# Question for people who stack on pallets.......



## jeffesonm (Apr 7, 2014)

I cut all my wood to 16" so I can fit three rows wide if I stack across a 48x40 pallet.  My only concern was with the middle row not getting any sun or wind.... is it going to get punky in there?  I plan to top cover.  Anyone else stack like this?  Any issues 2-3 years later?  I could turn the pallet the other way and do two rows on the 40" side but that would take up more space....


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## wahoowad (Apr 7, 2014)

Late this season I hit some pallet-stacked wood that was sandwiched in tight and it didn't seem as seasoned as I expected. Going forward the only time I will pack in my stacks and sandwich together is when I know the wood is already seasoned and I am just setting it aside for storage. I'll still leave a gap even if it means only getting 2 rows per pallet.


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## paul bunion (Apr 7, 2014)

jeffesonm said:


> I cut all my wood to 16" so I can fit three rows wide if I stack across a 48x40 pallet.  My only concern was with the middle row not getting any sun or wind.... is it going to get punky in there?  I plan to top cover.  Anyone else stack like this?  Any issues 2-3 years later?  I could turn the pallet the other way and do two rows on the 40" side but that would take up more space....



I do it the same way,  space is somewhat limited and concessions need to be made. You will be fine.  If you can get the pallets up off the ground you will be marginally better.  Remember wet air is heavier and sinks, there won't be much solar heat getting to the inside row to warm it and cause the air to rise, so airflow under helps.


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## Standingdead (Apr 7, 2014)

At my main storage spot I cut on average 22" and stack 4 rows, 2 pallet wide rows. On a hilltop with no shade, on the eastern side of a large field. Stacks run east/west to encourage wind to blow throuh. Spot gets lots of wind. I cure 3-4 years. Have never had a problem. I think sun, air movement and lots of time do the job.


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## JA600L (Apr 7, 2014)

You can do it but you might figure on another year to season it all.


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## bigbarf48 (Apr 7, 2014)

The middle row will undoubtedly get less sun and wind, but there's no telling how that will affect seasoning times. If you're well ahead on your wood supply, give it a shot. But if you're running tight I don't know if I'd take the gamble because that middle row may be a little bit wetter than the outer rows

As to getting punky, I think you'll be fine. Especially if you're going to top cover.


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## smokedragon (Apr 7, 2014)

bigbarf48 said:


> As to getting punky, I think you'll be fine.



I give a ditto to that.

This or woodsheds is how I have seen wood seasoned my whole life.  Never an issue with the middle row going bad (especially if you top cover).  Worst case, it will not be as dry.

I usually try to make the middle row smaller splits, shorts, etc.  If your middle row is made up of smaller splits, it will help them dry quicker.


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## jeffesonm (Apr 8, 2014)

Ok thanks all, sounds like I'm okay.  I am well ahead so this oak won't be needed for probably 4-5 years.

I'll post back the results in a few years.


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## Gboutdoors (Apr 8, 2014)

I have only been at this for 4 years now but have always stacked three 16" splits across 4'x20' pallets. Have not had any issues with the middle splits being wetter or going punky.

That being said I do cut mostly dead dry oak that for the most part is 21% to 22% the highest when stacked. I also have now started to put cribbed stacks every 4' or so to be sure to get better air flow


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## zzr7ky (Apr 8, 2014)

Hi - I do the same thing.  After using wood that had been stored that way for 4-5 years without ill affects I started closing up the spacing.  So now my nice quick drying type wood, like Cherry, Ash, Silver Maple, etc, get stacked as you describe but two pallets deep (6 rows).  The stacks are 5-6' high and 16' long.  No issues.

I would not stack wet Elm, Oak, etc this way.  It will get mold, mildew, and I feel it could degrade.

All the best,
Mike


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## tsquini (Apr 8, 2014)

You want to limit the excess moisture. As long as you top cover you should be fine.  The air flow will get through.


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## mudr (Apr 8, 2014)

I leave a good-sized gap between mine.  My splits are 18 inches so I just do two rows and overhang each row off the pallet by about 2 inches.  That gives me a nice 8ish inch gap. My stacks are also two pallets wide (so four rows of splits) and I leave a good 10 inch gap between the pallets.  I'm also 1.25 years ahead, not 3, so drying speed is of the essence.


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## KB007 (Apr 8, 2014)

I just stack 2 rows on pallets and leave whatever the diff is in between.  Works well, and I never have a "middle row" to worry about.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Apr 8, 2014)

To the op, will it get punky, probably not, alot of people do it here and I have not heard people saying it does....
Will it dry as fast as if it were single stacked? No....


