# Piling in heaps rather than stacking



## Kevin Dolan (Apr 16, 2012)

For years I have religiously stacked my wood in neat rows and had it stored inside my driveshed which had good air flowing through it. It usually sat for three years before burning, mostly ash and hard maple. In the last few years have been lazy and just threw it into a big pile, about eight feet high and twenty feet approx across bottom, where the rows used to be. Will just start burning this coming winter for the three year old pile. In the summer it gets lots of air but no direct sunlight but gets hot during that time.
Wondering if anyone has thoughts as to pros or cons of this? Sure is easier than stacking, not as pretty but is it functional in your opinion?
Thanks for any comments,
Kevin


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## Jack Straw (Apr 16, 2012)

Is it just sitting on the ground? Either way, I think that each time it rains the water in the center will take a long time to dry as opposed to single row piles that get more air/sun and dry out quicker. In a big pile I don't know if the center would ever dry properly. Let us know how it works out for you this fall.


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## Wood Duck (Apr 16, 2012)

A pile has a lot more wood in contact with the ground than a stack does. Also, a pile seems like it would trap a lot of moist air inside - the moisture would come from the ground or from rain, but either way there won't be much air flow through the pile.


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## Kevin Dolan (Apr 16, 2012)

Wood Duck said:


> A pile has a lot more wood in contact with the ground than a stack does. Also, a pile seems like it would trap a lot of moist air inside - the moisture would come from the ground or from rain, but either way there won't be much air flow through the pile.


 
Wood Duck, the pile is in  a covered shed so does not get rain and the floor is dried clay. My concern as you have mentioned is air flow. I have to resize a bunch of these larger logs for my Jotul 400 so will be ripping apart the pile shortly to do that. So will report what I find in the bottom of pile.
Thanks,
Kevin


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## bogydave (Apr 17, 2012)

Being covered for 3 years before burning in a heap should be OK.
On pallet might help get air under it, & help air movement.
Where do you keep the wood you burn the 2 seasons before the covered heap is burned?
Pictures?


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## weatherguy (Apr 17, 2012)

Would be interesting to see moisture content on some of the wood in the middle if you have a moisture meter.


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## My Oslo heats my home (Apr 17, 2012)

I have heard through a few wood processing sources out my way that after processing and placing the splits into large piles that the wood that suffers drying time the most is the wood in the center towards the ground. These guys say they rotate their stock for better drying but its hard to believe they actually do. 
I would think if you have your wood piled inside a shed with a dry floor you should be ok after 3 years. Your pile gets the wind but no direct sunlight however it would get heated air on warmer days. Only way to really know would be the check the splits with a MM from the center/lower portion of the pile.


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## Kevin Dolan (Apr 17, 2012)

bogydave said:


> Being covered for 3 years before burning in a heap should be OK.
> On pallet might help get air under it, & help air movement.
> Where do you keep the wood you burn the 2 seasons before the covered heap is burned?
> Pictures?


Dave I like the pallet idea as more air could get under the pile. All my wood when first cut and split in the spring goes onto a concrete barnyard and sits over winter so one year outside. Then I size it and recut( have to since moving to a Jotul 400 from a larger stove) and move up to my covered shed where it used to get stacked into rows but now piles. I have 3 years of wood in that shed so usually I start the season with 15 bush cords in the shed and have been burning 5 per year. So as that pile gets used in the spring I then fill up the pile with my outside pile. I keep track of the age of each pile so I know the age of each - just a system I have developed over the years. I will try and get pics so you can see.
Thanks for your input, the pallet idea is great.
Kevin


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## Jags (Apr 17, 2012)

Ummm...there are a couple of us black sheep around...
It works.


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## smokinj (Apr 17, 2012)

Yea 3 years and a dry bottom should work fine.


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## firefighterjake (Apr 17, 2012)

Jags said:


> Ummm...there are a couple of us black sheep around...
> It works.


 
Go with the term "rebel" . . . it makes you sound like you have a cause and not that you're a spurned member of a family group.


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## Jags (Apr 17, 2012)

Hmmm..."Rebel"...I like that.


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## Backwoods Savage (Apr 17, 2012)

If the wood was outdoors just thrown into a heap, I say no. But yours is indoors and 3 years to dry, I say it will be fine.

And welcome to the forum Kevin.


