Stacking lots of wood in house?

[snaple4]

For those of you that pile your wood inside, how do you deal with the bugs? I keep a smallish box in my house but still have bugs here and there. I would think my wife would kill me from the mess alone not including the critters.

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[brenndatomu]

I don't. Tried it once...the bugs were insane...now it stays in the unheated garage until it goes in the fire.

 

[Happy Stacker]

Never had an issue with insects. However I never harvest dead trees..either standing or down. And I use my leaf blower on a stack before bringing it inside. I've had an entire cord in my living room before with no problems...

 

[coutufr]

Zero bugs inside the house I have 1 rick of wood stacked inside at all times

 

[Charles1981]

Easily keep face cord next to our stove at most times... No real problem with bugs. Sometimes though a bee is under some bark and wakes up from dormancy....but then the cats are instantly on it looking for anything to break the monotomy of winter in michigan.

 

[Knots]

I have four 8-foot long steel racks that I fill in late summer/fall. I get a few bugs, but not many. Here's what I do:

If at all possible, I de-bark the wood. Especially oak.

I make sure the wood is very dry (well-seasoned).

I wait until we have a period of at least a few days of no rain and lots of sun and I bring in the top layers of the outside stacks.

I get some bugs, mostly spiders, but not enough to prevent me from doing it this way.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

For those of you that pile your wood inside, how do you deal with the bugs? I keep a smallish box in my house but still have bugs here and there. I would think my wife would kill me from the mess alone not including the critters.

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I have a very high tech way- fly swatter. I breifly considered putting up a fly paper strip, but decided there weren't enough bugs for that. A jar with some vinegar and a small squeeze of dish soap in some out of sight spot near the stacks would collect some.

Oh, I also remove as much bark as I can. That seems to help a lot. The bark goes into a pile to decompose and get chipped into mulch.

 

[Happy Stacker]

I have a very high tech way- fly swatter..

That is so old skool...lol. You need one of these...very entertaining to hunt down dem kritters in your living room...https://bugasalt.com/

 

[Bootstrap]

I don't store any wood inside the house. I do keep about a day or two supply at a time in the mud room. I run out with a hand cart and grab from the pile.
I cant see any justifiable reason to stack any wood beyond what is about to be used, in the house.

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

I keep about 5 cords in the basement, not much of a bug problem besides spiders here and there. I am battling an ant colony under the floor in my den by the stove but i dont think wood is the culprit. I put out the bait traps and they eat and eat but it never seems to kill them, i think they like it that im feeding them. Those real small ants, not the big ones.

 

[Knots]

I don't store any wood inside the house. I do keep about a day or two supply at a time in the mud room. I run out with a hand cart and grab from the pile.
I cant see any justifiable reason to stack any wood beyond what is about to be used, in the house.

There's nowhere close to my house that's good to stack wood. So, I'd have to keep a path clear of snow all winter long to get to the stacks. Also, it seems like there's always a couple of weeks of winter where it's an all-out battle to keep snow cleared, rake the roof, keep the vehicles going, and take care of old folks' needs. Not having to drag wood in from the outside sure helps take one task off the plate. There's nothing like getting up at 4 AM when it's -20F out and just walking downstairs and grabbing some wood to fill the stove with.

 

[Happy Stacker]

I agree with Knots. In big storms and prolonged cold snaps I prefer having wood handy for the stove without having to venture outside. The girlfriend doesn't like a huge stack in the living room anymore...but she never said anything about the closet...lol

 

[St. Coemgen]

The girlfriend doesn't like a huge stack in the living room anymore...but she never said anything about the closet...lol

You, sir, are brilliant!

 

[begreen]

I agree with Knots. In big storms and prolonged cold snaps I prefer having wood handy for the stove without having to venture outside. The girlfriend doesn't like a huge stack in the living room anymore...but she never said anything about the closet...lol

View attachment 223984

What is that bong thermometer next to the door?

 

[Nigel459]

I agree with Knots. In big storms and prolonged cold snaps I prefer having wood handy for the stove without having to venture outside. The girlfriend doesn't like a huge stack in the living room anymore...but she never said anything about the closet...lol

View attachment 223984

You closet stacker you!

 

[Nigel459]

What is that bong thermometer next to the door?

Maybe a super funky barometer?

https://www.stanleylondon.com/hand-blown-weather-glass-barometer.html

 

[Happy Stacker]

What is that bong thermometer next to the door?

It's a lightning bolt lamp. Who the heck hangs their bong on the wall? I keep mine on the coffee table...lol

 

[Bootstrap]

There's nowhere close to my house that's good to stack wood. So, I'd have to keep a path clear of snow all winter long to get to the stacks. Also, it seems like there's always a couple of weeks of winter where it's an all-out battle to keep snow cleared, rake the roof, keep the vehicles going, and take care of old folks' needs. Not having to drag wood in from the outside sure helps take one task off the plate. There's nothing like getting up at 4 AM when it's -20F out and just walking downstairs and grabbing some wood to fill the stove with.

My wood pile is in two locations.
On location is right next to my garage.
And as we speak the next pile of about 2.5 cords resides on a trailer that I will move right behind the house when needed.

 

[Manly]

We usually have about 3/4 shaft of splits loaded onto the grunion next to the stove. Spiders are the only insects we get on a regular basis, but I think they would be here without the wood. The two Norwegian cats do a good job of herding them around and out. The misses Manly performs live catch and release on them. What a wuss she is.

 

[BobUrban]

I bring 4-5 cord into the unfinished portion of my basement every fall. By about now I am down to about 1/2 cord. If perfect it's empty. Most years I have some hold over, once I had to venture out to the stacks in May. Ugh that winter sucked and so did hauling wood in the winter. Never see bugs, ever.

 

[brenndatomu]

Who the heck hangs their bong on the wall? I keep mine on the coffee table...lol

No wonder he's a "happy stacker"!

 

[Knots]

My wood pile is in two locations.
On location is right next to my garage.
And as we speak the next pile of about 2.5 cords resides on a trailer that I will move right behind the house when needed.

Ah yes - your situation is different than mine and I can't do that. Therefore, I stack wood in the basement and garage in the fall.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

It's a lightning bolt lamp. Who the heck hangs their bong on the wall? I keep mine on the coffee table...lol

Well, it's not legal everywhere yet. It's utter genius to hide it in plain sight like that. Just have to figure out how you got the lightning inside like that...

 

[Mainewoodchucker]

I keep about 5 cords in the basement, not much of a bug problem besides spiders here and there. I am battling an ant colony under the floor in my den by the stove but i dont think wood is the culprit. I put out the bait traps and they eat and eat but it never seems to kill them, i think they like it that im feeding them. Those real small ants, not the big ones.

I have had the best luck getting rid of ants using Terro liquid . I just find the paths they use and place a dime sized puddle on a piece of cardboard in the path . They eat it up and within a week or so I see the amount drop off to a few . Then another week and they are all gone .
Carpenter ants I use specific bait traps . They don't seem to be affected by the Terro like the smaller ants .

Btw , I keep 1/4 to 1/2 cord in my wood stove room . Never seem to have bug issues from it . My ant problem is always located in other parts of the house . Especially near water sources .

 

[savageactor7]

Dry seasoned wood is void of water, a necessity for bug life. I suppose you could bring in a few flys hiding in the bark.