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## lindnova (Apr 8, 2014)

I stack 3 or 4 pallets wide in massive stacks and if I give it 3 years it seems to dry fine.  Of course it dries slower in the middle.  Actually the stuff in the middle does not weather as much as the stuff on the outside so no punky problems here at all - uncovered piles.  Sometimes I cover, but uncovered seems to do fine.  Covering seems to make a mess of a ripped tarp and leaks allow slower drying after a rain anyway. 

If I need it to dry in 1 or 2 years I leave spaces between every 2 stacks.


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## Woody Stover (Apr 9, 2014)

You could stack it loose so that more air is able to blow through....


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## Flatbedford (Apr 9, 2014)

I do three rows on pallets, never top covered and after 3 years everything is dry. Even my Red Oak. I find that the top few slits get kinda beat up by the weather, but only find a few punky splits, and they probably were in bad shape when they went on the stack.


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## Bigg_Redd (Apr 10, 2014)

jeffesonm said:


> My only concern was with the middle row not getting any sun or wind.... is it going to get punky in there?



I don't know that it will get punky but it's not ideal.  You can hang the outside rows a couple inches off over the side which will give the middle row a bit of breathing room.


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## maple1 (Apr 10, 2014)

Ram 1500 with an axe... said:


> To the op, will it get punky, probably not, alot of people do it here and I have not heard people saying it does....
> Will it dry as fast as if it were single stacked? No....


 
This.

Is this the only reason for cutting 16"? To stack 3x16 = 48?

I cut to 18", and stack two wide on the 40" part. Then leave the extra 4 inches or whatever in the middle between the piles. If I end up with more space in there than I'd like (like cut a bunch a bit too short or something), then I just toss a few small odds & ends into the space on end or however it falls in there.


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## Applesister (Apr 10, 2014)

I read the 3 facecord to a full cord was an attempt by lawmakers to create a standard measurement for selling wood. 4' x 8' x 4' 
48" devides by 3(facecord) into 16" split lengths.
It does seem to be a minimum size for fireboxes.
At least ones manufactured in USA.
The law thing kind of flopped.
I stacked 3 wide on pallets, dont know yet if its gonna be a mistake. lol


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## Flatbedford (Apr 10, 2014)

I have to stack three deep. I don't have enough room for my stack to be 1/3 longer than it is now.


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## Backwoods Savage (Apr 10, 2014)

jeffesonm said:


> I cut all my wood to 16" so I can fit three rows wide if I stack across a 48x40 pallet.  My only concern was with the middle row not getting any sun or wind.... is it going to get punky in there?  I plan to top cover.  Anyone else stack like this?  Any issues 2-3 years later?  I could turn the pallet the other way and do two rows on the 40" side but that would take up more space....



Jeff, although we do not use many pallets (I don't like them), we do stack 3 rows together like this.





Rather than pallets, we just lay down two saplings to stack on. As for that center row, it would seem that would have some problems drying. However, this has not been our experience at all. We've never had that problem. One good way to look at it is that in the first year the wood stacks will shrink quite a bit. We stack at 4 1/2' high and in the first year those stacks will be down to 4' high. Now it would seem to me that if the center row did not lose moisture at the same rate as the outside 2 rows, it should be higher after that first year of drying. However, we have never seen that happen which tells me they dry at the same rate. 

Look at the first 2 pictures. Those were stacked at the same time. In the first picture, those 3 rows are still there and they were stacked almost exactly 5 years ago. Look at the second picture and this was after a year in the stack. Notice the three rows are pretty much the same height. Of course that last picture was taken during the stacking process.

One thing we do is to stack where the wood will get wind. We do not worry a bit if it gets no sunshine but it is nice if it does get some. We have some stacks right now that have been there a couple years and get very, very little sunshine but the wood is in fine shape. 

So you be the judge. Will that center row dry for you as well as the outside rows?


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## red oak (Apr 10, 2014)

Top-cover and keep off the ground.  These are the more important factors.


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## BobUrban (Apr 12, 2014)

I have free, delivered access to large pallets so my stacks are 4 and five rows deep and I will x2 What Dennis said - no worries.  The middle is as dry as the outside for me. The real trick is getting far enough ahead that you don't have to worry about is for 3-4yrs.  Well, that and a relatively dry climate.  I assume places with higher relative humidity and less open air space may suffer considerably from tight stacking.


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