Can you be too far ahead?

[TomatoLover]

Need some advice from the wood experts please. I've read about how you want to get ahead, but I was just wondering if you can be too far ahead?

We use about 4 cords per year, all from our own land. Our trees are mainly oak, maple, birch, and white pine.

For next year, we already have 7 cords c/s/s. We need to take down a few more trees to make room for the garden and chickens, so this will add about 8 cords. This new 8 cords should be c/s/s by the end of the summer. This brings us to 15 cords, and even if we use 5 per season, we'll be 3 years ahead. However, we've also got a lot of damaged trees in the woods from this winter that we were thinking of processing this summer as well. Do we want to be more than 3 years ahead? Maybe just go after the oaks? Will the pine and birch last 4 years in stacks?

Thanks!

 

[1970roadrunner]

If you're going to keep the pine and birch around for 4 years I would cover the tops of the stacks really well and make sure the bottom row is off the ground. As long as you season it right away and keep it dry it should be alright. A huge woodshed would be the best option but that wouldn't be reasonable for most folks.

 

[JustWood]

Top covered and off the dirt wood will last along time.
Have some of you pine milled for a shed build or sell some wood every year.
Dry wood is at a premium this time of year.
I sold 3 cord of 2 year seasoned over the weekend out of dry storage @ $240 each picked up .

 

[Hogwildz]

NEVER!

 

[firefighterjake]

No.

To further expound . . . and reiterate what has already been said . . . if it's off the ground and under cover (either in a shed or top covered) the wood should last a long time. Heck, I have a couple stacks that have been outside for a couple years now that are not top covered and the wood is fine . . . there may be a few sticks that have a few mushrooms on them or seem a bit punky . . . but they may have been questionable when I put them in the stacks . . . and leaving them uncovered did not do those sticks any good.

 

[mikey517]

Nope!!

 

[7acres]

I just asked the same question! Glad some of us are having success obtaining large quantities of free wood.

 

[English BoB]

I may be wrong here because Iam new to forum............but my final answer is no.

Bob

 

[firefighterjake]

I may be wrong here because Iam new to forum............but my final answer is no.
Bob

Congrats . . . you passed the test . . . you got the right answer . . . you can stay on as a member here.

 

[iamlucky13]

I would argue that here in the Pacific NW, due to the wet climate, it is impractical to protect a significant amount of wood from decay for more than 3-4 years.

Top covered or an open shed that doesn't have abnormally wide eaves won't keep it dry enough for prolonged storage. Even overlooking frequent rainy, breezy days, sometimes we get mornings where the dew is heavy enough the wood on my covered porch is actually dripping wet. It doesn't soak deep in, so keeping it indoors overnight dries it out enough to burn, but repeated exposure over a few seasons and you start to see the wood breaking down. I've got some wood under a tarp (sides exposed) that's 4 years old where I'm starting to see this. It's shallow rot and it's still definitely worth burning, but it will progress further for sure.

Mild winter and spring temperatures in my area also factor in. The bacteria and fungi that destroy wood are less active at lower temperatures, and basically dormant below freezing.

So basically, I live in one of the worst climates for storing anything biodegradable long term, and you should be fine.

 

[TomatoLover]

Damn. Wrong answer, guys. I was seriously hoping you'd say wait a year or two so that I could enjoy a summer without the sound of my husband's chain saws. You've made him a happy camper. I think he's online right now looking at a new Stihl.

 

[TomatoLover]

I just asked the same question! Glad some of us are having success obtaining large quantities of free wood.

Start selling!

 

[Poindexter]

I really like to burn spruce after one summer split and stacked. When I split some kindling off a piece of spruce and am still smelling turpentine I know that sucker is prime.

Otherwise no, you can't have too much. Think of it as an IRA. As long as you can hobble out to the woodshed with a walker and put some wood in the bicycle basket you got ziptied to the front of the walker you can tell your kids to forget it, you aren't ready to live in a nursing home yet.

 

[Poindexter]

Or you can sell some off in the dead of winter when prices are up and take the wife on a nice vacation.

 

[Jeff S]

I'm burning Ash that I cut 6 years ago it was stacked outside but of the ground , covered only 2yrs before tarp disintegrated ,wood is still very solid.

 

[Wood Duck]

I would stack the birch separately and plan to burn it in about two years. The others will last a lot longer than birch

 

[Paulywalnut]

Someone once said you can't have too much toilet paper, paper towels, or money...or firewood

 

[Larry in OK]

In my area the bugs will eat it to dust if you store too long. My late uncle had a barn full of 4-5-6 year old wood and the piles of wood dust at the bottoms of the stacks was 4"-6" deep where the boring insects had been into it.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Need some advice from the wood experts please. I've read about how you want to get ahead, but I was just wondering if you can be too far ahead?

We use about 4 cords per year, all from our own land. Our trees are mainly oak, maple, birch, and white pine.

For next year, we already have 7 cords c/s/s. We need to take down a few more trees to make room for the garden and chickens, so this will add about 8 cords. This new 8 cords should be c/s/s by the end of the summer. This brings us to 15 cords, and even if we use 5 per season, we'll be 3 years ahead. However, we've also got a lot of damaged trees in the woods from this winter that we were thinking of processing this summer as well. Do we want to be more than 3 years ahead? Maybe just go after the oaks? Will the pine and birch last 4 years in stacks?

Thanks!

You have a great plan there, but once you finish that one up you will need another one, like more wood to add to your collection and to always replace what your going to burn in the present seasons. As long as you have the space and the supply, keep going, your burning a lot of wood so you need to keep the pedal to the metal for a while yet. Once you get there, it gets easier. Once your burning under 20% hardwood! you never want to go back to subpar wood.....

 

[Paulywalnut]

In my area the bugs will eat it to dust if you store too long. My late uncle had a barn full of 4-5-6 year old wood and the piles of wood dust at the bottoms of the stacks was 4"-6" deep where the boring insects had been into it.

powder post beetles no doubt. Had some in my old beams in the basement

 

[Pennsyltucky Chris]

Definitely not. I just suffered a hip/back injury and I'm looking at rounds that may not be split for a year. Total bummer. And I'm not far enough ahead as is. I have next year covered, and part of 16/17, but who knows after that.

 

[Knots]

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...much-in-the-stacks.141051/page-3#post-1903214