Soaked Firewood!

Poult · Dec 8, 2018

There may not be an actual answer to this but I thought I'd ask anyway.

I have a large stack of uncovered firewood outside on a concrete pad. It wasn't perfectly seasoned, but it would burn all right, and I'd had no problems with it so far this fall. It was cut and split last spring. The fall had been reasonably dry here up until November hit.

Enter a very wet November. When I was able to get out to the stack again (didn't want to rut up the lawn using the skid steer bringing the wood to the house when the ground was so wet) I found the wood absolutely soaked. Heavy with water. We aren't talking wet in a rain storm type of wet, we're talking really wet.

I've been burning wood for the past ten years and have never seen this happen to my wood before, even as I keep it in pretty much the same conditions each season.

So, my question is, is it possible for wood to dry in the winter once this has happened, or should I just forget this wood until next year? I have a store of inside "emergency" wood (a very large Box Elder tree cut five years ago or more) that can be used, either by itself or perhaps using a small percentage of the wet wood along with it, so not in trouble as far as no dry wood available at all, but I'd sure like to hear people's take on it.

GadDummit · Dec 8, 2018

It could dry in winter if the weather is very dry. It's already porous from drying the first time. But if not at least you have plenty of wood for next year.
And from this point forward, watch that forecast! Bring your wood up to the house before the rain hits

charger4406 · Dec 8, 2018

I have some wood just as you describe and with the cold the wood
has dried off pretty well, but this is surface moisture, I let it sit by the
stove for 24 hrs to get it good and dry.

Poult · Dec 8, 2018

Thanks, you both sound encouraging. I haven't given up on it for this year, but it sure is a disappointment to have some nice looking wood and then find out it rained THAT much! And I had a lot of wood at the house, which is why I figured I was good to wait until the ground froze to bring more! Ah, the things you learn.

I've never liked November . . . I remember walking in from the barn one night a dozen years ago or more, and looking up to see stars! Stunning when you hadn't seen them for a month!

Easy Livin’ 3000 · Dec 8, 2018

Poult said:
There may not be an actual answer to this but I thought I'd ask anyway.

I have a large stack of uncovered firewood outside on a concrete pad. It wasn't perfectly seasoned, but it would burn all right, and I'd had no problems with it so far this fall. It was cut and split last spring. The fall had been reasonably dry here up until November hit.

Enter a very wet November. When I was able to get out to the stack again (didn't want to rut up the lawn using the skid steer bringing the wood to the house when the ground was so wet) I found the wood absolutely soaked. Heavy with water. We aren't talking wet in a rain storm type of wet, we're talking really wet.

I've been burning wood for the past ten years and have never seen this happen to my wood before, even as I keep it in pretty much the same conditions each season.

So, my question is, is it possible for wood to dry in the winter once this has happened, or should I just forget this wood until next year? I have a store of inside "emergency" wood (a very large Box Elder tree cut five years ago or more) that can be used, either by itself or perhaps using a small percentage of the wet wood along with it, so not in trouble as far as no dry wood available at all, but I'd sure like to hear people's take on it.

Dry it out as much outside as possible. Finish it using the radiant heat of the stove. Not optimal, but effective.

Woodsplitter67 · Dec 8, 2018

Your going to be getting more rain this coming weekend. I would definitely start top covering the stack. Bring up what you need now as the ground is frozen.. use eds technique of drying out by the stove. I would grab a moisture meter and check the MC on the inside and outside to see where your at

thewoodlands · Dec 8, 2018

Poult said:
There may not be an actual answer to this but I thought I'd ask anyway.

I have a large stack of uncovered firewood outside on a concrete pad. It wasn't perfectly seasoned, but it would burn all right, and I'd had no problems with it so far this fall. It was cut and split last spring. The fall had been reasonably dry here up until November hit.

Enter a very wet November. When I was able to get out to the stack again (didn't want to rut up the lawn using the skid steer bringing the wood to the house when the ground was so wet) I found the wood absolutely soaked. Heavy with water. We aren't talking wet in a rain storm type of wet, we're talking really wet.

I've been burning wood for the past ten years and have never seen this happen to my wood before, even as I keep it in pretty much the same conditions each season.

So, my question is, is it possible for wood to dry in the winter once this has happened, or should I just forget this wood until next year? I have a store of inside "emergency" wood (a very large Box Elder tree cut five years ago or more) that can be used, either by itself or perhaps using a small percentage of the wet wood along with it, so not in trouble as far as no dry wood available at all, but I'd sure like to hear people's take on it.

