Full cribbed stacks?

[wahoowad]

Has anybody perfected their stacking technique such that they have full rows of cribb-stacked firewood? Not just the ends, but the whole row? I'd like to give a new stack I'm starting tomorrow an extra edge on drying since my yard will be under a canopy of treetops in another 6 weeks.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

My neighbor did something like that, it looks nice but it takes up more space, but I bet it dries faster.......

 

[pen]

I've driven past a guy who's done this for years and years under a carport. Certainly a lot of empty space in there.

I'd be far more apt to keep things loose and stack in single rows for better ventilation.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

I did that the 1st year I got wood. Takes a lot longer to stack and I believe it dries slower, also can be a pain to unstack If your splits are not the same length as there will be overlapping. I do not do it anymore.

 

[Auzzie Gumtree]

Also it looks like you have more than you actually have - could be a bit disconcerting when you think you have used sooooo much wood.

 

[jkowch]

Do you really think you'll be under a canopy of leaves by the end of April?

 

[wahoowad]

Do you really think you'll be under a canopy of leaves by the end of April?

Are you some type of forestry scientist on a mission to debunk my information? Heck yeah the leaves will be out. I live in a forest, in Virginia.

 

[BobUrban]

tomato, tomato I would no feel the gain(if any) would be worth the effort. I like to use the time to select and create solid end cribs and the just stack loosely in between if I want to accelerate seasoning. I am going to use the dreaded T-posts this spring - Don't tell Dennis

 

[gzecc]

Do a test. Make a face cord, cross stacked and a face cord conventionally loose stacked. Then give us the moisture numbers after a year. Cross stacking is more about the shape and length of the splits used than any technique.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

tomato, tomato I would no feel the gain(if any) would be worth the effort. I like to use the time to select and create solid end cribs and the just stack loosely in between if I want to accelerate seasoning. I am going to use the dreaded T-posts this spring - Don't tell Dennis

Oh Bob, and I thought there was so much hope for you....

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Has anybody perfected their stacking technique such that they have full rows of cribb-stacked firewood? Not just the ends, but the whole row? I'd like to give a new stack I'm starting tomorrow an extra edge on drying since my yard will be under a canopy of treetops in another 6 weeks.

I would not do it and do not think you will gain a thing by cribbing the whole stack. All you'll do is cause you extra work and it will take up a lot of extra room. Crib the ends and then do not attempt to make your stacks look pretty. Stack it a bit loose so that you get air circulation. However, if you insist on stacking it really tight, then it will take longer to dry.

Unlike Bob, I'll stick to cribbing the ends and use the t-post for what they were designed for; building fences. Gotcha Bob!

 

[kennyp2339]

I didn't take pictures (so maybe it didn't happen) lol but last year when I was helping split my parents wood (white oak), I suggested that we criss cross stack everything, we did 5 pallets in a row and it came out great, sat all summer (top covered in September) and was ready to burn in November (resplit a piece had 15% moisture) It def looked like they had more wood than 2 cords but I'm convinced that if you have so so wood in the spring that you need for the next season using this stacking method will def reduce time in the seasoning area. Of course you need to have other good ingredients to, such as sun light and air movement, I will be using this method this year, and I promise to take pictures and show moisture meter results.

 

[Gboutdoors]

I am trying it with 2+ cords of red oak that was green when c/s/s and 2+cords of pine. I will not need this wood till winter of 15-16 or after. But I don't see how some say it will take longer to dry With all the air space between the splits I thought it would dry faster as it is moving air that dries things most.

This picture is 2 1/2 cords of red oak stacked 3 splits deep I alternated cribbed and stacked but this was all ready to burn at 20% or less when c/s/s. it was all dead standing

 

[kennyp2339]

Very nice GBoutdoors!!

 

[Applesister]

I think cribbing looks beautiful. Full cribbing is stunning. I have a half cord on my front porch. No expensive woodracks. It is my private stash of hickory and oak. Because it was such a PITA to do, the wood never gets burned.
Its a "for show" sculpture.
I agree with Stihly Dan I think the wood drys slower cross stacked. I believe exposed end grain is key. More so than cross grain. Its my unscientific theory.