where/how do you store your wood to burn

[hangnail]

I just bought a Jotul wood stove and will be picking it up and installing it real soon. unfortunatly I will have to buy wood this year since what I have will not be dry enough this year but I am looking for storage ideas. Right now I have some wood on several pallets, but need some better way to keep it dry and neatly stacked.

post a pic of what you have, I need ideas

 

[Blowncrewcab]

I Don't have pics, But I stack mine in 20' rows (2 stacks wide) 4' high, uncovered for the summer. then when the rainy season comes I'll cover it. I have 2 of those stacks now, I'm working on my 3rd... The only heat I have in my house is Wood, My stove runs 24/7 in the cold season.

 

[stihl sawing]

WEll okay. Here's some of it.

 

[Jkebxjunke]

WEll okay. Here's some of it.

watch out for beavers

 

[Rookie1]

I stack mine in single rows all over my yard. I try to find spots that are out of the way but close enough that im not toting it to far to the house. I have an old coal room down basement that I fill with wood .

 

[husky455rancher]

damn beavers will rob you blind lol. i keep mine on pallets too just a bit over 8 cord in the yard now. piles over 8ft wide for most of the run you cant see it in the pics

 

[CharlieG]

Its not too late yet. Spend some time cutting, splitting, and stacking-and I bet you'll knock a big chunk off this years "purchased wood".

 

[nrguenth]

Its not too late yet. Spend some time cutting, splitting, and stacking-and I bet you'll knock a big chunk off this years "purchased wood".

+1

We haven't hit "high summer" yet. Get out there and get some wood cut, split it small, and stack it loose. It'll be ready for winter, and WAY cheaper than buying. Better yet, look for the "standing seasoned" wood. Dead elms with their bark off is my favorite.

 

[Rookie1]

+1

We haven't hit "high summer" yet. Get out there and get some wood cut, split it small, and stack it loose. It'll be ready for winter, and WAY cheaper than buying. Better yet, look for the "standing seasoned" wood. Dead elms with their bark off is my favorite.

:agree2:

 

[Bruce Hopf]

I just bought a Jotul wood stove and will be picking it up and installing it real soon. unfortunately I will have to buy wood this year since what I have will not be dry enough this year but I am looking for storage ideas. Right now I have some wood on several pallets, but need some better way to keep it dry and neatly stacked.

post a pic of what you have, I need ideas

I have a lean too like what Stihl Sawing has, but mine is over
12' high at the back of it, and about 7' high in the front. The front posts are 8' from the rear wall, and I pile my wood right up to the rafters. It has 3 compartments 10' wide, and one compartment and one manure spreader load does the trick for my winters heat.
If you have access to Ash trees, you can burn that wood almost green, but if you can cut and split it now, it will be dry enough for this winter.
I also have a fire wood room in my basement that has 7, 12" rows piled, 16' long x 7 1/2' high, with a 16" walk way, that I just throw in the wood, until it is full, and I park my manure spreader in the shed full of wood, just in case I run short, and can throw it in the basement later. Bruce

 

[Wood Doctor]

My experience has been that drainage or air underneath the stack is perhaps more important than a roof over it. So, I laid down a 3" thick layer of river rock underneath the pile and thus made sure that water doesn't stand around it. Come winter time, the wood never freezes to the ground.

Also, the sun helps dry the wood, so a roof or even a tarp over it might actually slow down the drying process. My wood pile is partially protected by shade as well. When I bring the wood in for burning, I have a cart that carries enough to last several days. Any damp wood dries in the cart. I also have an area adjacent to the stove that really dries it off before it ever reaches the fire.

Here's a way to stack your wood so that you don't even need side supports or stakes to hold up the ends of the pile:

 

[CharlieG]

yep,crisscrossig it will keep the wood neatly stacked and looks good too.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Crisscross stacking

yep,crisscrossing it will keep the wood neatly stacked and looks good too.

Charlie, I know some folks who crisscross stack about every four to six feet. They claim it dries the wood faster because the air can blow through the pile better. My experience has been that you lose practically nothing, except a little time, when you use this method.

The secret is to select your logs so that the center one is slightly smaller and doesn't cause the next higher row to rock. Also, I try to use split logs on the outside and either a split or a round log in the center for more stability.

 

[LTREES]

Stihl Sawing

Do you cut for a stove or a wood boiler?

 

[Wood Doctor]

Federal Aitight

Do you cut for a stove or a wood boiler?

I have a 1987 Federal Airtight 288 cast iron wood stove. It will handle a 24" log, but I usually cut them a little shorter. Her's a Pic:

Doors are usually closed. The logs to the right are undergoing the final drying process prior to burning.

 

[NDtreehugger]

I pack it in all summer

This is the first cut of the year I keep it covered when there may be rain then uncover if I get the time, it goes in the garaged both the small and large

This is the 2nd cutting I fill it up with 4 - 5 cords depending on the stacking

This is the third cutting of the year I keep piling forever if I could

 

[dolmen]

I understand your thinking behind covering up to shelter your wood from rain, but I find that the rain actually speeds up the process of seasoning! my finding is that the sap gets washed out and all in all when the sun shines it dries out just fine. Even dead wood takes no harm in summer rain, just speaking for myself of course.

More important to get the firewood covered or under a roof before the summer ends and the actual rainy season starts.


Cheers

 

[NDtreehugger]

I have found with the ash

if I leave it uncovered in the summer (our rainy season) the wood will not dry in time for winter, then if it rains and then freezes and it stays frozen I would be thawing wood all year.

The far pile it stays uncovered.

But my main wood needs to stay dry it will be going inside aug 31 and there is no way I want it wet, not even a small amount.

This stuff is ready

But in the winter with cold dry air and dry snow keep it uncovered

 

[Hugenpoet]

WEll okay. Here's some of it.

Very nice stash of wood Stihl Sawing. It'll even look more beautiful when its below zero outside this coming winter. Great job.

 

[Ohiowoodguy]

I find that the rain actually speeds up the process of seasoning! my finding is that the sap gets washed out

:jawdrop: