Drying bin for green Red Oak?

[Hunter8282]

What do you guys think of this? I took two 16' cattle panels and cut them in half. put pallets on the ground inside and just tossed in my green Red Oak.

It's approx 8x8 and 6' tall in the center. It's up on a hill with lots of wind and pretty much full sun.

Will it cure OK like this? I probably won't need it for 3 years.

 

[begreen]

It will work, but would be better if the base was off the ground, permitting air to circulate underneath and keeping it dry. At least, top cover the pile.

 

[Dieselhead]

X2 on top covering.

 

[Grannyknot]

You could have made an awesome holzhausen but yes it will dry, especially if you don’t need it for 3 years. There’s a million opinions on this but I usually don’t cover green wood for the first year.

 

[kborndale]

You couldn't have put it on top of some pallets?

 

[gthomas785]

You couldn't have put it on top of some pallets?

would be better if the base was off the ground

OP said there are pallets inside on the bottom.

I think it will dry ok. Top covering is a good idea depending on how much rain and snow you get.

 

[bigealta]

That unsplit stuff on top might be questionable even after 3 years.

 

[Max W]

If you can arrange a top cover that leaves a space between it and the wood you get the rain/ snow protection and allow for better air movement. Just wondering if with a dark cover and a little space the sun could generate a lttle air movement up through the pile or stack on calmer days.

 

[Woody Stover]

That unsplit stuff on top might be questionable even after 3 years.

Yep, need to split those for sure.

 

[gzecc]

Red oak can take forever. Definitely need to split any unspilt. Also top cover with something rigid.

 

[Captain Hornet]

We moved to our little place out in the country in the fall of 1991. After about two years, I split by hand a bunch of red oak and put it in the barn. The idea was to have some good wood when it was raining and my normal wood was wet. So this summer I decided that I needed the space in the barn. I moved the wood and split some of the bigger chunks. So after 32 years some of it was still a little wet. I suppose I could have burnt it but I put it back in the barn. It might be ready after another five years. To be fair, the wet wood was in the bottom of the pile where it was warm and kept dry but without a lot of air movement. I still like red oak.

 

[Woody Stover]

1991. After about two years, I split by hand a bunch of red oak and put it in the barn....this summer I decided that I needed the space in the barn. I moved the wood and split some of the bigger chunks. So after 32 years some of it was still a little wet.

32 yrs. and not dry yet? That's hard to believe! 😲 But if it was in a huge pile...

 

[gthomas785]

32 yrs. and not dry yet? That's hard to believe! 😲 But if it was in a huge pile...

I agree, hard to believe. Damp wood will rot to nothing in half that time.