Hello all I don't burn a whole lot of wood a year a cord maybe cord and a half. I was just give probably 7 cord of dead ash and green sliver maple. I plan to split and stack soon but how long can I expect it to last in a stack top covered.
How long does wood last before it rots
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UnderCover (prefer a shed) will last forever as long as it is kept dry
I have Cherry that was cut by my Grate Grandfather in the loft above my cabinet shop
Some cut and split the rest in 16 in wide boards
I have Cherry that was cut by my Grate Grandfather in the loft above my cabinet shop
Some cut and split the rest in 16 in wide boards
hickoryhoarder
Minister of Fire
Depends a lot on conditions. Whether things get kind of moldy in those stacks. Whether the wood starts getting inviting to bugs. As someone said above, it can't be on the ground.
I keep my eye on anything older than three years. And there are pieces that have to be burned with a year, as they arrived here kind of funky.
The ash might hold up better than the maple. When I've had ash for three years, it's all still in perfect condition. Sugar maple and silver maple are not great keepers, in my experience.
I keep my eye on anything older than three years. And there are pieces that have to be burned with a year, as they arrived here kind of funky.
The ash might hold up better than the maple. When I've had ash for three years, it's all still in perfect condition. Sugar maple and silver maple are not great keepers, in my experience.
hickoryhoarder
Minister of Fire
I have some oak going on 6 years that’s been in a top covered building. No sides. Looks great. Burning it next year. Thought I was gonna get to it this year but winter never came, despite all the hype this was gonna be the worst winter in years. I’m now 4 years ahead it looks like.
I just split rounds that I have had for years yesterday, some of the Walnut I split was getting pretty dry and not so good but I'll use it, some Black Locust rounds still had moisture in them and they are several years old but then again Black Locust seems to last forever!
And funny how certain woods will get those fungus "mushrooms" growing on them while others don't?
And funny how certain woods will get those fungus "mushrooms" growing on them while others don't?
WoodBurnerInWI
Feeling the Heat
From my experience with the woods I have. All of my wood is top covered:
I have 2 cords of hickory that's still drying, cut and stacked by May 2019. About half that wood came from some standing dead trees. The standing dead stuff, some pieces look pretty rough and clearly have signs of (hopefully) past rot issues. Some pieces have stuff growing on them but just the ends where they can sometimes get wet in a windy rain event. Overall my hickory seems fine at nearly 1 year old.
Then I have a couple cords of mixed hardwood, oak and cherry. This stuff was cut and stacked in May of 2017. The oak is a lot worse looking then the cherry, some pieces show signs of some rot and damage, I do not know if that is currently an ongoing issue or because all the wood in these stacks came from pretty dead trees. Some standing, some on the ground.
The cherry all the way around is the nicest looking wood of anything I have, not counting all the freshly cut ash, maple and pine that was done last month! Even the "old" 2017 cherry I have still looks great.
I have 2 cords of hickory that's still drying, cut and stacked by May 2019. About half that wood came from some standing dead trees. The standing dead stuff, some pieces look pretty rough and clearly have signs of (hopefully) past rot issues. Some pieces have stuff growing on them but just the ends where they can sometimes get wet in a windy rain event. Overall my hickory seems fine at nearly 1 year old.
Then I have a couple cords of mixed hardwood, oak and cherry. This stuff was cut and stacked in May of 2017. The oak is a lot worse looking then the cherry, some pieces show signs of some rot and damage, I do not know if that is currently an ongoing issue or because all the wood in these stacks came from pretty dead trees. Some standing, some on the ground.
The cherry all the way around is the nicest looking wood of anything I have, not counting all the freshly cut ash, maple and pine that was done last month! Even the "old" 2017 cherry I have still looks great.
Outside top covered is not “kept dry” enough to last forever like the lumber in your house. Those top covers dribble off the sides onto the wood. Wind blows rain sideways onto the wood.
My chopping block in my barn is a piece of gnarly ash and I have used it for over twenty years. It is as hard as steel now.
D8Chumley
Minister of Fire
I’m burning a 5 year old mixed stack this year, top covered and on pallets. Only some rotten on top where the water laid in the wet leaves and soaked through. Ash, poplar, cherry, some sycamore and black walnut
Yes I guess I should've said it's getting very dry and lightweight but it has lost most of it's good properties, almost like it is past the point of being good fuelwood, not dry like well seasoned. It's stayed a little too long at the party, should've been used last year or before but it was buried in a stack.
D8Chumley
Minister of Fire
I was planning on burning that stack last year but with all the rain it was a no-go. Adjusted the top covering for the summer and burned it this season. A few splits might have been too dry but 95% went in the stove. Some I even had to stand up next to the stove and let dry for a day or so
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
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