Wood in the yard/in the woods

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ChadMc

ChadMc

Burning Hunk
Dec 12, 2019
170
Bucks County PA
Curious if anyone else does this and what the results are. I built a really nice rack in the yard with a roof that perfectly holds 3 cords. I really don’t want anymore in my yard and neither does my wife. However we have woods out back with my stacks of rounds growing by the day. That plan was to have my rack in the yard filled (which it is for next year) and split all my rounds in the woods and neatly stack between trees and that will always be my growing surplus. What I’m worried about is if that stuff back there is going to season ok. Considering that stuff will be in rotation at some point. Anything me else stack in the woods?
 
Nuthin wrong with stackin in the woods. Its obviously not the most ideal for wood to season but it will. Top cover it for sure tho. Some folks say stacking between trees can be detrimental to them but i have never seen any ill effects from it.
 
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I have both, stacks out in the sun and wind, and some stacked in the woods, both rounds and split. The wooded areas are definitely shaded. The stuff in the woods doesn't dry, starts to rot, has mushrooms, both stacks and rounds. Out in the sun puts a halt to that fairly quick.
Grizzerbear said:
Top cover it for sure tho.
Click to expand...
Top covering will help stop the damp and get things moving forward in the right direction.
 
Grizzerbear said:
Aye....i missed that it was left in rounds. Yea i would split them then stacke em.
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They would be split. Split and stacked in the woods. I’m already making a move on splitting the rounds I have in the woods. It’s right behind the house to so I plan on wacking the weeds and everything that grows near it. Also I put some runners down between the tree to get them off the ground
 
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All of my stacks are along the edge of the woods, just off of the yard. Mine only get sun for a few hours per day. I also stack wood under the north side of the deck, which never gets sun. But, it all dries well.

You definitely want to top cover, though, especially if there is not much sun. If you don't, the wood will not dry well.
 
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ChadMc said:
They would be split. Split and stacked in the woods. I’m already making a move on splitting the rounds I have in the woods. It’s right behind the house to so I plan on wacking the weeds and everything that grows near it. Also I put some runners down between the tree to get them off the ground
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In that case i think you will b good. Having the sun helps but it is not nearly as effective as wind unless your trying a solar kiln obviously imho....and even in the woods there is usually a breeze if its windy. Split, stack off ground top cover......you are golden.
 
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Hey Chad, hope all is well. Also hope your new stove is working out, seems like you really have a jump on your wood collecting this year. Thanks to the Neshaminy...hehe. Wind will dry out wood almost as good or even better than sun. So long as you get some breeze in the woods it will dry out. Just figure on those stacks for a 3 year season.

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner, do you have dry wood now to burn or are you still on the marginal side MC wise?
 
My top covered stacks in the woods don't get much sun or wind, they have a slight initial hiss when burning after 1.5-2 years of being split and stacked. I've gone to top covered holz hausens out in the open, it's gotta be better.
 
ChadMc said:
Curious if anyone else does this and what the results are. I built a really nice rack in the yard with a roof that perfectly holds 3 cords. I really don’t want anymore in my yard and neither does my wife. However we have woods out back with my stacks of rounds growing by the day. That plan was to have my rack in the yard filled (which it is for next year) and split all my rounds in the woods and neatly stack between trees and that will always be my growing surplus. What I’m worried about is if that stuff back there is going to season ok. Considering that stuff will be in rotation at some point. Anything me else stack in the woods?
Click to expand...
You will be fine. Like you I used the woods as a bit of an extra storage area. My plan was to rotate it into the woodshed for year before it went into the boiler but laziness won out. Interestingly the wood from the woods is even dryer than that in my woodshed. To another posters point, it gets more wind (almost zero sun). Yes it is dirtier/uglier but burns fine. Rounds is a different issue, that will rot fast.
 
I’m in good shape for next winter. However this winter has been a struggle finding seasoned stuff. Still need to find some to get me through the next month.
spudman99 said:
Hey Chad, hope all is well. Also hope your new stove is working out, seems like you really have a jump on your wood collecting this year. Thanks to the Neshaminy...hehe. Wind will dry out wood almost as good or even better than sun. So long as you get some breeze in the woods it will dry out. Just figure on those stacks for a 3 year season.

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner, do you have dry wood now to burn or are you still on the marginal side MC wise?
Click to expand...
 
I have a lot of my wood single stacked at the edge of the woods and my yard but it gets a lot of wind and a good amount of wind. Plus they are all stacked off the ground and have plenty of space between each stack two to three feet from the next row.
 
A lot of people stack in the woods, probably why a lot of people say you need three years to season wood, its not ideal for quick seasoning but if you don't need it right away go for it. I can fit 13 cords in a windy, sunny spot so I only season a year or two but you have to work with what you got and what makes the wife happy.
 
I just stacked a half cord row of fir and maple in my woods today. It's in a spot where I stack wood every year. I'll move it to the shed in September and start burning it in October.
 
I had no problems with chestnut, red and white oak in the woods double rowed for 3 summers here in western VA. Roofing tin on top.
Didn't hurt the (large) white oak backstop tree, I've seen more damage from squirrels running up the same spot year after year on a WOak tree nearby. I could see smaller trees with a lot of wind movement getting tore up more
 
If you stack between trees and the wind comes up, the trunks can move and either dump the stack, or start working it into an unbalanced state..
 
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