This is why you cover your stacks

[blacktail]

And do it properly.
This is western hemlock I CSS'd in March. I cut it at about 13" for N-S loading in my insert and was able to stack it two rows deep in this rack. Because the stacks of shorter wood can be a little unstable, I did one row down the middle on the top few layers to help hold things together. I knew the front row stuck out about an inch past the cover but I did it anyway.
This split was inside a good 10 hours before I resplit and checked it.

 

[CheapBassTurd]

Thank you!
Tells me all I need to know..........

CheapAndLearning.

 

[Marshy]

This doesn't tell me much IMO other than its not dry enough overall and one end dried better than the other. I assume you are showing us a piece that was overhung and exposed to the elements hence its wet on the one end but did you keep track of which end is which? How does that piece compare to a piece that was in the top row fully covered and also how does it compare to a piece in the back row that was fully covered?

What if you find out the end that was overhung was the dryer end? Maybe sun exposure dried it better than the end inside the pile... Valid points?

 

[maple1]

I would guess the drier end is the one on the outside of the pile.

 

[mustash29]

Click bait.

I was expecting to see a stack covered in 3 feet of snow & ice.

 

[Chimney Smoke]

Click bait.

I was expecting to see a stack covered in 3 feet of snow & ice.

That's what mine look like after the 20 inches of wet snow I got last night....

 

[Old puffer]

Cut it in half and burn the dry end.

 

[Dobish]

but they are covered!

with snow!

 

[CheapBassTurd]

This doesn't tell me much IMO other than its not dry enough overall and one end dried better than the other. I assume you are showing us a piece that was overhung and exposed to the elements hence its wet on the one end but did you keep track of which end is which? How does that piece compare to a piece that was in the top row fully covered and also how does it compare to a piece in the back row that was fully covered?

What if you find out the end that was overhung was the dryer end? Maybe sun exposure dried it better than the end inside the pile... Valid points?

Those could indeed be valid points but I'm going with the obvious.
The obvious part being that a metal roof is going to absorb sunlight and radiate as heat energy
drying the wood about the same as direct sunshine. The difference being it won't be rewet every
time there's a rain or slushy snow situation.

A good comparison would be a side by side test with a split from the back row as you mentioned.

In Blacktails defense, I'm guessing he's smart enough to keep track of which end faced out.
This group tends to look out for each other's safety, and we do our best to help one another out.
There's a good sense of comaradarie here and a common bond. What I've learned here has
quite possibly saved our lives concerning chimney safety, and I've added only the arenas
I'm educated in which is metallurgical (heat transfer) properties and fluid dynamics (air flow properties)
as gasses and fluids flow with very similar properties. That all came from 17 years in a foundry as
senior lab technician but I help wherever possible.

What if you joined this site only a day ago and are already looking to poke at peoples intelligence? Valid point?

Welcome to the site, and please see us for what we really are. An online family.
The gang cut me apart too before learning that my junk stove with a bad rep got completely rebuilt
and sealed, lined, and extra bricks added. They saw that safety was more important than just "cheap" heat. Then
they adopted me like a lost puppy and have been training me ever since. That's what we're about here @ Hearth.
CheapMark

 

[Marshy]

Those could indeed be valid points but I'm going with the obvious.
The obvious part being that a metal roof is going to absorb sunlight and radiate as heat energy
drying the wood about the same as direct sunshine. The difference being it won't be rewet every
time there's a rain or slushy snow situation.

A good comparison would be a side by side test with a split from the back row as you mentioned.

In Blacktails defense, I'm guessing he's smart enough to keep track of which end faced out.
This group tends to look out for each other's safety, and we do our best to help one another out.
There's a good sense of comaradarie here and a common bond. What I've learned here has
quite possibly saved our lives concerning chimney safety, and I've added only the arenas
I'm educated in which is metallurgical (heat transfer) properties and fluid dynamics (air flow properties)
as gasses and fluids flow with very similar properties. That all came from 17 years in a foundry as
senior lab technician but I help wherever possible.

What if you joined this site only a day ago and are already looking to poke at peoples intelligence? Valid point?

Welcome to the site, and please see us for what we really are. An online family.
The gang cut me apart too before learning that my junk stove with a bad rep got completely rebuilt
and sealed, lined, and extra bricks added. They saw that safety was more important than just "cheap" heat. Then
they adopted me like a lost puppy and have been training me ever since. That's what we're about here @ Hearth.
CheapMark

I appreciate the welcoming, I hope you don't think I was being disrespectful. You have all valid points however, I felt the OP left a lot to be inferred from the way he wrote his post and I was merely seeking more information and challenging assumptions being made. I don't assume things, that's who I am and I work in a field that doesn't tolerate it without clearly documenting it. The sun plays a significant roll in seasoning wood and I could assume that the overhung ends face south and therefore gets more chance to dry then the row behind it or the ends in the middle. Someone who has little or no knowledge in the curing of wood might not get anything useful out of he way the post was written. Stating a clear conclusion it always best. Regards.

 

[blacktail]

I would guess the drier end is the one on the outside of the pile.

Nope. Even after sitting inside all day the wet end is slightly discolored in the pics.
We had something like 25 days of rain in October alone, so fall was pretty damp around here.

