What size rounds are you putting on your stacks

[certified106]

Just curious to see what size round you guys throw on your wood piles without splitting them. I have started finding I like a decent selection of rounds for long fires when I am going to be gone for a long periods of time or for overnight burns. I have even been mixing them in on my wood stacks so I have a good selection this year.

 

[billb3]

small in the morning
larger in the afternoon

 

[woodsmaster]

I split every thing I can split at least once. Those small rounds can take years to dry otherwise.

 

[Got Wood]

I went with I split everything although not those 1-2".
I may not split up to 5" if it is clearly a dead wood and already fairly dry piece. If it was green cut, it gets split

 

[oldspark]

Should have been a 1-3 inch choice as I split everthing over 3 inch.

 

[certified106]

Should have been a 1-3 inch choice as I split everthing over 3 inch.

Sorry, I new I wouldn't get it all covered :cheese:

 

[certified106]

I split every thing I can split at least once. Those small rounds can take years to dry otherwise.

I should have mentioned that the wood I'm throwing on the stacks is fuel for 4 years out so it will have plenty of seasoning time sitting out with the top covered and sides open. My stacks are two rows wide (32") 12' long and 4.5'. I changed the height this year after listening to Dennis.

 

[Thistle]

I leave 1" to 3" rounds unsplit,3" to 7" also if they're dead extra dry tops/branches.Cut a handful of bone-dry standing dead 5"-6" White & Red Elm on Wednesday,dark grey outside with long vertical cracks.Sounds like a baseball bat when hit together,guessing the MC isnt much over 12% right now. Green same sized just have in a different stack,dont cut them very often.

 

[oldspark]

Plan on checking my small rounds this fall as I wonder how long for the 3 inch stuff takes to dry (maple and ash)

 

[Wood Duck]

I don't think rounds season as well as split wood. Yes, they burn longer, but my impression is that it's due to poor seasoning more than the shape of the wood (round vs split). Therefore, I split most of my firewood regardless of size. I still stack a few rounds just to keep experimenting with them.

 

[oldspark]

I don't think rounds season as well as split wood. Yes, they burn longer, but my impression is that it's due to poor seasoning more than the shape of the wood (round vs split). Therefore, I split most of my firewood regardless of size. I still stack a few rounds just to keep experimenting with them.

I wonder if the size of the round comes in to play, say a 3 inch vs a 6 or 8.

 

[certified106]

I don't think rounds season as well as split wood. Yes, they burn longer, but my impression is that it's due to poor seasoning more than the shape of the wood (round vs split). Therefore, I split most of my firewood regardless of size. I still stack a few rounds just to keep experimenting with them.

I wonder if the size of the round comes in to play, say a 3 inch vs a 6 or 8.

Not sure how much it comes into play but I will tell you in about 4 years, LOL.
I cut a bunch of dead standing/ leaning but off the ground 8" rounds at the beginning of last summer and when I busted a few of them open they were below 13%MC on the meter. Needless to say I didn't split them after seeing the MC on the first couple and they burned like a dream this past winter. So now I want to keep rounds like that on hand for the coldest part of winter and times that I need really long burns.

 

[mecreature]

if its 5 or 6 inches it gets split. if I can stand it up

On the other hand a pound of wood is a pound of wood. good seasoning and everything equal...

but I did keep a dozen or so bigger rounds (8-10 inches) of some cherry recently just to see what comes of it.

 

[firefighterjake]

I believe in my buddy Joe's "One Hand Rule" -- if I can grab the round easily with one hand it is left untouched. If I cannot easily grab the round with one hand it gets split . . . I figure this means most anything 1-4 inches or so is safe from my splitter.

 

[joefrompa]

I have some pieces up to 6-8" in diameter that I leave be for whatever reason. I'll split anything that can stand up and be split.

What's funny (to me) is that I'll sometimes have a massive 10x6 or 10x8 inch chunk left over that will serious resist further splitting with an axe. If all the bark's off of it (which it is), I'll simply toss it on top of a pile and consider it a nighttime piece.

To me, it's not about the size, it's about whether or not the wood is exposed in a way where it'll dry - i.e. the bark is off.

 

[certified106]

small in the morning
larger in the afternoon

Funny but true sometimes

 

[SolarAndWood]

Rounds under 12" diameter suck.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Today finished splitting the ash and red oak we cut this past winter (still have to split the pin oak). I have quite a large pile of rounds for the amount of wood we had. Maybe I'll sort all of the rounds and stack them separate just for kicks.

On the rounds, I really like putting at least one in for the night fires. I usually put it in bottom rear of the stove and it works well.

I will say that if I were like most folks and had only enough wood for a year, I would not have many rounds.

 

[woodsmaster]

I don't think rounds season as well as split wood. Yes, they burn longer, but my impression is that it's due to poor seasoning more than the shape of the wood (round vs split). Therefore, I split most of my firewood regardless of size. I still stack a few rounds just to keep experimenting with them.

I wonder if the size of the round comes in to play, say a 3 inch vs a 6 or 8.

I think 6 -8 dry faster than the 2 - 3"

 

[certified106]

Rounds under 12" diameter suck.

Hahaha, I love it I was waiting for a comment like that and almost put an answer in the pole that said I burn whatever size I can stuff through the door as long as it's dry.
That being said i'm looking forward to trying some large dead standing rounds that I have in the T6 this year. I always wanted to try some large round before but the door on my old stove was so small it wasn't feasible

 

[certified106]

Today finished splitting the ash and red oak we cut this past winter (still have to split the pin oak). I have quite a large pile of rounds for the amount of wood we had. Maybe I'll sort all of the rounds and stack them separate just for kicks.

On the rounds, I really like putting at least one in for the night fires. I usually put it in bottom rear of the stove and it works well.

I will say that if I were like most folks and had only enough wood for a year, I would not have many rounds.

I hear ya, This is the first year in 8 years that I have been ahead enough on my wood that I wasn't concerned about leaving some big rounds when stacking since I know they will have at a minimum 3 years to season and most likely 4 years it just depends on how hard the next few winters are. It would be interestign to hear your results if you decide to seperate a few of those rounds.

 

[oldspark]

I don't think rounds season as well as split wood. Yes, they burn longer, but my impression is that it's due to poor seasoning more than the shape of the wood (round vs split). Therefore, I split most of my firewood regardless of size. I still stack a few rounds just to keep experimenting with them.

I wonder if the size of the round comes in to play, say a 3 inch vs a 6 or 8.

I think 6 -8 dry faster than the 2 - 3"

Because of the larger surface area of the ends?

 

[woodsmaster]

Tighter grain maybe? not sure. Just what I've found with experience. Sometimes on a dead standing tree the outer small limbs dry first. On live or just dead the smaller ones take longer to dry from my experiances.

 

[Bspring]

I am in the "if I can fit it through the door" category. At least for the all night burns.

 

[rdust]

6" or smaller usually stay in one piece now that I'm 3 years out. When I started gathering wood everything was split.