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## Jack Straw (Apr 17, 2012)

My reading comprehension is really bad....I didn't catch that it was in a shed.  I still prefer 2 years out in the sun/wind, but it's a lot more work. I don't see much differance between tightly stacking and a big pile. There might be more air circulation in a pile!


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## PapaDave (Apr 18, 2012)

Wait a minute.....I've never heard of a "rebel sheep". Please to explain.
As to the wood, we'll only know for sure when you've gotten into it. I'm curious.
Well, Jags knows but.......


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## Jack Straw (Apr 18, 2012)

"rebel sheep" Do I know about them?........................ NNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA


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## Jags (Apr 19, 2012)

PapaDave said:


> Well, Jags knows but.......


 
I has my secret.


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## woodman6666 (Apr 29, 2012)

I have tested many of my large piles of wood that are 25ft high cones that are on concrete and what I have found is that the pieces on the outside of the pile are about 2% drier than the pieces in the center on the direct bottom I have checked this several times over the years. Here is a pic of some of my piles


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## fox9988 (Apr 29, 2012)

woodman I think you deserve all capitals-WOODMAN!


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## Backwoods Savage (Apr 29, 2012)

That's a heap of work. Or heaps of work.


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## Kevin Dolan (Apr 29, 2012)

fox9988 said:


> woodman I think you deserve all capitals-WOODMAN!


Wow woodsman must have a big stove or live in Siberia!


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## johnsopi (Apr 29, 2012)

I pile mine then stack behind the house in Oct.


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## chuckie5fingers (Apr 29, 2012)

rebel Sheep???

would that make a re baaaaaaall yell?

couldnt resist
chuck


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## tfdchief (Apr 29, 2012)

woodman6666 said:


> I have tested many of my large piles of wood that are 25ft high cones that are on concrete and what I have found is that the pieces on the outside of the pile are about 2% drier than the pieces in the center on the direct bottom I have checked this several times over the years. Here is a pic of some of my piles


  Holy crap, that's a lot of wood.  So I assume you sell wood?


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## cptoneleg (Apr 29, 2012)

You don't have time to stack, that fish in your avator will drink all of your beer.


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## MasterMech (Apr 30, 2012)

PapaDave said:


> Wait a minute.....I've never heard of a "rebel sheep".


 
Wait, are those the ones that give us steel wool?  (Old Far Side Cartoon)

“It is a known fact that the sheep that give us steel wool have no natural enemies.”
― Gary Larson


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## woodman6666 (Apr 30, 2012)

tfdchief said:


> Holy crap, that's a lot of wood. So I assume you sell wood?


 Yes I sell wood. All of our wood is processed, I spent  a year and a half with Hahn Machinery designing the processor that goes on the front of a skid loader, if you have seen the you tube videos thats me running it. Here is my website click the link that says "check out our cutting and splitting" video if you would like to watch. Keep in mind that at the time of the video I had very little operating time under my belt and things are much smoother now.
Thanks www.procutfirewood.com


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## Jags (Apr 30, 2012)

Woodman - I have seen that video posted here quite a few times and it still is impressive to watch.  Looks like one heck of an operation.


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## blades (Apr 30, 2012)

AS I was out of room ( or just a bit lazy , your choice ) The wood I burned this past winter was just thrown in a big pile on asphalt no other special care was taken. It sat for 2 seasons, there was little difference between the center and out side moisture wise, This was a mix of maple , elm , oak and a smattering of others all green when tossed on pile. Course the problem here is it is difficult to tell when it is being pilfered.


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## gpcollen1 (Apr 30, 2012)

I threw most of my wood in the woodshed this year, so stacked out in the elements and then thrown in the woodshed [pallet island] for winter use - pallet floor and tarp roof overhead.  Well, i did not finish all my wood this year but the suff I just put back in the piles sure is nice and dry right now!!


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## firefighterjake (Apr 30, 2012)

MasterMech said:


> Wait, are those the ones that give us steel wool?  (Old Far Side Cartoon)
> 
> “It is a known fact that the sheep that give us steel wool have no natural enemies.”
> ― Gary Larson


 
Actually this is not true . . . hot water is their natural enemy -- it makes them rust and shrink.


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## Kevin Dolan (Apr 30, 2012)

weatherguy said:


> Would be interesting to see moisture content on some of the wood in the middle if you have a moisture meter.


