Split em or leave em?

[morpho]

Hey folks,
So I have an over abundance of wood, and I am wondering if it's better to leave them in rounds or split em. I have no room in the shed for any more so it will be outside in the elements. It's pretty dry already and I probably won't be burning this stuff for 3-4 years.

Advice?

Thanks.

 

[claydogg84]

Split it and get it off the ground. If you don't split it, try to get the rounds off the ground too. Would be a shame to let it rot - Which, depending on what type of wood it is, may happen in 4 years.

 

[Woody Stover]

depending on what type of wood it is

Yep. I've got some Hedge that is still in rounds, 4 yrs later. It will never rot. If it was something more susceptible to rot, I would split, stack off the ground, and top-cover. Oak or Hickory sapwood goes bad quick but the heart holds up pretty well.

 

[blades]

Either split it or peel the bark off at the absolute minimum slice a couple of wide channels through the bark . ( like making two flats with a saw ) Bark holds moisture in .

 

[Dune]

Stack it off the ground and top cover it. Split it only if it needs to be smaller to fit in the stove.

 

[morpho]

I knew I'd get responses quickly here!
Thanks everyone.

It is off the ground on pallets.
Poplar and Aspen
It's also in really short lengths (10"-12") as I have a wee little stove, so it dries super fast.

This was my first winter with a stove and last summer I lucked into a friend who was clearing some spruce that were too close to his house. I ended up with about 3 cords. I bucked and split it all...and knowing less than nothing, I was concerned I wouldn't have enough to last the winter. In the fall, another neighbour had a bunch of Poplar that he wanted gone and he said I could have. SURE! ...It's like asking somebody if they want free gas. How can you say no?
Well, spring rolls around and I take stock of my still massive stack of splits. I couldn't have burned more than a face cord. AND I still have all the poplar rounds sitting there...another cord and a bit maybe.
I burnt every day last winter in a sub arctic climate. So lets here it for small, super insulated houses and Morso!
...Had another neighbour ask if I wanted some spruce tress that came down in his yard this spring...and another wanted to make sure I knew I could go back into his place and take any deadfall I want to take on his 3 sections of land.
It's like an addiction!

I think I might keep the windows open all winter and burn burn burn!

 

[Jags]

I always try to get it split right away. There is no down side to splitting it earlier vs later.

 

[morpho]

so, keep it off the ground and reasonable protected and hope for the best seems to be the major theme. Split it when I get a chance or leave it...one way or the other isn't going to make too much of a difference (except the moisture retention the bark may create.)
Ok...I will deal with it one way or another....sooner than later.

Thanks everyone!

(I see a beaver brought down a birch over by the cemetery...might have to add that to my collection! I can't help myself!)

 

[Seanm]

(I see a beaver brought down a birch over by the cemetery...might have to add that to my collection! I can't help myself!)

Ok you're egging us on on this one...... Definitely split the birch or it will go to punk in no time flat! Nice not to have a limit on free wood eh? You and I are in a lucky club!

 

[Wood Duck]

Split it ASAP. Even if you only split it in half to save time now, then split it more later on. Split wood dries better and lasts longer than rounds.