Double row vs. single?

[711mhw]

I've allways single stacked my rows. It really takes up alot of space because I leave about 10' between the rows for tractor access to gather up for burning, and room for snowplowing between (it snows in Maine) I'm about 15' into building my newest row and I'm double stacking it. Just wondering if there will be a huge diff in drying. This row is not for next year, and if I'm lucky not the year after either. The other problem that I see is covering it. I know some don't, but I allways put a sheet of roof metal on top of all my piles, right away. The metal is 37" and does a real nice job on my 26" single rows, it provides a nice overhang on each side, but will be short on my double stack row that is about 55+ inches. I'd need a lot more metal to fully cover the stack.

 

[BobUrban]

I single stack oak and for the first year. Now that I am 3+years out I stack tighter so I use up the pallet space and leave only a few inches between rows. I am fortunate to have really open space available that gets full E/W wind. My theory: If you are trying to hurry it dry: single stack - if you have 3 or more years all bets are off as long as air can get in and you are not just throwing it into a pile.

 

[bboulier]

As BobUrban implies, it's space vs. time. I have not noticed much difference on drying time between single and double stacking, but I haven't scrounged much oak. Because I have fairly limited space, I double stack to start (19" length) and and then move that wood to a triple stack a year later (48" pallets).

 

[bogydave]

I do double rows with 12" or so between them for a year.
Then 2 years in the wood shed.


IMO, double rows is fine. Not optimal, but fine.
Better stability too if you put in a few cross pieces between the rows

Optimal would be off the ground, in a wide open sunny & windy area with a single row running N/S.
I don't have that but do have time on my side

 

[velvetfoot]

I stack three across. It dries for a while, maybe too long.
I like the stability. Even so, when going high, I've had a couple stack collapses.

 

[wingsfan]

I double stack mine on the outside edges of a 4ft pallet, that leaves 10-12 inches between the stacks then I leave about 3ft between the double stacks to walk between them and add or take away from them.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We've stacked single rows, double rows, triple rows and once I think we had about 20 rows together. All the wood has dried very well. It has been pointed out to me by many that only the outside rows will dry. However, if we look at that closest stack of 3 rows. they were stacked in April, 2009. They were all stacked the same height. That stack on the far right and the one right next to it are still there. It is funny that they were stacked tight together and we sort of kept track of the height of the stacks. For example, we stacked the wood 4 1/2' high. Within a year it was only 4' high. It has shrunk some since and all the rows have shrunk the same. So, if those middle rows did not dry, how would we explain that they are the same height? As for how they burn, we've never had a problem and I'll assure you these will burn wonderfully when we finally get around to burning it. Probably will burn some of it next winter and the remainder the following winter.

 

[711mhw]

I double stack mine on the outside edges of a 4ft pallet, that leaves 10-12 inches between the stacks then I leave about 3ft between the double stacks to walk between them and add or take away from them.

That's one of my concerns, at 26" my wood hangs off the pallet on each side with no center gap. I guess I'll find out in a few years. I'm about 25' into this row now.