I think it's time for me to start stacking in single rows

[muncybob]

I've been stacking my split wood on pallets and for the most part they have interlocked on pallets that are about 3'X4" or 4'X10'. Started to load my truck up with walnut that had a stack date of 2/12. The splits seemed a little heavy to me so I took one of the interior splits, split it smaller and got a MM reading of 26%. Stopped loading the truck and went to my ash stack that was marked 4/12. Took a few readings and while many were around 20% quite a few of them were mid 20's+! Man, was I disappointed! Fortunatley the oak that was 3+ years was good to go! So, I guess I'll be mixing in the oak with what I have for this year and will be going with single row stacking from now on.

 

[pen]

Been there, done that. The stuff needs air!

Were these top covered or not?

 

[NH_Wood]

I only stack on pallets in cubes about 40"X48" and 5' tall. I top cover with rubber roofing. All wood sits for four years and the only problem I've had is some oak sapwood going to punk because the roofing sagged and rain runoff was concentrated in one spot - only losing a few splits though. So....you're splits were about 18 months in the stack or so? I think that stacked wood in the northeast seems to need more time to be perfect (depending on species) - my oak is a definite three year wood, and even red maple, cherry and white birch seem better after a full two years. But, if you have the room to single row, that's great! Cheers!

 

[flatlandr]

I'm having a similar problem with 2 cord of walnut that was cut and split in Dec 2011. However I have walnut that was cut/split in Sept. 2012 that reads 18-20%.
Stacked in single rows separated approx. 1' apart.

 

[muncybob]

Been there, done that. The stuff needs air!

Were these top covered or not?

Only top covered in the last month or so. The Mrs asked what I may get up to this evening(if it's not raining), so I invited her to a re-stacking party...not sure if she will attend though.

 

[Paulywalnut]

I leave a 18" gap between rows. Just enough for me to squeeze in between if I need to. The wind blows through
the stacks very nicely. It takes up a little more real estate but it's well worth it .

 

[Stegman]

I leave a 18" gap between rows. Just enough for me to squeeze in between if I need to. The wind blows through
the stacks very nicely. It takes up a little more real estate but it's well worth it .

+1. I haven't had any problems stacking on pallets, but I lay my pallets down in a row and then have two rows running along their length with a gap in between. Not sure if that's how you're doing it or not. I know from experience that butting rows up tight against one another doesn't cut the mustard.

 

[PSYS]

I think I've read far too many positive things about single-stacking on the forum now to ever want to double-stack the wood I'm seasoning.
Awesome info, as always!

 

[TreePointer]

I also put only two rows on pallets leaving space between them.

If you have the space, single rows can be very effective. This gets sun on both sides and wind blows from west to east through the wood. It has better air flow underneath, too.

(broken image removed)

 

[jeffesonm]

Well that's discouraging... I'm in the process of switching from single row stacks to pallet cubes so I can move them around with the front end loader.

 

[TreePointer]

Just to be clear, I still like pallets. As mentioned earlier, I think it just depends on your climate how much time you have to let it season.

 

[bogydave]

I'm trying a new technique, 2 rows on pallets, with a space between them.
New is; I lean the stacks slightly together to where the meet at the top.
Then a row of bark up birch down the seam.
Hoping to keep some rain & snow out of the center.
Last year the space was packed full of snow.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Single stack it in the sun and wind for best results.....
And make small splits.....

 

[gyrfalcon]

I think I've read far too many positive things about single-stacking on the forum now to ever want to double-stack the wood I'm seasoning.
Awesome info, as always!

If you have the room and can make stable single-row stacks that don't fall over and require restacking periodically, it's absolutely the way to go. If the stacks are out in the sun and wind and your climate isn't too humid, it doesn't take more than a year for good dry firewood, and smaller splits of most species are ready to go in the fall if they were stacked in spring. Another year is better, but half a year in those conditions is OK if necessary.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

Been there, done that. The stuff needs air!

Were these top covered or not?

Funny, I just posted on a thread about the stuff someone learned this year. This is one of those things I learned in yr one. I now have 9 racks in the backyard, they are 12" off the ground and are about 16" apart. I get a good prevailing wind that goes through regularly and an extra hour of sunshine in the summer months. It works!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Bob, I think where you went wrong was to not top cover them soon enough. Actually in your area it would not do any harm to top cover that wood as soon as you get it stacked. Give that a try and see if it may work better for you.




I'm not convinced yet and have stacked wood this way all my life. Well, most times in 3 rows together but have stacked with over 20 rows together. Never have had a problem with wood not drying. Many claim with the 3 rows that we typically use for stacking that the center row won't dry. That may be true but I've found it interesting that the wood piles shrink down at the same rate. It would seem if that center row did not dry that it would end up higher. That has never happened.

Here are a few examples and for added emphasis, in the first three pictures, those were stacked right on the ground. Nothing under them except good ole Mother Earth. Naturally the bottom row and mostly the bottom 2 or 3 rows would be frozen in when we got down to them. No problem. Wait for spring, throw those on top of the new piles and they would be fine the following year.

 

[red oak]

There is not a doubt in my mind that single-stacking will get the wood to season faster.

There is also not a doubt in my mind that if you give the wood several years stacked together it will dry. I have 10 rows, stacked together, off the ground, that has been seasoning for 2-3 years. Seems to dry fine to me.

 

[Paulywalnut]

If you have plenty of wood, your stacks that are stacked tight in rows of three or so will surely season in 3 years.
Guys that are trying to speed things up some so they can catch up will probably do it quicker in single stacks with
a space in between. No scientific evidence though.

 

[granpajohn]

.... That may be true but I've found it interesting that the wood piles shrink down at the same rate. It would seem if that center row did not dry that it would end up higher. That has never happened.

Hmmm...the scientist has a good point there.

 

[bag of hammers]

Bob, I think where you went wrong was to not top cover them soon enough. Actually in your area it would not do any harm to top cover that wood as soon as you get it stacked. Give that a try and see if it may work better for you

I'm not convinced yet and have stacked wood this way all my life

I don't process as much as most here, but what I have sits on pallets, typically 2 together, for approx 4 x 9 supporting 3 rows. This gives me over a full cord stacked on each pair of pallets - sugar maple and yellow birch mostly. So far it seems to work well. But a top cover with something solid (so there's no sag under wet leaves and snow) is required.

 

[BrotherBart]

Stoves, wood and stacking methods. Not any one of any of them works best for everybody. This wood burning thing is a learning thing no matter how long ya do it. Believe me. 30 years and learning...

But the biggest shot in the learning curve was stumbling across you folks here in 2005.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hmmm...the scientist has a good point there.

Not sure if that was meant to be nice or nasty...

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

Not sure if that was meant to be nice or nasty...

I think that was meant for good...

 

[granpajohn]

Not sure if that was meant to be nice or nasty...

..chortle, guffaw... You know I don't make nasty posts. (I suppose there's plenty enough without me adding in.)

 

[muncybob]

So I started to restack my 1.5 yr hickory last night. I was amazed at the amount of bug/beetle dust/dirt(don't know what exactly it's called) on the bark side of many splits. I noticed this also on my 3 yr oak last month but the hickory has LOTS more of it to the point that I was brushing it off as it appeaed to be so thick in some areas that it was holding moisture. It seems the stacks that are closer to my trees have more of this stuff?