piling wood to season

[brad wilton]

hi guys any tricks to piling wood to dry,I usually criss cross them just wondering if there is better way

 

[DougA]

I just stack them in rows. As long as the air gets through, I don't think the extra time to stack any other way is warranted. I know most retail suppliers either leave the split piles lying on the ground or stack in rows if they have time.

 

[brad wilton]

hi doug that's what i plan on doing. going to pile on pallets noticed last year bottom rows where still damp

 

[NordicSplitter]

I rotate at least 10-14 face cords per year. I know,,over kill...but whats on the bottom will soon be on top. Has worked well for

 

[Woody Stover]

If I had to get wood dry quick, I would still stack normally, just stack "loosely" so a lot of air can blow through the stack, stack in a windy spot with the prevailing wind broadsiding the stack, and stack in single rows. I'm stacking on pallets too, with the pallets on concrete blocks or dead Sassafras sleeper to make the pallets last longer. I'm stacking two rows wide on a pallet, since I'm several years ahead.

 

[Seanm]

I'm stacking two rows wide on a pallet,

This is what I do as well and put the driest stuff on the back row. I do this out of a space necessity otherwise I would do single rows. With burning softwoods and space constraints this is the best thing for me. Also top covering is a must for me since I need my firewood to be good to go come fall. Also like you say stacking loosely is a great way to promote air flow.

 

[Pennsyltucky Chris]

I usually single stack wood sorta like this.

I have mine on 2 pallets, side by side. I put 2 rows going across the pallets. Get about 2/3 a cord per throw up.

 

[BobUrban]

I rotate at least 10-14 face cords per year. I know,,over kill...but whats on the bottom will soon be on top. Has worked well for

Holy shmoly - that is a commitment there I applaud your dedication but suggest using the time, energy and effort "restacking" to just procuring more wood. If you are far enough ahead you can stack it in a pool and wait for it to dry(almost)

But seriously - get 3-4yrs or more ahead and stack it anyway you like. It will be waiting for you to burn and very ready.

 

[brad wilton]

i was fed up after 5 face cords my problem is space i should be able to get two years ahead i hope running out of wood sucks especially with the new iceage coming

 

[NordicSplitter]

Holy shmoly - that is a commitment there I applaud your dedication but suggest using the time, energy and effort "restacking" to just procuring more wood. If you are far enough ahead you can stack it in a pool and wait for it to dry(almost)

But seriously - get 3-4yrs or more ahead and stack it anyway you like. It will be waiting for you to burn and very ready.

I am about 4yrs ahead now. I guess I just enjoy the workout and knowing exactly what wood is where

 

[Fred Wright]

I started segregating stacks last year; oak here, maple there, etc. The criss-cross stacking adds stability to the piles.

 

[jeffesonm]

I've tried lots of different methods over the years. Single stacked dry the fastest but you need a lot of room and they are prone to falling over. Criss cross is more stable but time consuming, and doesn't work well with branches/limbs. My preferred method at the moment is stacking on pallets, with a vertical pallet on each end like bookends. Two rows of 16" splits across the 40" side of the pallet, so all wood is exposed to air on at least one end. Quick and easy to stack, very stable, pallets are free and you can burn them when they start to rot out. Cut some lumber tarps to cover (also free) and staple them to the wood to hold it down.

 

[tigeroak]

We put ours in racks like these. I have 6 that hold 2 1/2 cord each and 1 that holds little over a cord.

 

[Poindexter]

I stack like Pensyltucky Chris, only I start with cinder blocks on the ground, then pallets, and then two rows stacked like his with an 8" air gap between the two rows of wood.

I got 7.5 cords, umm, 22.x face cords up now for fall 2015. If I keep it covered on top, I got great sun exposure and good wind exposure, split small I am looking for 14% MC average out of birch by late August.

 

[NickM]

If you want a quick dry, stack it in fifteen to twenty foot rows with six inches of space between and a about 3 or 4 rows deep, then buy some wide clear plastic (10 mil or thicker works best) and drape it over the rows with plenty on either side. Stretch it taught and leave the ends open. It will make a pseudo greenhouse/solar kiln. Helps if you can stack it to where the end of the rows are in the prevailing wind so you can get a little breeze through there and keep the flapping to a minimum. You can use scrap pallets to block some of the air going in so it doesn't blow all the heat out, just make sure you block it on the upwind side, if you block it on the other, you turn your plastic into a huge balloon.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

This is the optimal way to dry wood, it allows me to move the wood quicker.....

 

[WarmGuy]

I've got a new system that I started last year, and it works great: saves me a lot of stacking time.

My shed is four rows wide. I stack a row in the back and in the front, and in the middle, I just throw the wood. You can see it here:

I lean the stacked rows in a little bit. This is also great when I have a lot of irregular or short pieces. When I fill up the front, no one will know what a lazy slob I am: