Vertical air space in wood stack

[GordonShumway]

This is the first year that I am stacking wood. I am looking for the fastest way to speed up drying time. I have a few cords cut so far, but it's looking like I will be burning some not so seasoned wood this year. I am going to be hunting for free pallets to stack the wood on. My question is, have any of you ever put a wall of pallets vertically between each row to provide an air space between the rows (meaning pallets on their side, so that the gap for the forks runs horizontal, allowing for air)? Would this design make much of a difference in drying time?

 

[SolarAndWood]

More space is good. If you want to speed things up, leave a lot more than a pallet in between your rows.

 

[xman23]

We all have our own preferred stacking methods for drying. Most involve the stack exposed to the sun and wind. When I have wet dead punkey logs I stack in a criss cross box stack, cover the top to keep the rain water off, and bake in the sun. They dry quickly. My normal stack is 2 rows of 18 inch splits. About 8 inches between the rows. As I stack I will tie the two rows together with an occasional long split stringer droped in the middle. That's creates the air gap between the rows and the stability for the rows. I assume you want to put a pallet between the rows, which I don't think you need.

Tom

 

[GordonShumway]

I wouldn't have thought of just tying the rows together with longer splits every once and a while. Thanks for the tip.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

If you cross stack (which is a good technique to know for the end of rows to hold the wood in place) you will get tremendous airflow. You will not stack as much on a pallet but it is good for your first year. Basically you lay the wood out in a tic tac toe pattern or a lb sign # is as quick as I can do with the keyboard. Look at Backwoods Savage stacks and you will see it in a hurry. Here is a picture of my first year with a Holz Hausen on the right and cross stacks on the left for fast drying.

 

[GordonShumway]

Thanks G&WN;, I was just out trying the criss cross stacking method. Is it just me or does that take some practice to get it to work right? I only have problems when it comes to the twisted gnarly stuff. The stack wobbles a lot. Will keep playing with it to see if I can get it to work. I do like the criss cross pattern for the ends I have been using t-post, but ran out. This saves me a trip to the farm store.

 

[GordonShumway]

I forgot to ask, how many cords of wood does that Holz Hausen hold in your pic. Thats a neat idea. I ran across this tree design, and think that is fairly decorative also.

 

[wannabegreener]

I forgot to ask, how many cords of wood does that Holz Hausen hold in your pic. Thats a neat idea. I ran across this tree design, and think that is fairly decorative also.

That's a great picture/stack of wood. I don't think I would want to take it apart to burn. Not that any of my neighbors complained about my wood stacks, but if the stacks looked like that, how could anyone complain.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

This is the first year that I am stacking wood. I am looking for the fastest way to speed up drying time. I have a few cords cut so far, but it's looking like I will be burning some not so seasoned wood this year. I am going to be hunting for free pallets to stack the wood on. My question is, have any of you ever put a wall of pallets vertically between each row to provide an air space between the rows (meaning pallets on their side, so that the gap for the forks runs horizontal, allowing for air)? Would this design make much of a difference in drying time?

Yes.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

Thanks G&WN;, I was just out trying the criss cross stacking method. Is it just me or does that take some practice to get it to work right? I only have problems when it comes to the twisted gnarly stuff. The stack wobbles a lot. Will keep playing with it to see if I can get it to work. I do like the criss cross pattern for the ends I have been using t-post, but ran out. This saves me a trip to the farm store.

Yes I have seen that picture of the tree wood stack many times, it was an art project for someone. With the cross stacking I have found on the ends that I make sure they do not lean out (away from the stacks) at all. It is Ok to lean inwards. It is best done with square, or evenly cut pieces. I usually just use this method on the ends of a pallet and stack normally in between, but it is a great method of getting airflow. That monster Holtz Hausen was a 10 foot diameter one about 8 feet high and probably held about 5 cords. I have torn it down and built some 4 pallet ones that only hold about 2 cords. I do miss the big boy it, it was a great conversation piece.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Rather than stacking with a pallet between the rows, how about stacking so that you can walk between the rows; and walk normally, not sideways. Air flow means lots of air space.

Criss cross stacking is no harder than regular stacking.


EDIT: I'll start a new thread showing some cross stacking.