times over the years. Here is a pic of some of my piles

woodman I think you deserve all capitals-WOODMAN!

That's a heap of work. Or heaps of work.

Wow woodsman must have a big stove or live in Siberia!

I pile mine then stack behind the house in Oct.

rebel Sheep???

would that make a re baaaaaaall yell?

couldnt resist
chuck

Holy crap, that's a lot of wood. So I assume you sell wood?

You don't have time to stack, that fish in your avator will drink all of your beer.