Comments on: How to Stack Firewood

By: logger992u

logger992u — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:53:02 +0000

Been logging/tree service for over 40 years. I always cut wood to 16″ lengths as most people in my area (Iowa) don’t want it longer. That make a full cord, 3 rows deep by 4′ high and 8′ long….128 cu. ft…..If they do want it longer, I’ll cut to whatever length/size they want. Stacking: The “old” rule of thumb I was raised up by is to leave a space/hole between the stacked pieces big enough for a squirrel to barely squeeze through but small enough that a rabbit can’t..stack all pieces the same direction on pallets preferably…….better air circulation and stays really stable that way…….when I deliver, I stack the wood tight thereby giving almost 2/3 cord of tightly stacked wood in a regular pickup truck box (6′W x8′L x 1.75′H = ~ 84 cu ft) ..that’s 6 rows long when cut at 16″…a little more room when stacked with airspace and more than 1/2 cord/72 cu. ft……….wood is all hardwoods (tops/limbs/trunks)left whole for 1 1/2 to 2 years (depending on deadness of tree when taken down)then bucked to 16″ pieces and split…….moisture content runs from 12% to 16% when delivered………..no infested/diseased or softwoods sold for firewood……..and a lot of people do buy the green wood (softwood only) off some of the job sites if I find it safe enough for them to do without my supervision…..I even deliver green loads (softwoods only) at a reduced price also………..no need to waste any parts of the tree unless infested/diseased…………

By: Ralph up in virginia

Ralph up in virginia — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 17:27:44 +0000

I have been burning and stacking wood most of my life.Isabel a few tears back gave us enough to last until Irene. Now I am spiting red oat some of prettiest firewood I have spit cause most fo the time I get the knots or the junt nobody else wants.
But this time old Ralph got a whole full grown red oak I am im
loving it.By the I get all of this on the yard and spit and stacked it will probely last till the next storm that will
knck down some red oak.Hope everybody is Happy

By: Steve in Georgia

Steve in Georgia — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:49:57 +0000

I generally begin cutting red and white oak, wild cherry, and hickory in about July, sometimes as early as June. Storms here in east central Georgia help me decide. I manage my own woodlot on my property, and try to cut only the trees that have been downed or severely damaged during these summer storms.
I have a 22″ opening on the woodstove, so all of my wood is cut to 20″. All wood is stacked off of the ground, outside without covering during the summer, placing the bark upwards if possible. Generally, all of the wood is dry by November when our cold weather sets in. Our Winters are the rainy season, so I generally cover with heavy duty plastic as the rains begin.

By: Val

Val — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:15:09 +0000

I use wooden pallets, the ones i have right now are starting their 4th season and doing fine. I have always covered my dry wood completely in winter, in fact i have a tarp over the top of the wood, and then another bigger tarp over the whole thing and wrapped like a Christmas present. The wood is completely unwrapped during spring and summer. Haven’t had a problem. I get alot of rain in the winter. I’m no expert, I’ve been burning wood for about 6 years, but have a tiny stove and only burn at night so i only go thru a cord or so a winter.

By: admin

admin — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:29:49 +0000

Yes the 2x4s or other wood that you put on the ground will draw moisture, bugs, and will likely rot after a few years. But that’s ok, just replace it. It’s better to have that on the ground rotting than your firewood. Wood is not the ideal material to put on the ground to stack firewood on but it’s cheap and abundant so it’s the common choice. If you want something permanent that you don’t have to replace, concrete would be a better choice than wood.

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 04:49:54 +0000

I still don’t understand what you stack wood on to. Won’t it draw termites if it’s on the ground or even a 2 x 4 touches the ground? Or on the ground, doesn’t it draw moisture or other bugs. Short of concrete, I just don’t understand putting wood on the ground.

By: wood burner

wood burner — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 19:13:25 +0000

Been burning 5-13 cords of wood every year for 60 plus yrs,,and believe me, wood dries much faster when stacked,,i purposely buy “wet”,or newly cut wood as it is usually much cheaper to buy..the wood guys know they cant sell it if its wet,,so i buy wood one yr in advance cheap, and stack it wet..i only use hardwood,,oak,or others.and i can start it after a yr, with just a wad of newspapers..as to the covering it,,people in rain every day, or snow everyday situations need to cover it, but in the high desert we don cover,,,hope this helps..hey, cosy up to the fire, and save all that natural gas bill money for Vegas..

By: admin

admin — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 05:40:59 +0000

In many climates and situations you can get away with it just fine with wood that is already dry. But in many conditions it can cause problems.

By: mike

mike — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:54:31 +0000

We cover the sides of our wood with a tarp… works fine for us.

By: admin

admin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 19:04:32 +0000

Most of my wood is dried in a pile and not a stack. That’s just because when dealing with commercial quantities of wood, the massive amount of labor to stack it all just doesn’t pay. But if I do stack some, it always dries faster, as long as there is air space on both sides of the stack. When stacked this way, you actually have better air circulation than a heaping pile. Also there are fewer pieces in contact with the ground.

With a heaping pile the wood on top dries faster but the wood in the middle of the pile takes much longer to dry. Often I will take the dry top layer off that has been exposed to the sun and air and sell it. Then I have to wait sometimes months for the wood below to dry. The exception to this is a pile that is not very deep and spread out.