Extra Wood Storage Question

[Caw]

I'm fortunate to have some extra rounds leftover after this year's prep, about 1/2 a cord of maple and ash rounds ranging from 8-15". They are fully green, cut down last week. Good issue to have...but...my stacks are stuffed to the gills. I'm a full year ahead so this is 22/23 wood.

My question is do I leave them as rounds until next year or split/stack them now? I'll be able to keep it off the ground on a pallet or 4x4s but it will be in a less than ideal area...likely in the woods under full shade until next spring. I'm concerned about rot.

My wife may kill me in my sleep if I build another rack!

Thanks!

 

[MissMac]

i would split them, even if it's just in half. then when you have time and space to finish processing them, have at 'er!

 

[PA. Woodsman]

I keep wood in unsplit rounds for years, but that's me. Guess you'll have to experiment and find out what works for you.

 

[Caw]

My main thought is keeping the bark on will help keep water out and the wood safest. Its only 1 season then it's getting split and properly stacked.

Unless you can convince my wife that we realllllly need that 7th cord of rack space!

 

[red oak]

If you have the time I’d split it now and get a head start on drying. Stack it off the ground. It’ll be fine for a year and then you can move it under a roof.

 

[MissMac]

My main thought is keeping the bark on will help keep water out and the wood safest. Its only 1 season then it's getting split and properly stacked.

Unless you can convince my wife that we realllllly need that 7th cord of rack space!

depending on the tree species, in tact bark will also hold water in, which will lead to rot (eventually). again, dependent on tree species.

 

[Caw]

depending on the tree species, in tact bark will also hold water in, which will lead to rot (eventually). again, dependent on tree species.

Red/Sugar Maple and White Ash.

 

[MissMac]

Red/Sugar Maple and White Ash.

and white birch. man that birch will rot quick

 

[Caw]

Oh I was just saying that's what I have left...not that it will rot fast. I am not sure on the round longevity of maple/ash.

I'm leaning towards simply halving the rounds. Bark on top will keep rain out and split bottom for evaporation to prevent rot.

 

[EODMSgt]

Personal preference but a lot has to do with your location and other factors (i.e., are the rounds in a sunny area, a damp area, subject to a lot of rainfall, stored on the ground, green vs standing dead, etc.). The picture below is from a couple winters ago however it shows how I have stored rounds over the winter before. I've had some go a bit punky after several months (mainly white birch and beech) however those were standing dead and not green wood. Halving the rounds is a great idea but I think the biggest thing is to elevate them off the ground.

 

[SpaceBus]

Just split them and stack them off the ground somewhere. Dry wood usually doesn't rot and wood that has been split will dry faster. I think you have more to risk leaving them as rounds. I don't stack any of my wood in sheds and have no issues. I brush the snow off in the winter and leave it alone otherwise. That's not to say I wouldn't like to stack in sheds, just have to build it first.

 

[Poindexter]

I would split once for easy stacking and it should be enough to prevent rot. Get them up off the ground with whatever, 4x4, cinderblocks, whatever. Once you have some shed or rack space to stack in, then split them to stove size and rack em up.

Birch, which I have a lot of, will start rotting about a week after getting dropped if not split. Spruce rounds, unsplit, will have bugs moving in and building a city within four weeks. My experience with the ashes and maples is very limited. My experience is to split once to prevent rot, then split to size later when overwhelmed with rounds.

If you split a birch round in half, stand both halves in a mud puddle and it rains for the next 48 hours the birch rounds will be noticeably lighter after the 48 hours because they will be drier than when you split them.

 

[SpaceBus]

I would split once for easy stacking and it should be enough to prevent rot. Get them up off the ground with whatever, 4x4, cinderblocks, whatever. Once you have some shed or rack space to stack in, then split them to stove size and rack em up.

Birch, which I have a lot of, will start rotting about a week after getting dropped if not split. Spruce rounds, unsplit, will have bugs moving in and building a city within four weeks. My experience with the ashes and maples is very limited. My experience is to split once to prevent rot, then split to size later when overwhelmed with rounds.

If you split a birch round in half, stand both halves in a mud puddle and it rains for the next 48 hours the birch rounds will be noticeably lighter after the 48 hours because they will be drier than when you split them.

Capilary action is pretty neat.