I topped covered all the wood we planned on burning this heating season before the heavy rains this fall, the shoulder season wood (white pine) was fine, the first two face cord of cherry had more moisture in it than usual, we just started bringing in some yellow birch, sugar maple and soft maple which seems like it doesn't have the moisture in it like the cherry.

Are shoulder season wood has been stacked for 1 - 2 years and the better hardwood has been up for three years.

kennyp2339 · Dec 8, 2018

you may want to get (2) of those in-expensive wood hoops in bring into the stove room to dry the wood, alternating between each hoop should help, just keep an eye on your chimney cap, make sure you don't get a lot of build up, run the brush down the chimney before a big snowstorm because roof access get tough.

weatherguy · Dec 8, 2018

If the woods on concrete its probably absorbing moisture, couple days near the stove then before going in put it in front like Ed's doing and itll burn.

rawlins02 · Dec 8, 2018

Anyone would lives in the Northeast US may find this relevant:

And this:

Someone I know who lives in Baltimore tells me that he did not cover his wood until October, and that all it does is hiss and smolder when he tries to burn it. I've been looking at the data since late summer. One of the things I like about job. Happy to answer any questions about just how wet it has been this year.

I have not searched through this forum much over past few weeks. I'd be surprised if more folks who live in these parts aren't having issues in the wake of the wettest Nov, fall, and year to date in many places.

weatherguy · Dec 8, 2018

rawlins02 said:
Anyone would lives in the Northeast US may find this relevant:

And this:

Someone I know who lives in Baltimore tells me that he did not cover his wood until October, and that all it does is hiss and smolder when he tries to burn it. I've been looking at the data since late summer. One of the things I like about job. Happy to answer any questions about just how wet it has been this year.

I have not searched through this forum much over past few weeks. I'd be surprised if more folks who live in these parts aren't having issues in the wake of the wettest Nov, fall, and year to date in many places.

Good info, thankfully I covered my wood and brought a lot into my garage. I still keep 3-4 days worth near my stove and put the next load near the stove a couple of hours before reload.

Woodsplitter67 · Dec 9, 2018

The affect of rain on out splits is significant. Our splits will take up water for sure. I am a firm believer in covering the stacks all the time. I keep all my wood in sheds, and never worry about the rain and if my woods getting wet. Keeping the wood dry all the time will shorten the seasoning process. Wet wood is not my friend

rawlins02 · Dec 9, 2018

weatherguy said:
Good info, thankfully I covered my wood and brought a lot into my garage. I still keep 3-4 days worth near my stove and put the next load near the stove a couple of hours before reload.

Helpful info. Thanks. It's only been in the past few days that I've understood that placing wood near stove can help. So long as it does not catch fire!

Woodsplitter67 said:
The affect of rain on out splits is significant. Our splits will take up water for sure. I am a firm believer in covering the stacks all the time. I keep all my wood in sheds, and never worry about the rain and if my woods getting wet. Keeping the wood dry all the time will shorten the seasoning process. Wet wood is not my friend

Yes, I'm now a firm believer in covering stacks all the time. Would be nice to turn back the clock. Here's a map of precipitation percentage departure from normal since July 1. Dark blue is around 150% - 200% of normal. Anyone in Maine or northern New York should be fine. I wonder if there will be more chimney fires than normal in very wet areas this season.

Woodsplitter67 · Dec 9, 2018

rawlins02 said:
Helpful info. Thanks. It's only been in the past few days that I've understood that placing wood near stove can help. So long as it does not catch fire!

Yes, I'm now a firm believer in covering stacks all the time. Would be nice to turn back the clock. Here's a map of precipitation percentage departure from normal since July 1. Dark blue is around 150% - 200% of normal. Anyone in Maine or northern New York should be fine. I wonder if there will be more chimney fires than normal in very wet areas this season.

