Will this season properly?

[drewmo]

This is next year's wood. It's been stacked since the spring of this year. I'm wondering if it will season properly as is, or should I move it away from the house and not stack so tightly? It gets some afternoon sun, especially in the summer, but not much this time of year. Because of space limitations, I had to stack tightly (it's on 9 pallets). Not sure how much air is moving through the pile. I could move it to where this year's wood was, but that's a lot of work!

edit: forgot to mention it's mostly norway maple.

 

[NordicSplitter]

Does that part of the house get alot of wind? That with a good amount of sun should season that well enough for next season.

 

[paul bunion]

The single biggest problem that I see is that it appears that your stack is against the house and your gutterless roof is dumping water on it. Kind of self defeating to have your roof pouring rain water onto what you are trying to dry.

 

[maple1]

No.

 

[drewmo]

The single biggest problem that I see is that it appears that your stack is against the house and your gutterless roof is dumping water on it. Kind of self defeating to have your roof pouring rain water onto what you are trying to dry.

Never crossed my mind to look to the roof.

I'm very much inclined to re-stack, but would like to avoid it if at all possible. I'm still moving this year's wood into the basement.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Move the 3 ft by the house and put on a gutter and you will be fine.

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

I stack mine tight like that, was me i'd cover it tho. Yours will probably end up on the ground, it isnt stacked or supported very well.

 

[weatherguy]

Leave it and top cover

 

[maple1]

Can't really tell from the pic - how deep is that? Think I see 5 rows anyway? The stuff that's buried doesn't stand a chance - no space for air movement anywhere (except across the face of the pile facing the camera), and getting dumped on with big water whenever it rains (is that a second taller roof running onto this one in the back?). You'd be lucky if some serious rot doesn't get happening under there - and around the bottom of your house wall.

 

[Woody Stover]

Not sure how quick Norway dries....hopefully quicker than hard Maple. Top-cover for sure. It wouldn't be as much work to dig the center out and move it elsewhere, leaving two smaller heaps that the wind could get to better...

 

[Clyde S. Dale]

Not sure how quick Norway dries....hopefully quicker than hard Maple. Top-cover for sure. It wouldn't be as much work to dig the center out and move it elsewhere, leaving two smaller heaps that the wind could get to better...

I consider Norway to be hard maple along with Sugar maple. Soft would be red and silver. IME Norway will dry in 1 year if stacked properly but is better if you let it go 2 years.

I vote move

 

[Applesister]

I totally sympathize with not doing the extra work. But you are dealing with the roof drip edge/overhang and your foundation to your house.
Top covering might have been a solution when you first stacked it.
You need to move this pile before you finish your basement wood.
Norway maple is very much similar to sugar maple and great firewood, top shelf actually. Dont waste it and let it all rot. Maple rots quick. Bugs and fungus love it.
Just suck it up and do it. And trust me I know how painful it is to even think about restacking.
Take the stuff in contact with the house first and move it in reverse. I call it reverse osmosis. An unrelated science term for fixing a screwup.

 

[lindnova]

Gotta stop the water from dripping on it from the roof. Either move it, install gutters or cover it - well enough that the water will run off and not behind the pile. The wood in the back will never dry very well no matter what.

 

[Paulywalnut]

The stack is sitting on an incline. As it dries, it shrinks and moves a bit. It could topple over. I know from experience.
Put some poles at the ends of the stack to hold it up.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

You can move the entire collection a little at a time and be done in no time. Single rows is the way to go, never stack directly against a house. Norway maple can be ready in a year if done right....

 

[mstoelton]

Unless there is some sort of unusual circumstance only the wood very close to the house will get wet from rain coming off the roof. The rest should season normally, but needs some room to "breath". Top cover if planning to use within a year.

 

[drewmo]

OK, I'll get her moved. That's 9 pallets (3x3) worth of wood I'd rather not see wasted that I cut and split from a couple trees I had taken down this spring. I was careful not to stack directly against the house. A few have shifted, tho. What I've found interesting here is that some here are OK with tightly stacked wood, others no so much.

Who wants to join me for a re-stacking party*?

*pizza and beer included

 

[Sprinter]

I'm voting to move it if you have the space. It just looks pretty tight and not much ventilation. Then put a top cover over it for rain but leave the rest open to the breeze.

I have heard, though, that Norway Maple seasons relatively well. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/how-well-does-norway-maple-burn.55127/ but only if it can be kept dry. Also I think I see some branches that haven't been split. Covered with bark, they will take longer to season.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

OK, I'll get her moved. That's 9 pallets (3x3) worth of wood I'd rather not see wasted that I cut and split from a couple trees I had taken down this spring. I was careful not to stack directly against the house. A few have shifted, tho. What I've found interesting here is that some here are OK with tightly stacked wood, others no so much.

Who wants to join me for a re-stacking party*?

*pizza and beer included

Ha, wish I could, I'm too busy, but I love pizza with hot peppers and beer, but thanks for the invite.....have fun.....

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I would restack it on GP. . . .

 

[NewStoveGuy]

I think you're going to have to restack that before next year anyway given some of the lean there. Might as well do it now...

>

 

[maple1]

Even if you just threw it all into a heap away from the house until spring, then restacked it then, you would be much better ahead. The stuff on the bottom should then end up on the top of the heap & get a chance to dry out some. The main thing I would be worried about now though is the house, and not the wood.

 

[Hills Hoard]

I agree, I would re stack properly. Longer rows will get more air circulation too. With that much wood I would call that a 4 beer job, or a few hours work. Either way, well worth doing.

 

[drewmo]

Thanks for all replies. I've begun the re-stacking process. Got to the back three rows against the house. Re-stacked most of it properly where this year's wood lived. Piled the rest loosely on top of the remaining pile. The back two rows were quite wet, so I'm glad I got to it when I did. Not sure how much drying that wood got this year. Hoping it'll be ready for next. Plan is to move the rest of the pile before the snow sticks. I think I'll need to invoke eminent domain and claim more of the wife's garden for wood stacking.

I agree, I would re stack properly. Longer rows will get more air circulation too. With that much wood I would call that a 4 beer job, or a few hours work. Either way, well worth doing.

Only 4? You either work fast or your beers are huge!

 

[jillybeansisme]

Good job at getting that much done; however, I would strongly suggest to you that you rethink your eminent domain theory of taking your wife's garden space. Remember, a happy wife is a happy life and you might argue that the wood keeps her warm . . . but what about that cold shoulder you'll get if her garden space is gone?

Stack your wood one row higher if you have to, but leave the garden space alone (just my female opinion).