Moldy pine?

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pulldownclaw

Feeling the Heat
Hearth Supporter
Mar 2, 2007
399
Richmond, Va
Does anybody have their split pine get moldy after a rain? My hardwood doesn't do this, is that a sign that the pine isn't seasoned yet? Just seems kinda strange, especially with it sitting out in full sun.

But, I'm not complaining, I just scored some off of Craigslist that was free and already split! :coolsmirk:
 
Yeah, now that you mention it - I have seen a few pieces of moldy pine wood...but the hardwood tends to stay fairly clear. Maybe the pine can absorb and hold moisture long enough for the mold to get going whereas the hardwoods tend to shed it and dry out faster? Either way, I suspect it is still OK to burn, but I probably wouldn't walk around the house rubbing two pieces of moldy wood together...just bring it in when you need it and chuck it right into the stove.
 
pulldownclaw said:
Does anybody have their split pine get moldy after a rain?

Nope. The rain just runs right off the cover on top of it.
 
During my 12 years in Northern Virginia, it seemed to me that anything I left outside for more than about 3 hours started getting covered with mold. Rick
 
fossil said:
During my 12 years in Northern Virginia, it seemed to me that anything I left outside for more than about 3 hours started getting covered with mold. Rick

The mold will all blow away shortly. Hannah is currently projected to track right over the top of us. Holy Isabel and Ivan Batman! Come on back Rick. We miss ya.
 
Well you try re-stacking the pine so it gets morning sun that'll help reduce the mold...all day sun should lock it down completely.
 
The soft pine we have here on the East Coast has to stay top covered. Every time it rains it soaks up just as much water as it had in it the day the tree came down, or more. Every time it rains you are starting over from scratch. Hardwood will shed a lot of water. Not soft pine. The high country denser softwoods in the west are a different breed of cat and don't soak up the rain as much.

Mine stays covered from the git go and has never had a spec of mold on it in all these years. Not so the oak. We have some weird reddish brown hairy fungus here that just loves to grow on oak in a humid summer.
 
Oh, how I remember Isabel...Rick
 
I have some mushroom top looking things growing on my hard wood.
 
BrotherBart said:
The soft pine we have here on the East Coast has to stay top covered.

Well then that's that.
 
skinnykid said:
skinnykid said:
I have some mushroom top looking things growing on my hard wood.

Geez, maybe I should start a "business"

the colors man the colors. did you see that banana crossing the road? oh man the colors lol
 
skinnykid said:
I have some mushroom top looking things growing on my hard wood.

Skinny, I think it's time for a nice long hot shower. Rick
 
fossil said:
skinnykid said:
I have some mushroom top looking things growing on my hard wood.

Skinny, I think it's time for a nice long hot shower. Rick

I was waitin to see how long before someone picked up on that.


due to the holiday, it will take an extra day to get my ointment!!!

Those darn Massachusetts girls!!!!!!!
 
skinnykid said:
...due to the holiday, it will take an extra day to get my ointment!!!

Skinny...yer gonna need more than ointment. :ahhh: Rick
 
So, if I've got this right, cover my wood so it doesn't get moldy or grow hairy fungus? I'm so glad to have advice from the guys who lived through the "Summer Of Love".
 
pulldownclaw said:
I'm so glad to have advice from the guys who lived through the "Summer Of Love".

Lived through it, just didn't get to enjoy it because I was crawling under barbed wire and climbing over rope walls in the mud at Ft. Polk, Louisiana.

Never understood that wall thing. I have never come up against a rope wall since.
 
You do have me worried about my pine now, BB. That was what I was going to start with this Fall when we finally start getting some cool nights. For some reason I see "restacking" and "tarps" in my near future.....
 
TMonter said:
Rule of thumb for western softwoods:

Pine, Hemlock, White fir all need to be covered

Red Fir/Doug Fir, Tamarack can be left uncovered.

TM: by white fir are you refering to balsam? asking because when I used to put my wood directly into the woodshed I would get mould and mildew on the balsam.

I now stack in rows in the sun and wind with only the tops covered and then into the sheds. Dry`s quick that way. and no mould.
 
It is Richmond, your Pine is going to get Mold with all the humidity here. Several of my stacks have it. The stack that gets the most sun, has the least amount of mold. Try and stack your pine where it will get the most sun. Covering the top may help and keep the wood from getting wet every night with the dew. It will still burn with the mold on it.
 
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