# Can wood season too long?



## Trktrd (Feb 1, 2012)

I have been given a new item on the honey-do list which will generously add to the wood supply. Assuming my back can take it and I don't get devoured by ticks and chiggers I'm looking at a minimum of 6-8 years worth of firewood. When I first moved here I found numerous small wood piles throughout the property that could be turned to dust with one swift kick. No telling how long they were there, but if I tackle this task I know I will have a ton of wood sitting for a very long time. Opinions please? Stack it all and keep it and hope I live long enough to burn it all before it rots, or start selling firewood??


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## zzr7ky (Feb 1, 2012)

Hi - 

Similar situation here after the Emerald Ash Bore came though.  I cut hard and long.  Split when I can, and keep some serious piles of wood.  I keep them off the ground, covered, and I'm not seeing issues with 3 year old wood.  I did see some soft maple that had powder post beetles in it, but is is not a big deal since it's mostly Ash in the pile.  My stacks are 8'X16' and 5' high.  I've been known to swap wood for things I need, and it works for me.

Good luck!
Mike


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## Dune (Feb 1, 2012)

Stack it well off the ground, keep it dry and it will keep for as long as you like. Birch can rot if not split, and most other wood can rot if stacked on the ground.
I use pallets with bricks under them to stack wood, some folks take it a little further and place pallets on cinder blocks.


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## Brogan007 (Feb 1, 2012)

I was wondering the same thing.  Got about 4 yrs worth split, stacked and all under a tin roof. Figure it'll keep just fine.  Sure hope so.
12 cords has a lot of my sweat built in with it.


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## Vic99 (Feb 1, 2012)

Split. Stack off ground, I use two pallets underneath.  Cover top year round to keep water off.  Leave sides open.  You will be happy.

Good luck.


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## ohlongarm (Feb 1, 2012)

If not properly stored I would say yes. Properly stored no.I have some white oak that was split in 2004 that was bucked when I got it at least 3 years,I took only the stuff that was off the ground in the pile ,split it let it season 1 year and then put it in a covered shed. The stuff is pushing 11 years and is absolutely perfect not one bad piece ,and is as hard as a rock. I've got piles here that are 3 years and counting as we speak,off the ground and just the tops covered again not one bad piece and looking good.Split it stack it uncovered a year then cover just the top when it's dry,it will last a long time.This works well with single stacks I'm not sure the results would be similar stacked back to back,moisture and air would not be able to do what they need to do,my guess.


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## Wood Duck (Feb 1, 2012)

I'd get it as high off the ground as practical and try to get it covered within a couple of years. Also try to stack it away from trees or you'll end up with fall leaves filling the voids between the wood and then rotting and holding moisture. Dry wood lasts a really long time. That will be your retirement fuel.


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## Trktrd (Feb 1, 2012)

I have been using cedar trunks as rails under my single row stacks. Doesn't keep them particularly "high" off the ground, but no direct ground contact. From what I am reading here, I need more height?? ie: double pallets or pallets on bricks?


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## black locust (Feb 1, 2012)

Like has been said, off the ground and cover the top at least after one year.  I have some rows that I left uncovered for about three to four years and the sapwood and bark of the red oak was a mess in places.  Soft maple and cherry showed deterioration also.  Ash and locust held up fine.


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## Woody Stover (Feb 1, 2012)

I've been wondering if it would be better to have the wood about 15-16%, as opposed to the 12-13% it would go to if split and stacked for several years. I think I could get a more controlled, slower burn out of the wood that's got a little more moisture, but I'm not sure. I guess I could mod my stove to cut back the air more and achieve the same thing...
Anyway, I was thinking that if I stacked the rounds and top-covered until I'm a couple of years away from using the wood, _then_ split it, I could have everything I burn at about 15% or so...


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## CTYank (Feb 1, 2012)

Woody Stover said:
			
		

> I've been wondering if it would be better to have the wood about 15-16%, as opposed to the 12-13% it would go to if split and stacked for several years. I think I could get a more controlled, slower burn out of the wood that's got a little more moisture, but I'm not sure. I guess I could mod my stove to cut back the air more and achieve the same thing...
> Anyway, I was thinking that if I stacked the rounds and top-covered until I'm a couple of years away from using the wood, _then_ split it, I could have everything I burn at about 15% or so...



IME, the lower the MC, the better. Period. Moisture is no help with firewood.

When the MC gets really low, the wood lights quickly, and can be gotten to settle down for a long-term burn very quickly, with greatly reduced probability of cooling down to a nasty slow smolder. Air control decides the burn rate.

All the stories people quote about wetter -> slow burn are "wives' tales."


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## firefighterjake (Feb 1, 2012)

I sure hope you cannot season wood for too long . . . otherwise Dennis will be in some serious trouble. 

Actually +1 to what everyone else has said . . . get the wood off the ground and top cover it if you're talking long term storage.


