Stacking VS Piling

[ri chevy]

For me personally, I'd stack it on pallets. I don't sell wood, and don't do a large volume as some of you guys that sell it do. But stacking definitely looks better, and the wood dries out much better! I criss cross my ends so the wood does not wash out, and straight stack everything in between. I also cut all of my wood at exactly 16 inches. It stacks better, looks better while stacked, and fits into the stove without guess work.

For the professional guys that sell cord wood, I agree to just pile it up and touch it less. But for the average homeowner, I think stacking is better.

 

[stihly dan]

BS on all of it!!!! Sorry if I offend but had too many whiskey's. A 15X15 stack will be as green as a 15X15 pile. I know because I have had both at trhe same time same spot. The difference was the pile had mushrooms, and the stack didn't. After ! yr nether was burnable.

 

[Tazfreak]

If u do it for a living big piles r the go.In aus the climate is mostly dry,stacking not an option unless you have plenty of time to kill.cut,split dump then cut,split dump till u have enough firewood for your customers 2 seasons ahead.Our hardwoods won,t rot in a lifetime out in the weather and dry quickly when split,our summer temps up to 45c and hot northerly winds take care of seasoning.We cut,split,load at the stump then dump and pile,and don,t touch the wood again till its sold.Stacking looks pretty but not practical for me.Just my 2 cents.:chainsawguy:

 

[savageactor7]

You really need some acreage to pile...it could be considered a nuisance if done in a city.

We've been piling for years over pads of gravel...the splits get thrown up 10-12 ft. as they get split...DONE! What a labor saving move that turned out to be.

If you want to pile I recommend selecting a site that gets early morning sun.

 

[flyboy553]

I stack some and pile a lot.
I try to keep around 20 full cords stacked in the yard for those who want to come and pick up their own wood. They know they are getting a full cord that way.

The wood I deliver comes from the piles because I know how much wood a full cord is and what it looks like on my trailer and truck.

Ted

 

[mikereynolds]

I agree after 20 or so cords, stacking is rediculous. We pile after processed, stack it in the delivery trailer to make sure proper size, then dump it on a pile at delivery.

 

[wagz]

i agree those selling dozens of cords have no point in stacking. but me the homeowner sure does.

a big reason that i haven't seen mentioned for stacking over piling is pests. mice/rats would love to make a home in the middle of that pile.

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

We stack all ours but we don't sell as a rule. We do it so we get it all under roof as some of it sits for a few years before use. Just hate to see it sit out in the weather rotting up. Because it sitting for several years you can close stack and it's dry enough when it's ready to be pulled out. If If was selling I think I'd build an open sided pole barn to pile and work in.

 

[sbhooper]

Stacking makes the wood fit better in a given area. Past that, I see no difference. If anything, there is more room for air circulation around piled wood. I have no problems either way. It is drier here than in other areas, though.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Took a break from cutting/splitting to stack. I finished this morning, twenty one cords later. Now, back to cutting and splitting... before the snows comes. There is probably ten to fifteen more to process. I live in the woods and love it. But that means very little sun on the wood pilesView attachment 257009View attachment 257010View attachment 257011View attachment 257012, and in southwest MI that translates to mold. Our personal use wood is stacked in a shed so were not digging in the snow or under tarps for it any more. I'm thinking of covering the top these outdoor stacks with a tarp for the winter. Never thought I would want an acre of blacktop but it sure would save a lot of work to let it dry in piles.

 

[Whitespider]

After reading all the replies in this thread a few things come to mind…

First, I don’t think it’s as simple as “Stacking VS Piling”. If you think about in terms of air flow/contact, stacking 3, 4 or more rows deep is essentially the same as a pile… the center stacked row(s) could possibly even get less air flow than the center of a pile because they’re tighter together. Using this example, the advantages of stacking with rows butted to each other is neatness and the amount of ground area used, not necessarily seasoning time. The advantage to piling is, obviously, less time and effort handling the wood… again, not necessarily seasoning time. Strictly speaking, I don’t see any real “seasoning” advantage to stacking multiple rows deep vs. piling.

But, stacking in single rows will give a very real and measurable seasoning advantage… not just in air flow/contact, but also in solar energy contact (if stacked in an open area). Double rows would be better than triple rows, but still not as advantageous as single rows.

I stack my firewood on a moisture barrier, in single rows five feet apart, in full sun, no cover of any sort… contrary to what many will say, stacked like that, even (split) oak will season properly in a single summer.

 

[Gjt1980]

image.jpg (341.9 KB)

 

[zogger]

I don't do the criss cross either for the same reason. I do think it will dry out faster that way then any other method. I bought a bunch of those metal sided pallets cheap, so I just toss them in, then move the cages around with forks.

That is probably the best compromise with ease of doing it plus getting them to dry.

 

[Whitespider]

OK, pictures than...

:hmm3grin2orange:

:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[thombat4]

OK, pictures than...

:hmm3grin2orange:



:hmm3grin2orange:

Looks awesome...are those your stacks Spidey?

 

[Whitespider]

Yep, my stacks, south side yard, most all oak (one stack is hard maple)... laid the first split down about 18 months ago.
I had a couple other smallish stacks scattered around the yard(s), but they've all been moved into the house.

 

[thombat4]

Yep, my stacks, south side yard, most all oak (one stack is hard maple)... laid the first split down about 18 months ago.
I had a couple other smallish stacks scattered around the yard(s), but they've all been moved into the house.

That to me looks like a heck of a lotta wood. How much of that will you burn this winter and do you have it sitting right on the ground?

Uh...forget about the sitting on the ground question. I just re-read your post above.

 

[Whitespider]

Seriously I have no idea how much of it I'll burn.
First, I'm using a new (to me) furnace (converted EPA stove) that's supposed to be "high efficiency"... used it a bit last spring, but not enough to "gauge" what my fuel usage will be.
Second, I've got something over two cord already in the basement... a small grain-wagon load of pretty old oak given to me, some ash, and some other oak I had stacked elsewhere in the yard.
Third, I'm in process of cutting standing-dead elm that I'll be splitting and tossing in the basement for early season and warm(er) daytime burnin' and I'm not sure how much that will be... depends on ambition, available time and weather.
Fourth, still not sure if this will be another warm winter, or average, or cold... or really azz cold.

So it could be possible, depending on how much standing-dead I cut and temperatures, I won't use any of what you see in the picture (just like last year)... which would be just fine with me.

 

[thombat4]

Seriously I have no idea how much of it I'll burn.

So it could be possible, depending on how much standing-dead I cut and temperatures, I won't use any of what you see in the picture (just like last year)... which would be just fine with me.

Dude you could take a couple years off from wood workin' by the looks of things...but I kinda think that won't happen:msp_biggrin: I can appreciate all that time and labor you've invested:wink2:!

 

[sbhooper]

OK, pictures than...

:hmm3grin2orange:

:hmm3grin2orange:

Awesome! Lots of work.