Stacking Semi-wet Wood in Wood Shed

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So I usually wait until mid-Spring to buck-up and split firewood for the next winter. This usually works out because the trees I buck-up were downed the previous summer. Anyway, I got a great opportunity to go out and get a little over a cord of Maple & Birch 2 weekends ago that were downed in June / July. The couple needed it off their property so I obviously took the wood!

I have already started to split the wood and noticed that a lot of it is dry to the touch and when splitting some of the smaller rounds I found that they were close to being ready to burn. I have a large lean-to that is completely full (about 2 cords) and a wood-shed with openings on both ends. Would it be recommended to go ahead and stack the wood I got recently in the wood shed? I would imagine that it would still be ready to burn by mid-December 2007.

The reason I ask is that I've heard and read conflicting advice on the topic. Some would suggest to leave it out in the elements (i.e. sun / wind) until the moisture content is brought down while others see no problem with storing green wood in a shed.

 

[Jimfound]

If it were me, being winter and all, I would go ahead and stack it in the shed. When it snows or rains on your wood in winter, it doesn't have the same seasoning effect as in the summer, because the cold keeps the wood from drying out very quickly, as it does in the summer. Good score on the maple and birch.

 

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Thanks Jim. I figured it would be ok but thought I would ask the experts!

I'll leave it split in a pile in the driveway until Sunday. The weather the past 3 days has been mid 30's and sunny and is supposed to stay like that through the weekend. Sunday is work day!

 

[Jimfound]

I am by no means an expert (if there is such a thing)...thats just what I would do.

 

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Let me rephrase that:

"I figured I would get a second opinion."

 

[Jimfound]

ahaha...sounds good.

 

[chowdozer]

So I usually wait until mid-Spring to buck-up and split firewood for the next winter. This usually works out because the trees I buck-up were downed the previous summer. Anyway, I got a great opportunity to go out and get a little over a cord of Maple & Birch 2 weekends ago that were downed in June / July. The couple needed it off their property so I obviously took the wood!

I have already started to split the wood and noticed that a lot of it is dry to the touch and when splitting some of the smaller rounds I found that they were close to being ready to burn. I have a large lean-to that is completely full (about 2 cords) and a wood-shed with openings on both ends. Would it be recommended to go ahead and stack the wood I got recently in the wood shed? I would imagine that it would still be ready to burn by mid-December 2007.

The reason I ask is that I've heard and read conflicting advice on the topic. Some would suggest to leave it out in the elements (i.e. sun / wind) until the moisture content is brought down while others see no problem with storing green wood in a shed.

Stack it in the woodshed. Cold weather can dry wood just as good as warm weather. It's all dependent on the humidity. In freezing weather, humidity is low and the wood will dry nicely.

 

[Logjam]

Store it in the shed

With Maple and Birch, It will be plenty dry for next burning season.
Good Luck

 

[livewire]

Rotate

I don't know how dry your wood is in the lean-to but if it's RTB I'd rotate that to the shed FIRST. Keep in mind, it might "feel" dry to the touch but it may not be, on top of that it's more dense so it will take longer to dry up adequately.

I tried to burn some maple I thought should've been dry enough (by all outward appearances, it was) but when I threw it on it smoked and sizzled like crazy.

My .02!

hope this helps.

 

[.aspx]

I don't know how dry your wood is in the lean-to but if it's RTB I'd rotate that to the shed FIRST.

Yeah, about that. It's actually full of Alder and Fir that were downed 8 months ago and 1 month ago respectively. The wood in question is actually closer to being ready to burn than the lean-to wood; based on touch.

 

[wdchuck]

My fourth winter of burning wood 24/7 , and all my wood goes under a shed roof, but three sides are open, it stays dry, gets air and sun. From the splitter to the stack, and it burns fine, all hardwood varieties mixed in, handle it as little as possible.

 

[secureland]

My fourth winter of burning wood 24/7 , and all my wood goes under a shed roof, but three sides are open, it stays dry, gets air and sun. From the splitter to the stack, and it burns fine, all hardwood varieties mixed in, handle it as little as possible.

I like the idea of having the sides open.

I'm trying to determine if the wood is better off stacked outdoors for the wind to move through it or in my shed (small 1/4" gaps between boards).

The shed it will be stacked in up to 5 rows of 16" wood, and I'm wondering if the air won't get to it.

Perhaps i should pull some boards off!

What's the BEST way?

Bill

 

[KsWoodsMan]

What works best for me is outside, in the sun, 3 - 4 inches off the ground, stacked with the rows running East to West. We have a pretty regular South wind all Summer long. between the Sun heating the wood and the wind to carry away the humidity it is ready by Winter to burn.
The only reason mine is East to West is that's is the direction my property runs.
North to South gets about the same amount of sun but cuts across my property or is too far in the back. People have helped themself to my wood in the past if it is too close to be back alleyway. And getting the local police to take you seriously that anything of value was stolen is a joke.

Edit: If I was going to build a wood shed for a years worth of wood (4 cords) I've considered building it with a garage door at each end for loading and unloading. Putting in ridge vents for natural ventilation and leaving 2 inches open at the bottom to allow fresh air in. If the roof was black or dark it would get pretty hot in there to help dry the woood but keep it out of the weather so I dont have to mess around with tarps in the Winter.

 

[Bruce Hopf]

So I usually wait until mid-Spring to buck-up and split firewood for the next winter. This usually works out because the trees I buck-up were downed the previous summer. Anyway, I got a great opportunity to go out and get a little over a cord of Maple & Birch 2 weekends ago that were downed in June / July. The couple needed it off their property so I obviously took the wood!

I have already started to split the wood and noticed that a lot of it is dry to the touch and when splitting some of the smaller rounds I found that they were close to being ready to burn. I have a large lean-to that is completely full (about 2 cords) and a wood-shed with openings on both ends. Would it be recommended to go ahead and stack the wood I got recently in the wood shed? I would imagine that it would still be ready to burn by mid-December 2007.

The reason I ask is that I've heard and read conflicting advice on the topic. Some would suggest to leave it out in the elements (i.e. sun / wind) until the moisture content is brought down while others see no problem with storing green wood in a shed.

I have to throw my dry wood into the basement, because I heat my house with a Wood/Oil Combination Furnace. In my case I have a lean too that was built onto an implement shed, same principle as your wood shed. If you have the same set up, when you throw your fire wood into the basement, like I do and stack it, this wood will be the first in, and the last to be burnt. By the time it needs to be burnt, it will be good and dry, no worries. Wood that isn't dried properly, will creosote your chimney.
Hope this helps. Bruce.

 

[cityevader]

My two cents:
Don't store it in your shed. I made that mistake once. It so drastically increased the humidity inside my wooden shed with metal roof, that there was a constant coating of water inside the roof, dripped every time door shut. Additionally, Many Many of my tools rusted as a result.
Mind you, this wasn't entirely green wood. It was pretty much ready to burn. I was just hoping for dry storage for convenience.
Also, many many more critters made home inside the shed.