Storing wood on crushed gravel?

[AlaskanRedneck]

Here's a pic of my woodshed. Please nevermind the mess, I am in the process of cleaning out my shed and doing some landscaping.

My shed is 12x8x7 and holds almost 6 cords. I put down 2 inches of 3/4 crushed gravel directly on the ground and then stacked my wood right on top of it, bark down.

80% of my wood is already dry beetle kill Black Spruce and 20% Birch.

Will my wood be ok under the shed on the gravel, or should I put some boards down to stack the wood on for the other side of the shed? I'll have it full next weekend hopefully.

 

[jadm]

I am no expert on wood stacking by any means and I think those that are are asleep at this hour of the morning so I will give you my observations based on what I have done.

Before finding this forum I did stack wood on gravel as it was already in place and the only flat location I had to stack wood on. My assumption was that it would indeed allow moisture to drain and leave a dry place for the splits on the bottom to sit.

When I found this forum I learned the importance of using wood that had been seasoned for at least a year. I learned about covering the tops only and the 'best' ways to stack wood for optimum air circulation.

Most showed stacks that were stacked on pallets or 4X4's or other means of keeping it totally off of the ground.

I had a friend build several wood racks for me and I used 4x4's for the places that racks just wouldn't work.

What I have noticed since getting my wood totally off of the ground - Wood on the bottom of my stacks is usually dry and in good shape when I get down to it.

When stacking on the gravel splits were not in as good of condition. It was clear that they had picked up moisture from the ground and there was not enough air room beneath them to dry things out well.

I am not sure that will happen to you since your wood is in a covered shed. (Mine was stacked out in the open behind our garage.)

You might like to experiment for yourself. Since you already have half on gravel - do the other half on 4x4's or pallets and see what happens.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Is it in a dry well drained place anyway? I heap/stack on gravel and asphalt that is drains fairly well. After a heavy rain or snow, you might have to wait a day or two before you use the stuff on the bottom but I doubt pallets would make a difference.

 

[EJL923]

After all of the trouble of cutting, stacking and building the wood shed, putting down boards is a fast and cheap conclusion.

 

[vvvv]

this happens in worst case scenario= a pile of wood is on the ground & completely covered with a tarp. In the cold winter, the ground is warmer than the top of the pile [under the tarp] & water migrates from warmer bottom to cold top thus rehumidifying the wood. personally, I'd use pallets under the new pile if only to compare the 2 sides after the fact. The air space in the pallets will allow air flow & minimize humid migration from the ground into the pile due to temperature differences

 

[fire_N_ice]

It is best to keep it off the ground I have learned here. What I do is (2) 2X4X4.screw a couple 12" scrap pieces in between(like a ladder) to give stability. I also 2x8x16 cement blocks at base ends to get air under it. every 12 feet or so I will tap in a green stake on the end. This works for me. no shed but this may be an idea as far as getting the wood off the ground.

 

[firefighterjake]

Me . . . I would probably throw down some pallets to just get the wood off the ground . . . but being under cover and already dry I don't think you'll be too bad off.

By the way, where on the Kenai do you live? My sister and brother-in-law live in Portage . . . almost across from Big Game Alaska (I can't remember the name of the new place.)

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I would not go to the trouble to restack what you have in the shed but I would get the next part off the ground.

Just think about it for a minute and you will realize that if there is an air space on the bottom of the stack that will allow for much better air circulation and that is what you need to dry the wood.

I would also dry the wood before putting it tight in the shed like that. It will dry much faster outside....and then move it into the shed.

 

[Gator eye]

I stack all mine on pallets. It makes a nice nesting place for the mice and ground bee's.

 

[quads]

If some of those splits that touch the ground are still wet/heavy when it's time to burn that stack, just toss those splits on top of the following year's stack. All the wood above the bottom splits will be A-OK because they are 'stacked off the ground' anyway, on top of the bottom splits.

 

[maplewood]

If some of those splits that touch the ground are still wet/heavy when it's time to burn that stack, just toss those splits on top of the following year's stack. All the wood above the bottom splits will be A-OK because they are 'stacked off the ground' anyway, on top of the bottom splits.