Weatherman, I just got a moisture meter and checked some wood from the bottom of a pile close to the ground and it was between 5 - 12% moisture, mostly hard maple. I checked some other wood from around the pile outside and inside and some was 20%  - I think it was elm that was the highest. So should be good to go.
At what moisture content should you not burn until the following year?
Kevin


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## Jags (Apr 30, 2012)

Kevin Dolan said:


> Weatherman, I just got a moisture meter and checked some wood from the bottom of a pile close to the ground and it was between 5 - 12% moisture,


Was that from a freshly re-split surface?  It is very difficult to get cord wood down to that range unless you were simply reading the MC on the long exposed surface.


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## Kevin Dolan (Apr 30, 2012)

Jags said:


> Was that from a freshly re-split surface? It is very difficult to get cord wood down to that range unless you were simply reading the MC on the long exposed surface.


Yes Jags it was from freshly split surfaces, mostly they were in the 8-15% and the low reading of 5 could have been a fluke but I am testing each split as I put it on the stove - am I nuts?
Kevin


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## Gasifier (Apr 30, 2012)

Some of the Amish around here pile their wood outside. Then they move it and pile it inside the barn or shed. I do not know if it is because they run out of time, want to save the work, whatever? But it works for them. Then there are others who stack it outside in the spring and then move it into the barn and stack it there as well. Personal preference. Tidiness.Need all the room in the barn. I don't know. Some of the Amish farms look really well kept, and some don't.  Whatever works for ya. 3 years of dry time sounds like plenty either way. I gotta concentrate on getting that far ahead. Period. Ha, Ha.! What the hell. I turned off rich text editor so when I went to Kindle fire sometime I could respond. Now I have lost the smileys! To hell with that Kindle fire thingy. I like my laptop!


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## Gasifier (Apr 30, 2012)

!! Ohhhhh yaaa baby. Smileys back. Woodman6666. I listened to a some "heavier" music in my younger years. That is the "number of the beast" + another 6! Wooo. You are a bad man woodman. A baaaaaddd man!  Nice piles of wood. How much do you guys usually have on hand and ready for the busy delivery season.


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## chuckie5fingers (May 3, 2012)

woodman6666 said:


> I have tested many of my large piles of wood that are 25ft high cones that are on concrete and what I have found is that the pieces on the outside of the pile are about 2% drier than the pieces in the center on the direct bottom I have checked this several times over the years. Here is a pic of some of my piles


 HOLY COW MAN     You GOT wood
nice
chuck


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## Oregon Bigfoot (May 4, 2012)

woodman6666 said:


> I have tested many of my large piles of wood that are 25ft high cones that are on concrete and what I have found is that the pieces on the outside of the pile are about 2% drier than the pieces in the center on the direct bottom I have checked this several times over the years. Here is a pic of some of my piles


 
Nice cone hauzens!


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## MasterMech (May 4, 2012)

I believe Jags has trademarked the term "Heapenhausen"!


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## Jags (May 4, 2012)

MasterMech said:


> I believe Jags has trademarked the term "Heapenhausen"!


 
And lets not forget "gazebohausen"


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## firefighterjake (May 4, 2012)

Jags said:


> And lets not forget "gazebohausen"


 
What are you getting for royalties any time any one of us mentions "heap hausens" or "gazebohausen?"


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## Jags (May 4, 2012)

firefighterjake said:


> What are you getting for royalties any time any one of us mentions "heap hausens" or "gazebohausen?"


The bill is in the mail.


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## par0thead151 (May 4, 2012)

blades said:


> AS I was out of room ( or just a bit lazy , your choice ) The wood I burned this past winter was just thrown in a big pile on asphalt no other special care was taken. It sat for 2 seasons, there was little difference between the center and out side moisture wise, This was a mix of maple , elm , oak and a smattering of others all green when tossed on pile. Course the problem here is it is difficult to tell when it is being pilfered.


thats what came to mind for me as well.
what are the best ways to deter firewood theft?
obviously out of sight and locked up, but mine is behind my work. it has only one way to access it with a vehicle, so i will be putting a chain and lock there. if the chain is cut i know i have a thief. also will post "smile you are on camera" signs as well as no trespassing signs.
the bad news is a super walmart is being build 2 blocks over so it will have a LOT more foot traffic now.
UUGH!


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