Splits facing up or down?

[NextEndeavor]

I scored well this week filling my pickup three times with wood a neighbor wanted cleaned up along a fence line. The logs were 10 to 18 inch diameter average mostly Ash with some Oak and Mulberry. Also found some Cherry in there and it smells great when split.
At any rate, my question: When stacking wood: has anyone ever given thought to having the exposed split wood facing up or down? If you place the bark side up it might shed water better but dry slower? In my case, it doesn’t really matter because this firewood won’t be used till after the up coming heating season is finished. It will get about 18 months outside before moving into an open sided shed. Pictured is about one third of the recent take.
By the way, I’m ready for fall weather. We’ve had several days with heat indexes running in the 110 degree range….. and that’s too hot for processing firewood. Wrong forum but I sure like the Northstar 30 ton splitter too.

 

[jeff_t]

It's been discussed at length before. Try a search.

My opinion is that I don't care. I've never noticed a difference. I stack for stability, since those stacks are going to be there for a few years.

Nice find, by the way.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

You can stack either way and be okay as long as you do the other things right. However, if there is any loose or partially loose bark some water will tend to get in there. Once it does it does not dry very well at all.

We've stacked mostly bark up for many, many moons. For one thing, it just seems to stack better. With the bark down the stacks seem to be not so sturdy and I am not one that likes to restack firewood. It has been a long, long time since I've had a stack fall and to be honest I really don't remember when it happened except for one time one of my splitting stacks fell. But that is because I am not at all fussy about those stacks, tend to stack them higher and also nothing under them except Mother Earth, snow and ice. When the snow and ice melted and the frost heaved, the combination made one stack come apart. After being split, the stacks usually do not fall over.

One big plus though of stacking like you did is that if you look at the way the wood is stacked, it is stacked loosely. That will hasten the drying process. Still, this can be done also with bark up.

 

[jeff_t]

You can stack either way and be okay as long as you do the other things right. However, if there is any loose or partially loose bark some water will tend to get in there. Once it does it does not dry very well at all.

We've stacked mostly bark up for many, many moons. For one thing, it just seems to stack better. With the bark down the stacks seem to be not so sturdy and I am not one that likes to restack firewood. It has been a long, long time since I've had a stack fall and to be honest I really don't remember when it happened except for one time one of my splitting stacks fell. But that is because I am not at all fussy about those stacks, tend to stack them higher and also nothing under them except Mother Earth, snow and ice. When the snow and ice melted and the frost heaved, the combination made one stack come apart. After being split, the stacks usually do not fall over.

One big plus though of stacking like you did is that if you look at the way the wood is stacked, it is stacked loosely. That will hasten the drying process. Still, this can be done also with bark up.

I don't remember the last time I had a stack fall, either. I've got one that's gonna fall any day now, but it's been like that for a year and a half now. It's going to be the first one burned this fall, though ;-)

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Yes Jeff. Get that one first. :lol:

 

[jeff_t]

Also helps that I've turned into a bit of a snob, being a few years ahead. I'm not dealing with the big, freakishly knotted up stuff anymore. The straight ones sure do stack nice.

 

[amateur cutter]

Also helps that I've turned into a bit of a snob, being a few years ahead. I'm not dealing with the big, freakishly knotted up stuff anymore. The straight ones sure do stack nice.

Ha, even if I had that perfectly straight grained wood like you guys I doubt I could make those perfect stacks. I'm not even envious anymore, I just don't look at Dennis's pictures anymore. That being said, I haven't had one tip over in several years now. I just don't wanna stack twice. A C

P.S. I'm amateur enough, that I use end posts too. LOL

 

[maplewood]

I stack bark up for a few reasons:
1. The bark was designed to shed water.
2. The wedge shape of the split stacks tightly when pointing down (bark up).
3. If you stack bark down, and the bark starts to separate, you get a nice bowl to collect and store rain water in. I like my wood drying, not soaking.
But if it's dry, you win, whether bark up or down.
Happy burning.
PS - do you put your toilet paper over or under?

 

[rdust]

Bark up for me, main reason is it seems to stack better.

 

[woodsmaster]

However it fits.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Also helps that I've turned into a bit of a snob, being a few years ahead. I'm not dealing with the big, freakishly knotted up stuff anymore. The straight ones sure do stack nice.

Ha, even if I had that perfectly straight grained wood like you guys I doubt I could make those perfect stacks. I'm not even envious anymore, I just don't look at Dennis's pictures anymore. That being said, I haven't had one tip over in several years now. I just don't wanna stack twice. A C

P.S. I'm amateur enough, that I use end posts too. LOL

Okay. Just look at Zap's pictures. He stacks better than I do anyway. :lol: