Lots of questions

[mattjm1017]

I have finished splitting and stacking this years wood its right at three true cords now I need to figure out how to cover it. I'm planning on building a pole barn on this spot but I wont be able to do that until next year so for the time being I'm thinking maybe just a tarp over the top with some rocks on top. My question is with some of the wood not being all the way seasoned will a tarp inhibit the seasoning process? Im including a picture of my stack to give yall an idea of what Im dealing with. I know its ugly and I should have stacked it better but I hate stacking and Im not very good at it but Ill work on it. Im also wondering how long I can leave rounds stacked on pallets before I split them? Im trying to get a large collection of rounds out back before I do anymore splitting Im thinking I probably wont start splitting again until October November. Is this ok or should i split now?

 

[paul bunion]

The sooner you split the rounds, the more time the splits will have to dry out. If it is for the following winter I would suggest getting it split ASAP.

Since your wood is stacked in a somewhat rounded off manner any attempt to top cover it will result in partially wrapping it which will definitely inhibit its drying. If rainfall is going to be an issue can you maybe get a run fly (tarp with poles) set up over your stacks. That might do the trick until you get a pole barn built. Other wise if you must cover it put a some pallets on the top to build out the edges and keep that tarp from wrapping your pile.

 

[basod]

If this is wood for a few years out than I wouldn't bother top covering.
As for the rounds if your hand splitting and waiting for cooler temps that's fine but a lot of good drying time can had when the humidity drops in the fall on those warm breezy afternoons.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

If you need wood for this year, take your driest wood, single stack it in in the sun. I've been told the best cover for drying is clear as opposed to blue brown or black, gl

 

[oldspark]

I f you need that this year you are going about it wrong.
Split and stack in single rows as soon as you can (yesterday)

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I have finished splitting and stacking this years wood its right at three true cords now I need to figure out how to cover it. I'm planning on building a pole barn on this spot but I wont be able to do that until next year so for the time being I'm thinking maybe just a tarp over the top with some rocks on top. My question is with some of the wood not being all the way seasoned #1 will a tarp inhibit the seasoning process? Im including a picture of my stack to give yall an idea of what Im dealing with. I know its ugly and I should have stacked it better but I hate stacking and Im not very good at it but Ill work on it. Im also wondering #2 how long I can leave rounds stacked on pallets before I split them? Im trying to get a large collection of rounds out back before I do anymore splitting Im thinking I probably wont start splitting again until October November. Is this ok or #3 should i split now?


View attachment 108819

#1 - No. You can throw your firewood in a lake and it will "season" just fine. However, a tarp may slow down drying time and it might abet the growth of mold and/or fungus.

#2 - As long as you want, however, the sooner you split them the sooner they'll be dry

#3 - It's up to you. See #2

 

[billb3]

I wouldn't wrap the pile with a tarp but a roof of some sort might help if you have soupy weather like we have here.
+1 on get rounds split asap as most don't start counting seasoning time until rounds become splits

 

[mattjm1017]

The wood I have stacked in the picture is for this year the stuff on the back of the stack closest to the shed is ready to go the stuff in the front is close. The rounds Im talking about are going to be for next 14/15 and beyond. I just dont see there being a lot of time coming up for me to gather the wood and split it so thats when I got the idea to just focus on gathering and let them sit since I wont be using them for another year or two but I do see yalls point of getting them split and stacked right away so I guess Ill get on it. I would like to get some kind of cover on the stack just to keep the rain off of it Im going to look into something to keep the rain off but still be up off of the wood.

 

[ScotO]

you are in a race against time if you plan on burning that wood this winter.......I'd do like others suggested and stack in single rows where the prevailing wind will blow through it, also in the sun if you can....Also, if there is any "fresh" oak in that stack, may as well pitch it to the side and start another stack because you are gonna be upset if you try and burn it this winter....it takes a LONG time to season oak properly.....

Also, when stacking, take a couple extra minutes to square-off or "crib" the ends of your stack...that way, you can top cover the stack and NOT have the covering go downward towards the ground....this is where you trap humidity in the top of the stack and it will take forever to season....

It's a totally different story if you have several years' worth of wood split and stacked.....you can stack it in multiple rows if you wish, and you'll have lots of time for it to season that way.......getting 3 to 4 years ahead on my wood was the best thing I ever did in regards to heating with wood....

 

[PapaDave]

If it's not dry yet, keep a tarp out there, but only cover if it's going to rain.
I like to split the rounds as soon-ish as I cut them. They don't dry well in the round, unless they're pretty small.
How's the weather in NC? I'm sure you're drying conditions are different than here, but the fact still remains. Get it split. Make the time for it.
You'll thank us later.

 

[bogydave]

I probably wont start splitting again until October November. Is this ok or should i split now?

Split now. (ASAP)
Wood starts to season after it's split & stacked.

For top covering wood that still needs to dry out, putting pallets on top of the wood then a tarp
will give the stack better air circulation. Don't let the tarp cover the sides.

 

[mattjm1017]

If it's not dry yet, keep a tarp out there, but only cover if it's going to rain.
I like to split the rounds as soon-ish as I cut them. They don't dry well in the round, unless they're pretty small.
How's the weather in NC? I'm sure you're drying conditions are different than here, but the fact still remains. Get it split. Make the time for it.
You'll thank us later.

Ill start splitting this week. The weather has been nice the last couple of days but next week is going back up in the 90s I wont need to start burning until late Oct early Nov. so I figure I have about another 2-3 months for the wood to dry more. I would like to take that wood stack apart and separate it into single rows but Im having a few issues with the wife about where to put the firewood. Were talking about it but for now the best way to keep the peace is to leave that stack where it is. I have a place picked out near the barn that she has agreed to where Ill start stacking next years and beyond wood in single rows. Im pretty much stuck with what Ive got for now. Im just hoping that this year is better than last year and next is better than ever.

 

[Jacktheknife]

Pulled some well-seasoned rounds out the the tree dump last week, they had some nice green sucker growth on them. Seasoning does little, drying is where it's at-- get it split!

 

[oldspark]

If my wife tried to tell me where to stack my wood I would tell her where the road is.

 

[Jacktheknife]

If my wife tried to tell me where to stack my wood I would tell her where the road is.

And where the credit card is too, because she's getting a spa-day

 

[Woody Stover]

If you can square up the stack, maybe crib a few ends so they are vertical, the stack will be easier to top-cover with a tarp. Any splits that are still exposed, you can bring them up to the staging area (if you have one) and let them dry out some before bringing them in to burn. I agree with the single-row suggestion but it doesn't sound like you have a lot of time to be messing with it right now....

 

[ScotO]

If my wife tried to tell me where to stack my wood I would tell her where the road is.

I tried that once.....I slept on the couch that night, too!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I have finished splitting and stacking this years wood its right at three true cords now I need to figure out how to cover it. I'm planning on building a pole barn on this spot but I wont be able to do that until next year so for the time being I'm thinking maybe just a tarp over the top with some rocks on top. My question is with some of the wood not being all the way seasoned will a tarp inhibit the seasoning process? Im including a picture of my stack to give yall an idea of what Im dealing with. I know its ugly and I should have stacked it better but I hate stacking and Im not very good at it but Ill work on it. Im also wondering how long I can leave rounds stacked on pallets before I split them? Im trying to get a large collection of rounds out back before I do anymore splitting Im thinking I probably wont start splitting again until October November. Is this ok or should i split now?

Matt, that is an interesting way to stack your wood. For sure not the best for drying as you need the splits so the wind hits the ends of the splits and not the sides of them.

I'm going to break away from some of the suggestions already given and suggest you leave the wood stack as is for now. You probably don't need the extra work anyway. I'd throw a tarp on the stacks and would take it down to the ground on the ends, just because of the way you have the wood stacked. It will work not the best but may very well be okay for this stack. The good part is that any rainfall will simply run off really easy because of the slope you'll have with the tarp.

I would suggest though in future wood stacks that you do learn how to crib the ends (it is very easy). I'd suggest stacking no more than 4 1/2' high with the center of the stack slightly higher (for water to run off) no matter what covering you use. Good luck.

 

[teutonicking]

Ill start splitting this week. The weather has been nice the last couple of days but next week is going back up in the 90s I wont need to start burning until late Oct early Nov. so I figure I have about another 2-3 months for the wood to dry more. I would like to take that wood stack apart and separate it into single rows but Im having a few issues with the wife about where to put the firewood. Were talking about it but for now the best way to keep the peace is to leave that stack where it is. I have a place picked out near the barn that she has agreed to where Ill start stacking next years and beyond wood in single rows. Im pretty much stuck with what Ive got for now. Im just hoping that this year is better than last year and next is better than ever.

I would split asap. You may just need to buy a few cords to use this year. Another option if you need to keep it in that location would be to employ some German engineering and restack it in a Holz Hauzen.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hate to say it but many have proven the holz hauzen stacking as a myth. The wood does not dry any faster and most times it does slower. Better to stack out in the open where wind can go through the stack. The wind can't go through those round stacks.

 

[teutonicking]

Hate to say it but many have proven the holz hauzen stacking as a myth. The wood does not dry any faster and most times it does slower. Better to stack out in the open where wind can go through the stack. The wind can't go through those round stacks.

Backwoods Savage is a real pro on wood drying so I would defer to his expertise. I've never tried a holz hauzen myself, but I always thought they looked cool and interesting. I just thought it might be one option to consider to make the wife happy and make the pile look nicer. I'm sure if it was stacked in single rows and elevated up off the ground that might even be better.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

If you really want to try a different method of stacking the wood, you could always do something like this.



Or this:

 

[teutonicking]

If you really want to try a different method of stacking the wood, you could always do something like this.

View attachment 108909

Or this:

View attachment 108910

No tarp required on that 2nd one!

 

[mattjm1017]

If my wife tried to tell me where to stack my wood I would tell her where the road is.

Lets just say theres been a little bit of tension over my new found hobby of wood collecting and burning. Shes never been around it so I dont think she knew what she was getting into. I did spend this weekend moving the entire splitting operation out back behind that grey shed so that its all out of sight ( I was just unloading everything in the driveway) . Were getting there shes learning everything that I learn on here and Im learning stuff daily.

Matt, that is an interesting way to stack your wood. For sure not the best for drying as you need the splits so the wind hits the ends of the splits and not the sides of them.

I'm going to break away from some of the suggestions already given and suggest you leave the wood stack as is for now. You probably don't need the extra work anyway. I'd throw a tarp on the stacks and would take it down to the ground on the ends, just because of the way you have the wood stacked. It will work not the best but may very well be okay for this stack. The good part is that any rainfall will simply run off really easy because of the slope you'll have with the tarp.

I would suggest though in future wood stacks that you do learn how to crib the ends (it is very easy). I'd suggest stacking no more than 4 1/2' high with the center of the stack slightly higher (for water to run off) no matter what covering you use. Good luck.

Dennis I always appreciate your incite into all matters of things and I believe Ill be doing just what youve said here to an extent Im going to get some of those evil t posts and put them on the ends of the stack and then push the top of the stack down to kind of scare it off a bit throw some pallets on top of that and a tarp over that so that it just covers the top and not the sides. I wish I had stacked this in single rows but I didnt and I really dont have the time to take it down and restack it all, but everything from here on out will be in single rows and nothing will go into a large stack like this again until its ready to burn. On a plus side I got a little worried about it and went out this afternoon and took the middle of the stack apart and took 15 splits from the bottom of the middle split them again with the fiskars and took moisture readings. They were all around 21-25% except for a piece of oak that I forgot was in there from last year it was 36%. I also checked some of the stuff on the top that was recently split and it was around 28% other stuff was 40-50% but I know where that is and dont plan on using that until its all thats left Im hoping I have more wood than I need for the season but time will tell.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

T-posts????? Well, we'll forgive you anyway.