I just piled (not stacked) a bunch of splits..... (now with a picture)

[Scott in IN]

Are the wood gods going to frown on me for splitting rounds, tossing them in the loader bucket, driving the tractor to the wood pile and then DUMPING the splits on the pallets instead of stacking them? My rows keep falling over and it takes extra time to stack and now it's already in a pile (which can't fall over). I'm guessing the pile will not dry as fast but how much is it really going to hurt as I've got about 7 cords of aged cut, split and stacked wood on pallets (figure I'll burn about 3 or 4 this year)?

Introducing "stackzilla".....

 

[smokinj]

Are the wood gods going to frown on me for splitting rounds, tossing them in the loader bucket, driving the tractor to the wood pile and then DUMPING the splits on the pallets instead of stacking them? My rows keep falling over and it takes extra time to stack and now it's already in a pile (which can't fall over). I'm guessing the pile will not dry as fast but how much is it really going to hurt as I've got about 7 cords of aged cut, split and stacked wood on pallets (figure I'll burn about 3 or 4 this year)?

I dont stack

 

[LLigetfa]

In the past I would leave mine heaped outside for the Spring and Summer, and only stack it in my shed come Fall. You're right that it doesn't dry as fast. I would sort it as I moved it to the shed, putting aside the wetter stuff for later burning.

Everything I have now is stacked, 2/3rds of it in the shed and 1/3rd outside.

 

[learnin to burn]

Being you have a loader it shouldn't be too hard to mix the wood around a bit to help the seasoning process. I used to have to do that when I worked for a fire wood guy. Of course when I did it the wood was on blacktop not pallets.

 

[burntime]

I would stack it as well. I have gotten lazy and left a heap from the splitter when I ran out of pallets...fall came and I moved the stacked to the house...the pile was still wet inside. I have even noticed a difference in just 2 months. The wood must wick up ground moisture as well as the wind not pass threw as well.

 

[SolarAndWood]

I just stacked out my 10 cord heap to make room for the next one. It was 12' high in the middle. I didn't notice any difference in the middle of the heap but my site is high, dry, windy and has good southern exposure.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Definitely air can not circulate through the wood as well when it is just in a heap. Some get away with it for sure but it is not for me. Get the wood stacked (which really does not take that long) up off the ground and stacked so the prevailing wind can hit the side of the stack and hopefully some sunshine too and the wood will dry.

Methinks that most people, when they talk about wood piles being an eyesore that it is these piles that are laying around and especially the ones with the blue tarps flapping in the breeze. We have one fellow across the section who put up some wood last spring. That wood now sits with blue tarp covering.....a part of the pile. Actually it is 2 tarps and he attempted to cover the pile completely; sides and ends included. Now the tarps are flapping in the breeze. Yes, that can be an eyesore.

 

[savageactor7]

One of the many nice benefits with piling wood...you can safely pile way, way higher than you dare stack. We throw ours up while splitting.

 

[smokinj]

Its just a volume thing not ever had any issues with a pile of wood.If I was using 3-5 cords a year then yes its time to stack

 

[afblue]

If it was a long narrow pile vs just one big mound I would think it would dry not quite as good but somewhat close to stacked wood. I know how it is, that you wish there was a farm implement that would stack the wood for you and cut out the manual labor....

 

[SolarAndWood]

I am a big fan of implements. However, the loader is pretty efficient at making 12' high piles I don't need to worry about falling. Once you are ahead, the gain in seasoning rate from stacking seems pretty trivial compared to the effort of stacking or the cost of an implement to automate it.

 

[Jags]

I only stack what goes into the wash house for this years burning. The rest is in a heaphausen.

 

[billb3]

many moons ago I used to pull a weeks worth of wood from Mount Chaos and stack neatly on the porch by the front door.
Worked for me.

My stacks are like privacy fences now.And possibly help block the Northerly winds from the north side of my house.

 

[smokinj]

many moons ago I used to pull a weeks worth of wood from Mount Chaos and stack neatly on the porch by the front door.
Worked for me.

My stacks are like privacy fences now.And possibly help block the Northerly winds from the north side of my house.

so does 3 piles 9 foot high 20x20 lol

 

[btuser]

I wish I could pile. I just don't have the room. If I had a loader I wouldn't even consider it.

 

[Scott in IN]

I've got plenty or room and a loader / tractor to pile it so I guess I'll give it a shot and see what happens. I've got about 2 years worth of wood stacked and ready to burn and a fairly decent pile started. I kind of like the suggestion of stirring the pile with the loader from time to time to help with aging.

 

[smokinj]

I've got plenty or room and a loader / tractor to pile it so I guess I'll give it a shot and see what happens. I've got about 2 years worth of wood stacked and ready to burn and a fairly decent pile started. I kind of like the suggestion of stirring the pile with the loader from time to time to help with aging.

+1

 

[billb3]

When I used to have a heap, it sure seemed as though the stuff in the middle just never got a chance to dry out from the rain. I rather doubt 'wicking' was anywhere near a problem as just never getting a chance to dry back out.

Why I like stacks and a rain hat.
Plus Winter weather here usually involves much changing from snow to rain to snow to rain which makes for nasty slushy mush which then freezes from the cold weather after every storm.
If we just got snow and then cold I might not bother with a rain hat.
Driven rain and snow I ignore. Just don't like it in the middle of everything. And having to bust it out with a sledge hammer and then giving it a chance to thaw and drain, just to get it in the stove and try to get soem heat out of it.

 

[SolarAndWood]

And having to bust it out with a sledge hammer and then giving it a chance to thaw and drain, just to get it in the stove and try to get soem heat out of it.

Im a heapenhauser but this years wood with ample safety stock was stacked under a roof over the past few weeks for that reason. Until we get real snow, I will keep pulling off the heap.