Firewood Stacking - Freestyle vs. Neat

[tc35dforme]

Maybe I should post this a CountryByNet, but lets try here first….

Let me start by saying I’m not a wood burner. I do burn fires in the fireplace, but I don’t heat with wood nor do I plan too. My reasons…too much mess, and with radiant floor heating, the woodstove’s convective and radiant heat really messes up the performance of the floor system….

I have what’s rapidly becoming a lifetime supply of firewood since all of my ash trees are dying ( some blight / disease supposedly related to acid rain ?? ).

I have split the first tree and ended up with about 2 cord of really nice hardwood. I’ll be burning more fires in the fireplace next season, but now I need to stack it. It will be away from the house ( I hate ants !! ) and will be shuttled to the house in loads by the tractor in a custom pallet mounted woodbox.

My question. Most wood I’ve stored has been in the nice stacks with all the pieces laid up pretty. How much negative effect will I see if I just bee-hive mound the stuff and then pick off a load at a time as needed ? Should I tarp it ( ?? trapping moisture under the tarp) or just go air dry and air ventilated.

All in all, I have about 9 – 10 trees going down. The one I just dealt with is a small one. Some are probably 48” at stand 70’. I’m sure a lot will go to friends and family.

Thoughts ???

 

[turnkey4099]

I burn about 5 cord a year. I cut a year or two ahead and stack that to dry, current year is then moved undercover. I now have about 3 yrs reserve stacked with 1/2 of next winters already under cover.
For the amount You are talking, you will wind up with many stacks or beehives no matter how you do it. If you stack it more than about 4 ricks deep, it won't dry well, nor will it dry well if the beehives are too big.
Cover?? I don't but then our only moisture to speak of comes from November - March and not all that much. It will dry better uncovered if it is not constantly wet by weather.

Harry K

 

[JJT]

Is that 48" around or in diameter? Make sure you aren't cutting up some nice saw logs into firewood....

 

[nobull1]

One of the many things I do is sell firewood about 100 cords a year.In the past I used to pile in rows for the summer than throw on my truck and deliver in the fall.I have found that piled in a "beehive" seems to work just fine so long as you get a dry summer.But there is a problem you have to move the wood around with a tractor to help it dry /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif,you really don't have to but it helps.When we deliver in the fall our customers pile in rows and tarp the top and down the sides about 18".What this does is allows the wood to continue to dry but does not let most of the rain get absorbed into the wood.Of course all this depends on where your wood will be piled,"drainage" and very important relationship to the sun,southern exposure is needed or you can get poor results.I also right now sell wood to customers that is outside uncovered cut and split 3 months ago, cut in 8' a year ago.This is not what I would consider my best wood but it is being burned without a problem.Maybe some of this can be applied to your application.

 

[shoppintractors]

<font color="blue"> I have what’s rapidly becoming a lifetime supply of firewood since all of my ash trees are dying ( some blight / disease supposedly related to acid rain ?? ).
</font>
Could you have the "Emerald Ash Borer"? Their killing ash trees all over southeast MI.

Read About This Bug

Don

 

[tc35dforme]

Nope...not that dumb /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif.

Most of the trees are multi-leader breaking off 6'-8' above the ground. They're mostly pretty bent up and don't offer a lot of good straight lengths.

One of these trees has 7 leaders each about 12"- 16" across.
Felling them is always an adventure !!

 

[jimg]

The purpose of stacking is to get air circulating around the wood so itll dry. Thats not possible exc for the outside pieces in a heap. Youll get more heat out of dry wood. However, if youre just burning wood for mostly visual effect in a fireplace then Id say it doesnt matter too much. Just make sure you get the chimney swept each yr. I think too stacked wood takes up less space and looks neater...if that matters to you.