...I was waiting for Quads to say this, or I would have had to mention it.
I use pallets because I can get them free from a tractor dealer about 300' from my wood piles.
But Quads is right - if you find the bottom pieces too wet, use them the next year.
Happy burning!

 

[Wallyworld]

I store my wood on the ground, who cares if the bottom layer is a bit damp. It will burn no problem

 

[mike1234]

I store my wood on the ground, who cares if the bottom layer is a bit damp. It will burn no problem

Wallyworld - I'm not trying to start anything, but there is gigantic difference between storing it on the ground and getting it off the ground. I have done it both ways, and I can say for sure, airflow under the wood and up through the stack dries wood much faster than having it on the ground where it wicks watter up through the whole stack.

Just give it a try, I think you will see a real difference.

 

[fossil]

I have lots of wood stacked on gravel. No problem. But then, I live in a dry high desert climate, and the gravel drains well. So much depends on your specific local conditions, in terms of precipitation and drainage. Back when I lived in Northern Virginia, I couldn't have stored wood the way I do out here in Oregon, because of all the rain and the clay soil...everything had to be well up off the ground. The surface water (runoff) back there went horizontally...out here, it just goes down. Rick

ETA: That said, what I'm talking about above is wood I have seasoning out in the open. All the wood I intend to burn during the upcoming season is either in the shed (well off the ground, like a deck) or stacked on concrete and all under roof.

 

[Wallyworld]

I store my wood on the ground, who cares if the bottom layer is a bit damp. It will burn no problem

Wallyworld - I'm not trying to start anything, but there is gigantic difference between storing it on the ground and getting it off the ground. I have done it both ways, and I can say for sure, airflow under the wood and up through the stack dries wood much faster than having it on the ground where it wicks watter up through the whole stack.

Just give it a try, I think you will see a real difference.

The bottom layer might be damp from wicking but if you have a roof over it I can't see it causing much of an issue. Gravel doesn't hold water very well. I can see getting it off the ground if out in the open or on your lawn, but covered in a shed and on gravel, I wouldn't get too excited over raising it up

 

[savageactor7]

Will my wood be ok under the shed on the gravel

AlaskanRedneck After my wife turned her ankle on a pallet so bad the Dr said it was worse than a break we went to piling on #1 stone. She loved that worked great for 10+ years. Now 15 years later I'm using a harder gravel mix that's not as very good as washed stone but still does the job and is more friendly to wheel veh traffic...like a CUT or wheelbarrow.

Occasionally when you get to the bottom you'll come on a split or 2 that is wet. We'll just throw it back on the top and in a few days it disappears into the well seasoned woodpile. Rake it in the Spring just like new I'd have to say we have less varmints around too.

ONLY our hardwood goes on the gravel I still use pallets for soft wood for shoulder season. Mostly Poplar...your aspen, willow and lots of dried wet scumbag wood I can't ID but when it's elevated it drys fast burns well enough for shoulder season...plus it's housekeeping your wood lot. Nice sheds btw.

 

[quads]

Wallyworld - I'm not trying to start anything, but there is gigantic difference between storing it on the ground and getting it off the ground. I have done it both ways, and I can say for sure, airflow under the wood and up through the stack dries wood much faster than having it on the ground where it wicks watter up through the whole stack.

Just give it a try, I think you will see a real difference.

In my decades of giving it a try with oak, it does not wick water up through the whole stack from the ground. Oak firewood is not like a sponge. Even the topside of the those splits in direct contact with the ground are usually dry-ish.

The bottom row of splits in the stack (those that are directly touching the ground) are sometimes heavy/wet, but from there on up the rest are golden. Other types of wood? I don't know. Your results may vary, do what you want, but this has been my observation. It certainly can't hurt anything to stack your wood on pallets etc., if you have the means and the configuration of stacks to do so, but stacking the bottom layer of oak splits directly on the ground/crushed gravel is certainly not a death sentence for the whole stack.

 

[Spikem]

I would not go to the trouble to restack what you have in the shed but I would get the next part off the ground.

Just think about it for a minute and you will realize that if there is an air space on the bottom of the stack that will allow for much better air circulation and that is what you need to dry the wood.

I would also dry the wood before putting it tight in the shed like that. It will dry much faster outside....and then move it into the shed.

This is what I would have said also.