Storing Wood in a Shed

[Vic99]

Ok, here's another question for you guys (you know you love it):

After splitting some wood, I stacked it in an old shed. My thinking is that it is out of the way and it will not get wet. Does this hinder or help the aging process in any significant way?

I am under the impression that seasoning is done to dry the wood, especially to remove the water contained within the xylem as well as the water portion of the sap. My impression is that this takes 6-8 months. I imagine that tree species, size of split, etc. are also minor factors in the seasoning process.

I realize that not long ago there was a debate here about using a tarp to cover wood vs. not . . . . and I do not mean to start that debate again.

Many thanks and Merry Christmas.

 

[jabush]

I would say if it's seasoned and ready to burn then it's fine in an enclosed shed. Plus it will stay dry.
If the wood is green I feel it's best to to split and stack with as much exposure to the sun as possible. I think an enclosed shed would slow the seasoning process.

 

[kd460]

I think air flow is more important than keeping it covered.

If it can be stacked with spaces or gaps in between each split (and I feel split wood dries faster than non split wood of the same size), and if it can be stacked where the sun can shine on it, then you have the best of both worlds. A small tarp on top to prevent the build up of snow or some rain getting on it will help.

Probably not much air flow in your shed if it's totally enclosed. If it's just a 2 or 3 sided shed, then your OK. If it's totally enclosed, then leave the door(s) open. KD

 

[stoveguy2esw]

ive always stored the coming winters wood inside the shed, usuallly in springtime, then rebuild the outside stacks wwith new splits that i wont use that year, that way the wood has the time to season outside, then its put up in the shed to be used that winter.im not using as much wood these days as i have a pellet unit installed as well and either one will heat the house by itself.

 

[elkimmeg]

5 things that have to happen to seson wood
#1 sun exposure
#2 Wind exposure
#3 learning how to stack your wood so that air can filtrate through it
#4 Rotate stock Meaning the top always drys first so restacking or rotating stock gets even results on the bottom layers
#5 Cover the top I usually leave the cover off between May to Sept but If I know a soaker is forcast I will put the cover on

 

[Todd]

I agree with Elk, although rotating your stack can be alot of work. Most important factor is sun and wind exposure. If your shed has no way of obtaining this store it outside til late fall, then throw it in the shed after it's seasoned.

 

[BigV]

For the last 2 burning seasons I have filled one side of my 2 car garage with green splits usually around January or February. The type of wood varies from Oak, Cherry and Maple. I use 2 heavy duty industrial fans blowing in cross direction across the top and middle portions of the tightly stacked splits 24/7. This wood is perfectly seasoned when the burn season begins around October. I believe that air flow is more important than sunlight when it come to seasoning wood. That’s just my opinion based on the experience(s) I have had in my enclosed garage.

 

[hardwood715]

2 heavy duty industrial fans blowing in cross direction across the top and middle portions of the tightly stacked splits 24/7.

Do you have a bigger electric bill by doing this?

Do you lose out on the benefits of savings from the use of wood instead of oil or electric to heat by using the fans 24/7?

I'm asking this because it sounds like a good idea, to help speed the process, but to what costs?

 

[heydan]

I've heard that buying your wood in the winter gives you a head start because the sap is down in the trees. The tree naturally removes a lot of its own moisture in preparation for winter.

I'm planning to try seasoning wood in my garage this year. It's a separate building, not connected to the house. It gets quite hot inside during the summer because of the sun beating down on the roof so that seems like it would be good for drying things out. I just think I'd much rather have my wood under a roof than to have to mess with tarps like I did this year, especially during such a rainy year as this one was.

 

[laynes69]

I have a blower that I removed from a very old furnace quite some time ago. I have considered doing the same thing with keeping the blower on the wood. I do know that a blower on a furnace that is ran constantly will cost roughly 10.00 a month. We see a small increase in our electric bill in the winter because our woodfurnace causes our lp furnaces blower to run almost constant. I think its a good idea.