View attachment 235266

I am in the dark blue in NJ.. the ground is soaked.. my garden is soaked.. my wood is happy and dry.... im starting the wood processing in like 20 days

rawlins02 · Dec 9, 2018

Woodsplitter67 said:
I am in the dark blue in NJ.. the ground is soaked.. my garden is soaked.. my wood is happy and dry.... im starting the wood processing in like 20 days

I feel like Mother Nature has placed me over her knee and gave me a good spanking for believing that uncovered was better, till it was too late. "Cover your stacks!", said she. Whack! "Thank you [Ma'am] may I have another?" Lesson learned.

tsquini · Dec 9, 2018

I don't cover my firewood. It gets wet, I place about 1/2 cord in a breezeway before I burn it. After 2 days it's dry and ready to go.

paulnlee · Dec 9, 2018

All my wood to be burned for the year is in two horse stalls and one covered car port type. When I'm stacking I run a fan on it until all stacked by Aug. With the summer heat & fan it's dry as a bone come Oct.

kennyp2339 · Dec 10, 2018

Any doubts I had about building my woodshed 2 summers ago have been simply erased after this summers deluge

Poult · Dec 10, 2018

I'm the OP. The wood is drying more than I expected, so I think I dodged a bullet. Whew! I do set large pieces by the wood stove (the ones for over night) and it comes in in stages from outside, to covered porch, to inside on a wood cart to finally setting in front of the wood stove before going into the stove.

Now that winter temps are setting in, one more big load for the porch ought to do the trick for me since around here we'll get our last significant "wet" around Christmas. A lot of years we get an ice storm around then and then it's winter and things stay frozen.

I'm pretty aware of precipitation being a farmer, but I was thinking more of the hay bales outside than the wood last month!

Thanks, everyone, for the good conversation and the good suggestions.

wooduser · Dec 15, 2018

Woodsplitter67 said:
The affect of rain on out splits is significant. Our splits will take up water for sure. I am a firm believer in covering the stacks all the time. I keep all my wood in sheds, and never worry about the rain and if my woods getting wet. Keeping the wood dry all the time will shorten the seasoning process. Wet wood is not my friend

I live in Seattle, and I always think it's a little strange to build a house for your car, let alone for your wood. One of the benefits of a moderate climate.

I did live in Michigan for a couple of winters though, and I learned something about frozen automobiles, anyway.

weatherguy · Dec 15, 2018

wooduser said:
I live in Seattle, and I always think it's a little strange to build a house for your car, let alone for your wood. One of the benefits of a moderate climate.

I did live in Michigan for a couple of winters though, and I learned something about frozen automobiles, anyway.

If you got 5 feet of snow in one month like we did in 2015 you'd see why we like houses for our cars and firewood, and a good size snowblower.

Hasufel · Dec 15, 2018

It's official, this is the wettest year on record for DC--and it's still raining. We just ended an 11-day dry spell, which was the longest since October 2017. I had hoped to take advantage of this "drought" and managed to move some wood from my uncovered stacks to the garage before the heavy rain started, but my work schedule this week kept me from bringing in more. I have only one stack covered right now so at least I have something set aside for a rainier day.

Prof · Dec 15, 2018

kennyp2339 said:
Any doubts I had about building my woodshed 2 summers ago have been simply erased after this summers deluge

I just had this conversation with my wife today--both of us were on the fence about a wood shed--until this summer. I just checked some pine that I split about 2 years ago--it absorbed a ton of water. Ironically, it was ready to burn at the start of the summer!

wooduser · Dec 15, 2018

weatherguy said:
If you got 5 feet of snow in one month like we did in 2015 you'd see why we like houses for our cars and firewood, and a good size snowblower.

<<I used to supervise a dozen people. I never did it by hovering over them. I looked at the work they were doing. I didn't need to be in the office with them to do that. I know that bosses in general are afraid of losing control, but they can get psychological help for those problems.

Heh, heh! Yep ---we're spoiled! Few people on my block even have a snow shovel!

Around here, people often do have garages, but they are usually full of junk, not cars.

weatherguy · Dec 16, 2018

wooduser said:
<<I used to supervise a dozen people. I never did it by hovering over them. I looked at the work they were doing. I didn't need to be in the office with them to do that. I know that bosses in general are afraid of losing control, but they can get psychological help for those problems.

People around here have garages full of junk too, they would rather be lazy and not clear the garage and clean snow and scrape ice off their car instead. I read a figure where 70% of the people around here cant park their car in the garage, they use it as a storage shed. I'd rather use it to park my car and store a bit of firewood
Heh, heh! Yep ---we're spoiled! Few people on my block even have a snow shovel!

Around here, people often do have garages, but they are usually full of junk, not cars.

Soaked Firewood!

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