How Much Wood is Too Much Wood

[Kwehme09]

We bought an abutting 1/2 acre lot to our current acre this spring. It came with a falling down barn we rebuilt. We cleared most of the hardwoods off the lot, lots of birch, oak, poplar, and a little maple. We also mixed in a little hemlock.

The total is almost all now split and stacked, and looks to be totaling, without measuring, 12 to 14 cords. In the past we've burnt 2 cord in a winter, but we're adding a stove in the Barn/Shop, so we are thinking we will be closer to 3 cord.

The question is, if stacked well and covered properly (on pallets in long rows, covered by metal roofing) how long can we expect the wood to be in top burnable condition. My guess would be four years, but would like to hear others weigh in. I hate the idea of selling wood, but would rather sell a few cord than end up with a rotted.

P.S. I come into this problem because I am blessed with a wife who is very good at cutting, splitting and stacking firewood.

 

[jatoxico]

If kept truly high and dry I'd say indefinitely. If allowed to accumulate leaves and moisture you'll lose some. The birch is probably your canary in the coal mine.

 

[kennyp2339]

No such phrase in my vocabulary

 

[claydogg84]

How long does your wooden furniture last inside your home? Keep wood dry and off the ground and it should last a long time.

 

[AmbDrvr253]

NO SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH! But that is the hoarder in me. The birch will rot from the inside out. As stated it will be the canary.

 

[ErikR]

No such phrase in my vocabulary

Lifted from the web..........
Canaries are especially sensitive to methane and carbon monoxide, which made them ideal for detecting any dangerous gas build-ups in coal mines. As long as the bird kept singing, the miners knew their air supply was safe. A dead canary signaled an immediate evacuation.

Even as gas detection technology improved, some mining companies still relied on the canary method well into the 20th century. Other animals were used occasionally, but only the canary had the ability to detect small concentrations of gas and react instinctively.

Today, the practice of using a bird to test the air supply has become part of coal mining lore, but the ideology behind it has become a popular expression. The phrase "living like a canary in a coal mine" often refers to serving as a warning to others........

Therefor, if you split, and stack on pallets, keep it top covered, the birch would probably be the first to go "bad" from improper storage, not age...
Hence , "the canary in the coal mine".......

Hope this helps...

 

[peakbagger]

As long as the birch is split properly it wont be a good "canary", the rumor that birch inherently rots any faster or slower than any other hardwood is false. As long as it wasn't rotten to begin with and is cut and split it will last just as long as any other wood. Birch rots on the stump and if someone waits until the tree is obviously dead, the wood will already be partially rotted.

The biggest issue with long term storage is that few folks build a full foundation below the frostline to support the heavy stacks of wood. Every year of freeze thaw will work the underlying pallets or other supports the wood is stacked on. At some point these supports sink or debris build up underneath them stopping air circulation and moisture builds up underneath the stacks. Once that happens, the stack will start slowing rotting from the bottom up.

 

[heavy hammer]

I agree with peakbagger if kept off the ground and with good air flow your wood should last for many years look at old barns with good foundations and solid roofs the wood lasts for over a hundred years

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

You will be just fine for years and years. Such a great problem to have! It's like stacks of money just sitting there waiting to mature and eventually be spent.

 

[johneh]

The Old Lad next door died last year his son came over and asked if I wanted the 5 cord of hardwood in the
wood shed at the back of the house . In the 36 years I have been here I have never seen the old
gentleman cut or burn wood always used oil . The young lad told me that the wood had been there
for at least 40 years He had stacked it there when he was 10 and did I want it . There were 5 cord
of hard maple that looked as if it had been cut and split last spring but had a moisture content
of 7% so I say if kept off the ground and dry it would last indefinitely

 

[Applesister]

That looks like alot of wood to care for. I would cover it to preserve it. Or get a third stove to heat with. Or something. ..

 

[MaintenanceMan]

P.S. I come into this problem because I am blessed with a wife who is very good at cutting, splitting and stacking firewood.

View attachment 168096

A true blessing!

Do you have less fortunate neighbors that are in need of any. In the past the further I got ahead the pickier I got about what I kept and culled out a bit more giving it to a local guy who burned an old smoke dragon insert and had a bad back. He was happy to get it. I also had a good friend who's been the recipient of a lot of free campfire wood.

 

[barmstrong2]

The Old Lad next door died last year his son came over and asked if I wanted the 5 cord of hardwood in the
wood shed at the back of the house . In the 36 years I have been here I have never seen the old
gentleman cut or burn wood always used oil . The young lad told me that the wood had been there
for at least 40 years He had stacked it there when he was 10 and did I want it . There were 5 cord
of hard maple that looked as if it had been cut and split last spring but had a moisture content
of 7% so I say if kept off the ground and dry it would last indefinitely

Same story. I have a friend who inherited his parents home last year after his Mom passed. There is about 4 cord of hardwood stacked in the garage that his Dad put there back around 1987. All of it is still solid.

 

[kversch]

Back befor my grandfather passed away I helped him sell about two cord of rock solid maple that had been stacked in there bacement for atleast 10 years. They had long since gotten rid of there stove because of his bad back.