Question about seasoned wood devilverd in the pouring rain.

[Carbon_Base]

Hi all. This is my first post here. (But I'm not new to V-bulletin type forums-they're great.--thank you to all the mods here)

I am up and running with a wood stove in my house after more than 10 years of life without one. It's a bit like coming home. I have other questions I'll post later, but I thought I'd start with a quick one:

We took delivery of 2 cord of cut, split, and seasoned wood last weekend while it was pouring rain. It's sitting now in two soggy heaps in my paved driveway, waiting for me to get the time to stack it. (Hopefully this weekend). It's still pretty damp with surface moisture from the thorough drenching rain. I did not bother to tarp it as there was no surface dryness to preserve after delivery.

My first question is:
should one not take delivery of seasoned wood on a rainy day if one needs that wood to burn right away?

And the second:
What should I do about this damp wood? should I make certain it is good and dry before stacking it? Or can I assume the rain water will dry off of it just fine even once it's stacked.

BTW, it is in the shade on the north side of of my barn.

Thanks.
I'm really looking forward to spending more time on this forum!

.

 

[Fsappo]

If it was me, I would just stack it and let it air dry when the rain stops. I'd have a 48" diameter wood ring near the stove, fight my way thru starting a fire with wet wood, keep the wood ring full and let the wood dry off inside so it's ready for the next fire. If I had space, I would have 2 wood rings, one drying and one burning.

 

[BrotherBart]

When you take delivery doesn't make much difference in this case. If it wasn't getting wet at your house it would be getting wet at the wood guy's place.

 

[Fsappo]

When you take delivery doesn't make much difference in this case. If it wasn't getting wet at your house it would be getting wet at the wood guy's place.

duh! I should have thought of that. I hate it when I have to say "duh" about myself

 

[Carbon_Base]

When you take delivery doesn't make much difference in this case. If it wasn't getting wet at your house it would be getting wet at the wood guy's place.

This is an excellent point. So obvious, i don't know how I missed. I did used to buy wood from a guy who stored his stock it indoors! But that was along time ago and in a different place.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Stack it ASAP. Not only will it help it to dry, but you can see if you truly have 2 cords

For my own information I'd probably split a few pieces to see if the center is truly dry.

 

[Carbon_Base]

(...) Not only will it help it to dry, but you can see if you truly have 2 cords

For my own information I'd probably split a few pieces to see if the center is truly dry.

So far, so good. I've been burning it for a few day (drying on the hearth before loading it). And it burns just fine-one sizzler in probably 15+ pieces to date.

I'll be interested to see it stacked. It looks like he did me pretty well on the quantity.

 

[mackconsult]

Hi all. This is my first post here. (But I'm not new to V-bulletin type forums-they're great.--thank you to all the mods here)

I am up and running with a wood stove in my house after more than 10 years of life without one. It's a bit like coming home. I have other questions I'll post later, but I thought I'd start with a quick one:

We took delivery of 2 cord of cut, split, and seasoned wood last weekend while it was pouring rain. It's sitting now in two soggy heaps in my paved driveway, waiting for me to get the time to stack it. (Hopefully this weekend). It's still pretty damp with surface moisture from the thorough drenching rain. I did not bother to tarp it as there was no surface dryness to preserve after delivery.

My first question is:
should one not take delivery of seasoned wood on a rainy day if one needs that wood to burn right away?

And the second:
What should I do about this damp wood? should I make certain it is good and dry before stacking it? Or can I assume the rain water will dry off of it just fine even once it's stacked.

BTW, it is in the shade on the north side of of my barn.

Thanks.
I'm really looking forward to spending more time on this forum!

.

As long as the wood is seasoned it will be fine. Just take a few pieces and put them in a dry area and they will dry quickly. Its the seasoning that is important. You can season wood in the rain although its more effective if its covered during seasoning. I will admit that I try pretty hard to keep my wood dry, but that is personal preference. My grandfather and uncle used to collect and burn wood every year, and I learned this fact from them.