 

[laynes69]

I have a blower that I removed from a very old furnace quite some time ago. I have considered doing the same thing with keeping the blower on the wood. I do know that a blower on a furnace that is ran constantly will cost roughly 10.00 a month. We see a small increase in our electric bill in the winter because our woodfurnace causes our lp furnaces blower to run almost constant. I think its a good idea. I think the blower I have is appx 1/2 horsepower. I will move a ton of air.

 

[BrotherBart]

For years I took my wood straight from the splitter into a 12 X 24 wood shed/pole barn. It seasoned beautifully with just the airflow and what heat it got from the black roll roofing roof on the structure.

Now the wood shed is so piled up with other crap that the wood stays outside.

 

[Vic99]

Hey great. I have a shed with large windows and electrical outlets . . . . I call it the greenhouse, even though it is not actually a greenhouse, just kind of looks like one. I'll put the wood in there and then turn a fan on it to expedite the drying process . . . .don't know why I didn't think of that before.

My hearthstone homestead should be installed by February 1st.

Merry Christmas!

 

[Andropolis]

According to Dominion East Ohio's website calculator...

a 75 watt fan running 24/7, 6 months out of the year will cost $9.09 per year / $1.52 for each of the 6 months.

a 100 watt device will cost $12.12 for the same amount of usage.

I actually don't know typical fan wattages but I have a little desktop fan here that is 25 watts and I figuire a larger fan would be 3 to 4 times the wattage? I'm no electricial. If you figuire you'd only use the device for about 6 months than these figuires are helpful... if you'd use it year round.. than just double the amounts.

Hope this is helpful. I need help with wood drying tips myself.

 

[jjbaer]

For the last 2 burning seasons I have filled one side of my 2 car garage with green splits usually around January or February. The type of wood varies from Oak, Cherry and Maple. I use 2 heavy duty industrial fans blowing in cross direction across the top and middle portions of the tightly stacked splits 24/7. This wood is perfectly seasoned when the burn season begins around October. I believe that air flow is more important than sunlight when it come to seasoning wood. That’s just my opinion based on the experience(s) I have had in my enclosed garage.

You're wasting a lot of money using those fans....let's assume that each fan pulls only 3 amps (probably more if they're big, industrial ones) and that they're 120volt. That means each fan consumes about 360 watts per hour. For 2 fans, that's 720 watts (0.720 KW) per hour. At ten cents per KW-HR, here's what you use in those 10 months

0.72 KW x 24 hr/day x 30 day/month x 10 months x $0.1/KW-hr = $518

So....you're paying almost $520 over these 10 months just to pay for the electricity to power your fans to season your firewood..........for that same price you can have 2-3 cords of already seasoned wood delivered so why do you go to the trouble of cutting, hauling, stacking AND paying $518 when you could pay the same and have 2-3 cords of already seasoned wood delivered?

 

[jjbaer]

According to Dominion East Ohio's website calculator...

a 75 watt fan running 24/7, 6 months out of the year will cost $9.09 per year / $1.52 for each of the 6 months.

a 100 watt device will cost $12.12 for the same amount of usage.

I actually don't know typical fan wattages but I have a little desktop fan here that is 25 watts and I figuire a larger fan would be 3 to 4 times the wattage? I'm no electricial. If you figuire you'd only use the device for about 6 months than these figuires are helpful... if you'd use it year round.. than just double the amounts.

Hope this is helpful. I need help with wood drying tips myself.

Unless you get power for 2.8 cents per KW-hr, someones fooling you......... here's the calculation for a 75 watt fan running 24 hrs a day for 182 days (6 months) at a low rate of only 9 cents per KW hr


75 watts x KW/1000 watts x 24 hrs/day x 182 days x $0.09/KW-hr = $ 29.56

that is, a 75 watt fan run continuously for 6 months costs almost $30 to operate at 9 cents per KW-hr

Now, take larger fans (he said he had two fans), each fan probably drawing almost 4-5 times the 75 watts in your example and he implied he does it 10 months and you're up to around $520, or $52/month to run these large fans.......

For that price, you can get 2-3 cords of seasoned wood delivered....