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## Flatbedford (Feb 1, 2012)

It will be far more likely to rot if left in rounds. Split you should be good for a long time.


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## Backwoods Savage (Feb 1, 2012)

Trktrd said:
			
		

> I have been using cedar trunks as rails under my single row stacks. Doesn't keep them particularly "high" off the ground, but no direct ground contact. From what I am reading here, I need more height?? ie: double pallets or pallets on bricks?



No! You do not need more height nor do you need to be concerned about keeping a 6-8 year stash of wood. If you did, then like Jake said, I would really be in deep trouble. Case in point, have you read or heard about Dennis wood? Short story, I took some of our wood to Woodstock and had them burn it in their stoves. fire_man, Tony was elected to split some of the wood. Just ask him about it! lol

btw, that wood was cut, split and stacked in December of 2002. The wood we are cutting right now will not be burned until probably 2019-2020. 

Yes, one of the big keys is to keep the wood off the ground....but only by a few inches. Just so air can circulate and that the wood does not touch the ground. However, there are also exceptions. Just to show the exception, feast your eyes on this picture:







It was probably from this stack that said Dennis wood came from. Notice if you will that there is nothing except Mother Earth under that wood! We can get away with that in certain areas of our place (high ground) because we are on yellow sand and this ground just does not hold moisture. Like another poster on this board, when we'd get down to the bottom row, that would get thrown onto the next year's wood so it would finish drying. All the rest of the wood was wonderful and it was common for us to burn wood that had been stacked for many, many years. We also have no problems with our wood turning punky. We leave it uncovered the first summer and then top cover just before the snow flies.

Conclusion:  Get that wood! Split it and stack it then cover only the top of the wood. In about 3 years you will notice a huge difference in the performance of your wood stove because it will be working so wonderful.


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## Wood Duck (Feb 1, 2012)

I would try to get it as dry as possible as soon as possible. Less moisture means less chance of rot. Maybe if you live in Nevada or somewhere like that you can end up with wood that is too dry, but for most of us I don't think that will ever be a problem.


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## Backwoods Savage (Feb 1, 2012)

I doubt even in Nevada. I've never seen wood too dry!


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## Wood Duck (Feb 2, 2012)

Trktrd said:
			
		

> I have been using cedar trunks as rails under my single row stacks. Doesn't keep them particularly "high" off the ground, but no direct ground contact. From what I am reading here, I need more height?? ie: double pallets or pallets on bricks?



More height would help keep it drier, but you're probably fine for a couple of years. The OP is cutting many years' worth of wood so he needs extra to take extra precautions


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## fire_man (Feb 2, 2012)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> Trktrd said:
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Yup, Dennis wood is very hard stuff. I was using a splitting wedge and sledge, and it was like hitting on concrete. A splitting maul would have been easier, but we were inside with lots of people around. I struggled just to get that dang wedge to bite in, and even when the wedge was driven half way, the Dennis wood held tight.  I think the tree roots must have been sucking up cement dust. >:-(


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## ohlongarm (Feb 2, 2012)

My brother lives in the foothills of the Superstitious mountains in Arizona,now it does sometimes in the desert get down to freezing. He has a small stove about 1.5 cu. ft he burns it on those occasions. He burns mesquite,orange,pecan and some other exotics ,he might burn a cord in 5 years,but keeps a cord on hand by continuosly adding to the pile.Never heard any complaints about wood to dry,exposed yearly uncovered in direct wind and sun.A different animal for sure.


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## Trktrd (Feb 3, 2012)

Lots of good advice, thanks. As I stated in my first post there was a lot of wood stacks left here from the previous owner, all rotten. They were all on the ground and still rounds. That explains that !


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## firefighterjake (Feb 3, 2012)

Can wood season too long? Yes.

Of course there may have been some extenuating circumstances . . . and a few thousand years of "seasoning" going on here.


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## Flatbedford (Feb 3, 2012)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> Can wood season too long? Yes.
> 
> Of course there may have been some extenuating circumstances . . . and a few thousand years of "seasoning" going on here.



Did you get that from Dennis?


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## roddy (Feb 3, 2012)

i dont think your wood can be too dry,i burn a boat load of kiln dried maple each year(i,m a lumber wholesaler)and that stuff is great,not to hot,too dry,to uncontrollable,to whatever,dryer is better....


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## Dune (Feb 3, 2012)

It was the only piece he couldn't split verticaly.


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## Backwoods Savage (Feb 4, 2012)

Flatbedford said:
			
		

> firefighterjake said:
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I wondered where that log went. Now I know the culprit!


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## Backwoods Savage (Feb 4, 2012)

Dune said:
			
		

> It was the only piece he couldn't split verticaly.




I tried, I really did!


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## firefighterjake (Feb 6, 2012)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> Dune said:
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If it's any consolation I couldn't get it to split horizontally either.


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