# Raining on my fire wood



## AppalachianStan (Nov 29, 2011)

Hi guys need to know how long after it rains will it take to dry out fire wood. My fire wood stack is 16' long about 16" wide and now about 3' tall. I have a tarp over the top of one side, the other side is not covered and is getting rained on. So how long before I can burn it?


----------



## Dix (Nov 29, 2011)

Is it seasoned?


----------



## Wood Duck (Nov 29, 2011)

It takes only a couple of hours in the house to dry firewood, or one sunny morning outside to dry the wood at the edges of the stack. In the center and near the bottom of that big stack it might take a day or two. the only problem with wood that got rained on is starting the fire. Once you have some coals go ahead and put wet wood in there. It will steam for a minute or two then, provided it is seasoned, should burn just fine.


----------



## Backwoods Savage (Nov 29, 2011)

If there is wind the next day, it will be dry then. As for how long before you can burn it, that depends upon how long it has been split and in the stack. I've taken wood right off a wood pile during rain and put it into the stove. That certainly is not my preferred method but so long as the wood was dry before the rain, it will do okay. The moisture will be only on the exterior of the wood.


----------



## AppalachianStan (Nov 30, 2011)

Half of the stack was split and stack last Nov. The other was split and stack in Feb,but not all is split some are round between 2" to 6".


----------



## jeff_t (Nov 30, 2011)

The bottom layer or two of most of my stacks, on pallets, are currently under water. That might take a couple of days to dry out. Stupid rain.


----------



## tamarack (Nov 30, 2011)

The title of this thread would make a great title for a blues song.


----------



## Constrictor (Nov 30, 2011)

about one sunny day


----------



## jhoff310 (Nov 30, 2011)

Yeah Im in the same boat, I got swamp logs...We have had like 94 feet of rain in the past 6 weeks   3" in the past 24-36 hours....woods not burning for caca

Jeff


----------



## Wood Duck (Nov 30, 2011)

This wet fall has me thinking about a big wood shed. Probably next year will be more normal and I'll forget about a shed again, but right now it sure seems like a good idea. 2 inches of rain last week and about another inch today is more moisture than the November sun can handle. it is raining right now.


----------



## AppalachianStan (Nov 30, 2011)

We have one of those cheap metal building from Lowe's. My wife said can we put the wood in it to get it out of the rain? Going to put the newer wood in first and then the old in last. At least it will keep it from being rained on.


----------



## bspooky (Nov 30, 2011)

tamarack said:
			
		

> The title of this thread would make a great title for a blues song.



Now that was funny. 

I had seasoned wood that had been rained on that took over two days to dry in the garage. But maybe the house would have been faster.


----------



## ruserious2008 (Nov 30, 2011)

tamarack said:
			
		

> The title of this thread would make a great title for a blues song.


Perhaps but I was thinking a Country and Western song:0 the flip side to "I'm just a bug on the windshield of life" perhaps


----------



## Wood Duck (Nov 30, 2011)

AppalachianStan said:
			
		

> We have one of those cheap metal building from Lowe's. My wife said can we put the wood in it to get it out of the rain? Going to put the newer wood in first and then the old in last. At least it will keep it from being rained on.



I'd make sure to allow as much air movement as possible in the shed. Leave the door and windows open.


----------



## AppalachianStan (Nov 30, 2011)

Wood Duck said:
			
		

> AppalachianStan said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There no door on the shed and it has no windows.


----------



## Cowboy Billy (Nov 30, 2011)

jeff_t said:
			
		

> The bottom layer or two of most of my stacks, on pallets, are currently under water. That might take a couple of days to dry out. Stupid rain.



That sure was some rain Jeff. The end of my wood pile was under water too.

Billy


----------



## firefighterjake (Nov 30, 2011)

AppalachianStan said:
			
		

> Hi guys need to know how long after it rains will it take to dry out fire wood. My fire wood stack is 16' long about 16" wide and now about 3' tall. I have a tarp over the top of one side, the other side is not covered and is getting rained on. So how long before I can burn it?



Pretty quickly.


----------



## ohio woodburner (Dec 1, 2011)

stan, it'll dry out pretty quickly.  i don't cover my wood, but i do keep a couple weeks worth on the porch that stays dry.  we recieved almost 3 inches of rain yesterday    and i'm not worried, it'll dry quickly


----------



## OhioBurner© (Dec 1, 2011)

Gosh darn {paraphrased} rain! Before my stack dries out it seems like it always starts raining again! This would have been the year to have a woodshed...


----------



## snowleopard (Dec 1, 2011)

jhoff310 said:
			
		

> Yeah Im in the same boat, I got swamp logs...We have had like 94 feet of rain in the past 6 weeks   3" in the past 24-36 hours....woods not burning for caca
> 
> Jeff



Two nominations for the hearth.com lexicon: swamp logs and Daddybuilt


----------

