Drying Firewood

[Short Game]

I do know that when I stacked wood 3 deep, the middle row was hardly dry even after 2 years. In this case, I guess it didn't matter a wit if that middle row was stacked bark side up or down.

In the wet country I live in, this matches my experience.

Also, I'd have to say that the bark side up for uncovered wood seems to work well. This includes wood that comes from rounds large enough that the segments are split the other way and so, have no bark. I stack them so the rings are arching toward the top side, and this seems to work the same as if it had the bark on.

When I stack out in the open, I never do three ricks wide, as the middle one definitely holds moisture. For my two-wide ricks, I prefer to run them north/south so each side gets some sun, when there is some, that is.

One side of my shed has three 12 foot rows of buzz-sawed limb wood and the other has 5 rows of split trunk wood, stacked about seven feet tall. I use it up one row at a time, so if the inner rows in the shed are holding any moisture, by the time one row is used, the next has had plenty of time to catch up on drying.

We had a good hard frost last night (still freezing out now). I find that sub-freezing temperatures are great for pulling moisture from the wood, including those inner rows.

 

[bigbull338]

a pickup bed brimming full of wood is usually considered 1/2 cord.so it takes 2 loads to make a full cord of wood.yall wouldnt like me because we burn 20 to 22in wood,not the 16in stuff.

 

[scott_vt]

The method you use to prevent moisture entering the wood also acts as a deterrent for moisture to escape the wood. This is the reason they say to stack wood bark down. Anyway, that is the general consensus of those who measure such things. Do not know if this premise is data driven or old folklore and I haven't done any personal experiments with the oak and maple I burn every year. As capillaries are exposed at the end of the wood and the split surface itself, I would think most wood dries from its ends coupled with capillaries exposed at the split so I am not sure about the wood stacked further down in the pile as opposed to the wood at the top and exposed to the sun and wind. I do know that when I stacked wood 3 deep, the middle row was hardly dry even after 2 years. In this case, I guess it didn't matter a wit if that middle row was stacked bark side up or down.

Good Afternoon Lou,
I have to agree 100 % , I also burn mostly oak and maple with some others thrown in occassionally, and have the seen same thing in all my years of burning...

Most drying is occuring from the ends, other variables on drying time is crossection of the wood being split and the length..

As one astute poster did mention earlier in the thread, temp and airflow can help aid in quicker drying...

 

[CRThomas]

a pickup bed brimming full of wood is usually considered 1/2 cord.so it takes 2 loads to make a full cord of wood.yall wouldnt like me because we burn 20 to 22in wood,not the 16in stuff.

When we deliver a rank or a Rick a 4 x 8 x 16 inchs we load from the stack to a holder it is 4 x 8 x 16 inchs and dumped in the pickup bed. If you arrive at a customers house and the boys in green with the yellow badges are there you better have a 1/3 of a cord or $2000.00 fine and maybe time. And the type of wood you said you were delivering.

 

[Short Game]

I put a cord and a quarter of green alder in a '60 GMC 3/4 ton once. The springs were way past maxed. Sure glad I didn't have to go far with it.

 

[dnels0n]

What happened to my post?
Ah well.
I probably overdo it, but I cut ahead, and when this winter is over I move some into the barn for ~7 month of indoor drying time. It is extra work but the stuff is nearly match-lightable.

We had a lot of red oak die from drought stress this year so I am a bit ahead on firewood. I probably should sell some.

Note that I keep the stacks covered(mostly with old tin) to keep trash and moisture out. There are 6 stacks visible there and one hidden behind the blue tarp and this years wood is in the barn.

 

[turnkey4099]

Probabally meant either rick or rack?? I think both are 1/3 of a cord. Which is "typically" the same as a face cord. A SINGLE stack of wood 4' x 8' (and usually 16" long peices)

And I have had a few "normal" trucks that would BOTH haul a FULL cord



I too have always heard bark side down for wood out in the elements.

There is no standard definitionof a "rick" "rank" "rack" "face cord", etc. since none of them contain the 3 required dimensions to have a known volume. Those are all regional and should have died out a 100 years ago.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

When we deliver a rank or a Rick a 4 x 8 x 16 inchs we load from the stack to a holder it is 4 x 8 x 16 inchs and dumped in the pickup bed. If you arrive at a customers house and the boys in green with the yellow badges are there you better have a 1/3 of a cord or $2000.00 fine and maybe time. And the type of wood you said you were delivering.

Unfortunately enforcement of the firewood regulations is way more observed by its absence. Usually only when a customer complains and maybe not even then. I would think it would be simple for an inspector to just read the "firewood for sale" column and start making house calls. Rick, rank, rack, load, face cords would disappear in short order.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

I put a cord and a quarter of green alder in a '60 GMC 3/4 ton once. The springs were way past maxed. Sure glad I didn't have to go far with it.

Up till last year I was delivering 3/4 cord plus loads on a 1/2 ton PU with high quality tires. Catch there is that the wood was very thoroughly seasoned dry Willow. Almost had to tie it down to keep it from floating off. I had a customer that really liked willow and was paying $120/cord.

Yes the pickup had cab high racks and contained 2 ricks crosswise, one in the front and one in the rear as a tailgate -rest loose thrown. It was measured 'in the stack' before loading so I know the 3/4 plus is accurate.

Harry K

 

[Gobblin Tom]

I started out this year with some wood that I had split last year, in that note I stack my wood next to the wood furnace and before you know it the stuff will light up with just a torch... It also helps to have the dehumidifier going.... I don't know if my wood would ever reach 20% my dehumidifier reads around 35% this time of the year...