 

[coaly]

After storms or rain blows in, this is the last step before the firebox;

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

And do it properly.
This is western hemlock I CSS'd in March. I cut it at about 13" for N-S loading in my insert and was able to stack it two rows deep in this rack. Because the stacks of shorter wood can be a little unstable, I did one row down the middle on the top few layers to help hold things together. I knew the front row stuck out about an inch past the cover but I did it anyway.
This split was inside a good 10 hours before I resplit and checked it.
View attachment 191528
View attachment 191529
View attachment 191530
View attachment 191531

I'm with you, blacktail. Whoever thinks that uncovered is better, does not live in my neck of the woods. I go to some lengths to cover when wet is forecast, and uncover when three or more days of sun and wind are called for. Laborious, but necessary for best results. A glass roofed, open sided woodshed would be the best solution, but until then... .

 

[Marshy]

My wood sits outside uncovered the whole time its seasoning (2 seasons). NY gets less rain than WA. Then in July/Aug before my heating season the wood gets move up to the house and restacked and covered before the fall ran season. Before it goes into the stove it sits in the basement next to the stove for at least 4 days. I should have asked Santa for a moisture meter.

 

[Hasufel]

I've been doing my own drying tests and found that, around here at least, uncovered wood outdoors retains a lot more moisture than covered, even during dry spells and despite the fact that the uncovered wood gets direct sunlight and wind. Strangely enough the uncovered wood looks a lot more weathered ("seasoned") even though it isn't nearly as dry as the more pristine protected pieces. I understood immediately what @blacktail was getting at because it matches my own experience, although I'm surprised to see so much variation in a single split.

That said, I still keep my stacks uncovered unless I'm planning to burn them within the year. But I don't live in a rain forest.

 

[CheapBassTurd]

I learned a piece, and no disrespect intended, Marshy.
We just have each other's backs. Yours too.

 

[bholler]

My wood sits outside uncovered the whole time its seasoning (2 seasons).

Yes but I get my wood below 20% in one year covered and stacked single rows. If I left it uncovered I would not be able to do that. The sun argument doesnt really hold up because the sun would only be hitting the top row anyway. Airflow is much more important and when properly top covered that is not affected at all

 

[Marshy]

Yes but I get my wood below 20% in one year covered and stacked single rows. If I left it uncovered I would not be able to do that. The sun argument doesnt really hold up because the sun would only be hitting the top row anyway. Airflow is much more important and when properly top covered that is not affected at all

The sun shines on the entire side of my southern facing stack, not just the top row... Im not arguing whats important to drying wood, just the fact that it wasn't clear which end was which when he tested it in the fist post. Another member guessed the overhung end was dryer and I thought it might have been possible too but wasn't sure. That's all.
BTW, I've piled my cut/split wood on pallets and left them inside my pole barn one year before I got 2 seasons ahead and it was perfectly dry in 10 months time, no sun.

 

[Bad LP]

Drying wood is effected by multiple factors. There really is no single best way however when you add good natural airflow, open sided wood shed, well off the ground, sunny exposure, a good roof and time it should have positive results.

 

[bholler]

The sun shines on the entire side of my southern facing stack, not just the top row...

Yes that can be true also but top covering would not affect that. But there are many factors that go into drying wood as badlp said. But to me the most important ones are airflow and keeping it dry. Yes when it gets rained on it is just surface moisture which will dry fairly quickly. But while that surface moisture is evaporating you are not loosing any internal moisture so you are loosing drying time. I am really not trying to argue just pointing out what I have found works best in this climate.

 

[blacktail]

My hunch is that hemlock soaks up water more than most species too.

 

[Tar12]

I use a semi grain truck tarp to cover my wood.It is very dry and dosent attract or retain moister. Wonderful way to cover your wood!

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

My hunch is that hemlock soaks up water more than most species too

For me this is the real crux of this thread. I cover all my stuff as it dries faster that way for me. I've noticed though that softer woods absorb more moisture than the denser ones that get a little wet on their end in the woodshed. Been having some really dry cherry sizzle on the end for a minute, but the oak and ash don't, even though all had some rain wet the ends. so I'd say wood density plays the biggest role (as always) in wood drying and then staying dry. Gonna make sure my softer stuff is well protected.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Folks in the north east have likely been able to get away with leaving wood uncovered due to the drought in the last two years. Most times would be better to top cover. I have found this especially true with pine, so presumably most softwoods would need top covering.

 

[eastcoastcanada]

I've been evesdroping here and I'd like to chime in because I just finished cutting wood for my 2017/2018 heating season. This will be my first wood burning season and by next year I hope to be two seasons ahead with my firewood. The wood species are black spruce, fir and juniper and it's cut around 18" long. We have rain, snow and frequent strong winds and yet I've never seen anyone here cover their firewood. I'm told to leave uncovered, leave a foot or two between rows for circulation and give it as much sun as possible. Protecting it from rain and snow makes sense to me but I've been told it will slow seasoning in my location and so I listened to the more experienced people.
I am confused with another matter however. I wanted to split my larger diameter wood before stacking to help it season with the smaller diameter wood but was told to split after it dries because it's easier that way. To be quite honest, I believe it's better split to help it dry.
I purchased a very cheap 5T log splitter and tried it on the most knotted, twisted piece of wood I had I and it didn't seem to labour at all. Now I'm feeling I just should have split it anyway.