 

[Badfish740]

I stack my wood on pallets and attempt to keep the tops of the stacks covered with plastic with marginal success. I have medium sized dehumidifier in the basement that I used to only use in the summer to keep it from getting too damp down there, but now when I have wood that has gotten drenched in the rain I stack the wet pieces around it and let it run all day while I'm at work. It seems to work pretty well and there's no noticeable increase in the electric bill.

 

[Wood Duck]

I don't worry about the rain having much effect on the wood, as long as the wood is solid (not rotten, punky wood) it won't absorb too much moisture from rain. I would be worried about wood piled on moist ground. The bottom pieces will absorb a bunch of moisture over time if you leave the wood on damp ground.

 

[mackconsult]

I don't worry about the rain having much effect on the wood, as long as the wood is solid (not rotten, punky wood) it won't absorb too much moisture from rain. I would be worried about wood piled on moist ground. The bottom pieces will absorb a bunch of moisture over time if you leave the wood on damp ground.

Agreed. I even stack my wood on plastic pallets that I get from work.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Welcome to the forum Carbon_Base.

If possible, stack it loosely where it can get some wind and maybe some sun. I'd go ahead and cover the top of the stack right away at this time of the year. Glad to hear it is actually burning for you as so much of the "seasoned" wood is far from seasoned.

Good luck.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Hi all. This is my first post here. (But I'm not new to V-bulletin type forums-they're great.--thank you to all the mods here)

I am up and running with a wood stove in my house after more than 10 years of life without one. It's a bit like coming home. I have other questions I'll post later, but I thought I'd start with a quick one:

We took delivery of 2 cord of cut, split, and seasoned wood last weekend while it was pouring rain. It's sitting now in two soggy heaps in my paved driveway, waiting for me to get the time to stack it. (Hopefully this weekend). It's still pretty damp with surface moisture from the thorough drenching rain. I did not bother to tarp it as there was no surface dryness to preserve after delivery.

My first question is:
should one not take delivery of seasoned wood on a rainy day if one needs that wood to burn right away?

And the second:
What should I do about this damp wood? should I make certain it is good and dry before stacking it? Or can I assume the rain water will dry off of it just fine even once it's stacked.

BTW, it is in the shade on the north side of of my barn.

Thanks.
I'm really looking forward to spending more time on this forum!

.

It's Oct 27.

You're about 8-10 months behind.

Once you have "found time" to get those two cord stacked, call that guy back and get 2 or 3 more cord for next year.

 

[Carbon_Base]

It's Oct 27.

You're about 8-10 months behind.

Once you have "found time" to get those two cord stacked, call that guy back and get 2 or 3 more cord for next year.

Can't tell if this post is a friendly ribbing or an attempt at abuse. I'll answer it anyway.

I'm right on time with the wood. I just finished installing the stove which involved waiting quite a long time for the mason to come and reline the chimney. I then built the the hearth (had to teach myself how to tile) and installed the stove myself. The building inspector came and signed off on it just last week. There were so many opportunities for derailment along the way, I was not going to spend several hundred dollars on fuel until I had the means to use it.

And as far as "finding time". I envy you if you have time to do everything you need to do as soon as it needs to be done. I can't. I have to prioritize.

And yes, I will buy green wood this year for next, now that I am up and running.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[SolarAndWood]

If you are going to stack it inside, wait for a couple sunny days for the surface moisture to dry off.

 

[smokinj]

When you take delivery doesn't make much difference in this case. If it wasn't getting wet at your house it would be getting wet at the wood guy's place.

+1

 

[mayhem]

Wet seasoned wood will air dry in no time at all. The rainwater takes a very long time to soak into the wood in any significant way. Unseasoned wood on the other hand takes a long time to dry since you're essentially drying out the inner core.

Take your delivery, stack it, burn it.

 

[firefighterjake]

Oh yeah you need to get that wood good and dry before burning . . . I recommend either a) drying each piece with your wife's hair dryer, b) building a large bonfire outside and arranging each piece around the fire or c) tucking each piece into a nice, warm heated towel and/or blanket.

