Can wood dry in a pile? Or be stored for a year?

[Dmitry]

I just cut several big oaks and hickories. I split it mostly in 4" by 4", 6" by 4" pieces. Its all placed in pile on plastic pellets, so no ground contact. The pile is about 25' long 15'wide and 8' high in a center. I have old 20 by 40 pool solar cover, so I can cover it at once. Can I store it like this for a year or two? Do you think it will dry a little before I can stack it?

 

[peakbagger]

No unless you get some ventilation into the mix you end up with rotten wood if it is wet to begin with. Look up the threads on a temporary solar kiln and if you are willing to cut the solar cover to add ventilation you have an ideal way to dry wood quick if you follow the recommendations.

 

[Grizzerbear]

You can store it like that for a year it wont rot. It won't dry either so eventually you will need to stack it.

 

[Diabel]

You have the pallets, stack the wood.

 

[Bad LP]

You knew the proper answer when you wrote it. 😂

 

[stoveliker]

I think you won't get a unified answer.
I also think that the totes etc are similar to what you now have - IF you cut the width of your pile in half (8').
People dry wood in such piles all the time.

Personally, I would stack it. It's better, it'll dry faster, and you finite probability of rot is much smaller.

 

[clancey]

I would build a wood shed and stack it...old mrs clancey

 

[brenndatomu]

I'd stack it on the pallets ASAP...even if you don't cover it until year 2 or 3, you will still be better off than it being in a pile.
Second best might be to cover the pile until spring, then get it stacked and top covered with the sides open...no way I'd leave it in that pile for very long though...that oak will need all the drying time it can get...and the hickory right behind...