Best rack spacing for dry time?

[ADK_XJ]

What do all you wood chucks think about optimum spacing between stacks? I recently put up about 7 cord in 24-32' runs with about six feet in between each so I could theoretically drive the atv and wagon in between to do load ups. See below.

I'm wondering if this is overkill? It helped me out when I was stacking (right from the wagon) but I'm thinking now if I want to expand my stacks I may quickly run out of space behind the barn.

 

[Poindexter]

Right lot of shade trees up there, and I don't know how wet your ground is, but I think your stacks are far enough apart to season about as well as you can attain. I don't think moving your stacks further apart will speed up your drying any.

How many cords do you burn in a year?

Have you got a reasonably sunny spot where you could put a build a reasonably tight shed with good roof overhangs, and then fill it with seasoned wood?

I wouldn't be in a big hurry to give up the convenience of getting that ATV trailer through there.

 

[Applesister]

I was wondering this myself, but I give my rows 26" on center. About 6" between the rows. Metal T-Posts like in the pic. I was just wondering if the wind just blows around my groups of stacks. 4 cords per "group" with mower space between groups. The groups are 6 rows deep by 16 feet long. They look like blocks of wood but they have pretty narrow tunnels.
Anyway, this is my Oak, hickory stacking area and it works fine on the 3 yr rotation. I currently have 2 year White Oak at 15% MC so it works, just dont know if it could be more efficient. The general wind currents (west)hit the ends of the rows and wind travels across the split ends. Thru the 6" gaps (hopefully).
(Hang a wind sock out near your stacks to help you figure general currents.)
Im one of those people who feel most of wood drying occurs on the end faces of the splits. So single row stacking for dense heavy woods.
With a 3 year rotation you can skip the science parts.

 

[begreen]

We stack 2-3 rows with no space, then a gap of about a foot or two and another 2-3 rows in an unshaded sunny spot. Rows are perpendicular to the prevailing winds. The stacks are currently for 2017-2018. They will get moved to the shed in spring 2017 for final drying. This seems to work well, though we have dry summers usually.

 

[English BoB]

Air circulation is the king, your yard looks like there is a lot of shade so not the best help from sun drying. Your set up looks great and makes handling a breeze but, long single rows have a habit of leaning and falling over.
You could try two rows together with a 6 - 8" gap and as they lean push them together at the top to hold every thing in place. Stacks that long can move a lot while drying and little attention is needed to save the stack.
Thats the way I did this year, stack is approx 60 ft long done in April and still looking good.

 

[ADK_XJ]

Good feedback, all. Thanks! I might double up for future rows...it was an especially overcast October day when that picture was taken but there is certainly quite a few mature trees on that upper pasture that throw significant shade. That one oak in the background is on its last legs, though, and will open up some nice southern exposure when it finds its way into the stacks soon...

 

[DBoon]

You could try two rows together with a 6 - 8" gap and as they lean push them together at the top to hold every thing in place.

This is exactly what I am trying this year with my 25' long, 5' high double row stacks.

 

[English BoB]

This is exactly what I am trying this year with my 25' long, 5' high double row stacks.

Mine came by accident. I have never had a row this long before and while I was checking ( admiring ) my work , I noticed that as the stacks dried they moved ( leaned ), so I would push them back together as I walked along side. Some moved a lot so closer checking ( admiring ) was needed for a while during the summer. As of now the row seems stable and both stacks that started 6 - 8" apart are now joined at the top several layers - ( just admired again tonight ).

bob

 

[ADK_XJ]

Mine came by accident. I have never had a row this long before and while I was checking ( admiring ) my work , I noticed that as the stacks dried they moved ( leaned ), so I would push them back together as I walked along side. Some moved a lot so closer checking ( admiring ) was needed for a while during the summer. As of now the row seems stable and both stacks that started 6 - 8" apart are now joined at the top several layers - ( just admired again tonight ).

bob

Good stuff. Today I was also checking (yes, admiring) my stacks that I showed above and decided once I take out my first row of 3 cord and stow in the barn before first snow I can very easily put a second row on either side of the next two rows leaving room for the quad and wagon on both the outsides and interior (yep, I measured it...slow day).

I'm thinking I will do this with a couple of dead standing ash and black cherry I marked today on the back 9, really don't want my current stacks to topple over and especially not once the snow comes.

Thanks all!