I now am stacking 2013's wood. Small 8" dia maple, the 2nd harvest from my small wood lot. Now that's sustainability! We let these grow.
I stack on pallets, placed on bricks or rocks. 3 pieces one way, 3 pieces the other way. Always being sure that the middle piece is smallest of the 3, that way the next layer won't teeter. I set a column on each corner of the pallet and build the whole pallet as i go. That way each piece can be stacked best. If I build one column at a time, I only have 3 choices, one side,middle or the other side. By building the four columns (or more) at once there are lots of options to get nice level stable columns. I fill in between the columns with odd ball size and small stuff, or add small columns of shorties. I go about 5 feet high and cover with 2 tarps, the oldest tarp on top to protect the newer one. And place scrap board or 4 foot 2" branches on top. I always keep the pile covered from green to 2 years seasoned. I stash nice caches of kinlding in between the towers, nice to have when there is 4 feet of snow. I try to use every btu from every tree, I don't burn any brush but stack it and break it up when brittle. If I cut with the leaves are on the trees, I fell them and leave the leaves and branches on, an old timer told me that the drying of the leaves will suck the moisture out of the wood.
I sneak out the middle pieces in the towers first, not upsetting the pile or the tarps. Then I go from one end to the other. If snow or rain is forecast I fill a log ring on the porch, covered by a small sheet of plastic held with a spring clamp.
Good exercise, money savings, and stewardship, plus fun.
I stack on pallets, placed on bricks or rocks. 3 pieces one way, 3 pieces the other way. Always being sure that the middle piece is smallest of the 3, that way the next layer won't teeter. I set a column on each corner of the pallet and build the whole pallet as i go. That way each piece can be stacked best. If I build one column at a time, I only have 3 choices, one side,middle or the other side. By building the four columns (or more) at once there are lots of options to get nice level stable columns. I fill in between the columns with odd ball size and small stuff, or add small columns of shorties. I go about 5 feet high and cover with 2 tarps, the oldest tarp on top to protect the newer one. And place scrap board or 4 foot 2" branches on top. I always keep the pile covered from green to 2 years seasoned. I stash nice caches of kinlding in between the towers, nice to have when there is 4 feet of snow. I try to use every btu from every tree, I don't burn any brush but stack it and break it up when brittle. If I cut with the leaves are on the trees, I fell them and leave the leaves and branches on, an old timer told me that the drying of the leaves will suck the moisture out of the wood.
I sneak out the middle pieces in the towers first, not upsetting the pile or the tarps. Then I go from one end to the other. If snow or rain is forecast I fill a log ring on the porch, covered by a small sheet of plastic held with a spring clamp.
Good exercise, money savings, and stewardship, plus fun.