Sorry, couldn't help myself . . . can't resist trying to be funny.

On a serious note, as you may have figured out by now . . . no, having the wood get wet when it's delivered is not a big deal. You do want to get the wood stacked however and placed off the ground with a pallet, lumber, etc. to keep the bottom pieces from rotting, to allow air flow to continue to season the wood and since you really don't want those bottom pieces frozen to the ground. Since you're burning this wood this Fall and Winter I would cover the tarp of the stacked wood with a tarp, metal, plywood, etc. to keep the snow off the woodpile . . . plus while rain really won't "unseason" your wood (wood isn't like a sponge) trying to get rain-covered, wet wood started in a fire from scratch can be frustrating.

I have a woodshed myself, but last year I had woodstacks covered by tarps. I still ended up with some snow/ice/rain hitting some of the wood. No big deal. Typically I would move a week's worth of wood to my covered porch and then fill up the woodbox on a daily basis. Usually by the time I was ready to add more wood to the fire, any snow/ice/water had melted off and the wood could go on to the fire with no issues.

More importantly than wet wood is seasoned wood . . . and the good news is that it sounds like you may have got some half decent wood since you say only one piece has sizzled so far. As you have noted, the best thing to do is order "green" wood sooner, rather than later (i.e. this Fall) and then you're ahead of the game as you can guarantee that you have seasoned wood for next Fall.

 

[edthedawg]

I got 4 of the best, seasoned C/S/D cords i've ever seen yet in my brief woodburning life late summer/early fall - all in the pouring rain, for each truckload. Stuff burns like you wouldn't believe. I plucked a split today that was bigger'n anything i would have dreamed of burning last year, threw it onto the morning coals w/ two tiny scrap splits, and had a 450+ stovetop an hour later. No hissing. No bubbling. Just fire.

 

[ChrisNJ]

It's Oct 27.

And as far as "finding time". I envy you if you have time to do everything you need to do as soon as it needs to be done. I can't. I have to prioritize.

.

That is my biggest problem by far, if only I had the time I did as a kid.

 

[karri0n]

I got 4 of the best, seasoned C/S/D cords i've ever seen yet in my brief woodburning life late summer/early fall - all in the pouring rain, for each truckload. Stuff burns like you wouldn't believe. I plucked a split today that was bigger'n anything i would have dreamed of burning last year, threw it onto the morning coals w/ two tiny scrap splits, and had a 450+ stovetop an hour later. No hissing. No bubbling. Just fire.

Is your supplier commercial or a backyard type of guy? Considering I'm in SE/CE CT, I'd be interested in finding something about this person if you're willing to give up the info.

 

[tonelover]

The only problem that I have with deliveries in the rain, and it has happened both of the last two years, is that the soaking wet wood inside the pile doesn't dry out and starts to turn a funky blue/grey color in places or gets a little moldy unless you get it stacked out fairly promptly.

If a dry pile got rained on I wouldn't worry about it becuase most of the water will be superficial and will dry right off, but if a pile of wet wood is dumped then it will be wet to the core and you'll want to do something about that sooner than later.

 

[Carbon_Base]

(...) but if a pile of wet wood is dumped then it will be wet to the core and you'll want to do something about that sooner than later.

Thanks. This is incentive to get it stacked this weekend.

To the further credit of my supplier, he was hesitant to deliver on a rainy day b/c the wood can get dirty when he scoops it up. The first load, he loaded in his truck the day before the rain. The second, he must have scooped carefully b/c it isn't muddy. I appreciate this kind of consideration. My wood stove is in the kitchen and if we had muddy wood, we'd never have a clean kitchen 'til the end of burning season!

 

[daveswoodhauler]

Welcome aboard Carbon Base! Where abouts are you? (I have a very good wood delivery guy that gives you an honest cord...can PM his info to you if you are in the Hubbardston/Westminster area)