# Stacking wood; bark up or down?



## Backwoods Savage (Sep 8, 2011)

Seeing this in other threads it prompted me to start this one. Many have complained of bark trapping moisture and some even debark their logs before stacking. I have always stacked for the most part bark up. For some reason I can get stronger stacks that way and if some bark does loosen, which it will from shrinkage, then water does not get in between the bark and the wood. Just something to think about the next time you stack wood.


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## ohio woodburner (Sep 8, 2011)

Dennis, good points.  I know on my first row on my stacks i go bark up. Just for a nice sturdy base. After that i just stack any ol way and hope they don't fall over.


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## remkel (Sep 8, 2011)

any way it stays between the trees, poles, beams---that is the way I stack em.

Sometimes I wonder if we are overthinking this wood burning stuff.


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## fossil (Sep 8, 2011)

I've never paid any attention.  Stack it so the stack is stable and compact, regardless of where the bark is.  Actually, with the typically triangular shape of splits, starting the bottom row bark up makes no sense to me.  Can't even imagine how you'd do that.  Maybe I'm not understanding or I'm doing it wrong.  That would not be unprecedented in my life.

I'd take Remkel's statement: "Sometimes I wonder if we are overthinking this wood burning stuff."  And delete the "I wonder if".  Rick


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## golfandwoodnut (Sep 8, 2011)

This has come up before, the consesus is to stack bark side up to shed the water.  I definetly like the look on a holtz hauzen with bark up on the roof, it looks like shingles.  Not all wood has bark, so it really does not matter alot.


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## jatoxico (Sep 8, 2011)

Funny this came up today. I just deburred and rehandled my maul. Was doing a little research before starting into it and ran across this from Swedish axe maker Granfors Bruks. If you look at the link they say stack wood bark side down and cover the top. http://www.gransfors.us/TheAxeBook.pdf

I like to get the bark off if I can since I feel it holds moisture but it is time consuming and not always possible. When I stack wood with bark still on I've been trying try to stack bark up. Maybe I'll try their way.

Probably doesn't matter either way and I can see no one here has any opinion on the subject.

BTW the link is an informative article on axes and related subjects from a company that takes pride in it's products. Cheers


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## midwestcoast (Sep 8, 2011)

Never pay it much attention.  With bigger rounds it's not much of a choice anyway, lots of splits with no or very little bark.  If I was stacking all birch split from 8" rounds or something, I might go bark up.


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## rdust (Sep 8, 2011)

Ahh this one again.  :lol:  Bark up for me only because I have better luck stacking that way.


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## nate379 (Sep 8, 2011)

No wondering about it.  I think some people need to find a hobby or something to do with their time!



			
				Remkel said:
			
		

> .
> 
> Sometimes I wonder if we are overthinking this wood burning stuff.


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## Hiram Maxim (Sep 8, 2011)

rdust said:
			
		

> Ahh this one again.  :lol:  Bark up for me only because I have better luck stacking that way.



+1


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## Hiram Maxim (Sep 8, 2011)

NATE379 said:
			
		

> No wondering about it.  I think some people need to find a hobby or something to do with their time!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Nonsense! %-P  Whats a better hobby than heating your house with every advantage given to you straight by the people who know?

I'm Guilty of over thinking, I guess. lol


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## Thistle (Sep 8, 2011)

Remkel said:
			
		

> any way it stays between the trees, poles, beams---that is the way I stack em.
> 
> Sometimes I wonder if we are overthinking this wood burning stuff.



 +1 Exactly. At least 1/2 the wood I'm cutting has no bark.I stack it so its stable as possible & gets good ventilation.Its not rocket science.


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## onion (Sep 8, 2011)

I stack on skids.  I put pieces bark down in the spaces between slats on the skids then stack for stability up to the top row and try to put bark up on the top row.  I have no idea if it is actually helpful or not, just the way I do it.


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## Ash_403 (Sep 8, 2011)

I mix it up.  It really is no concern for me.  Some up, some down, some all the way around.  Keeps them guessing.

Cheers


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## Dune (Sep 8, 2011)

I always stack bark up. It is automatic, like tipping the oar blades on the back stroke when rowing. 

All the old books say to stack it bark up.

I can't see it hurting anything.


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## Woody Stover (Sep 8, 2011)

I stacked bark-down on the top of the stack to expose the wood to more sun and wind. That way, at least the top row of my stacks will be dry enough to burn this year. :lol:


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## firefighterjake (Sep 8, 2011)

Whichever way the pieces fit the best to make the stack stable . . . but towards the top my anal retentive side kicks in and I then tend to stack bark up for the "shingling" effect even though I suspect it doesn't really matter . . . but it makes me feel better.


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## Got Wood (Sep 8, 2011)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> Whichever way the pieces fit the best to make the stack stable . . . but towards the top my anal retentive side kicks in and I then tend to stack bark up for the "shingling" effect even though I suspect it doesn't really matter . . . but it makes me feel better.


+1 and the uglies/shorties go on top too


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## onetracker (Sep 8, 2011)

NATE379 said:
			
		

> No wondering about it.  I think some people need to find a hobby or something to do with their time!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



hey...i'm an addict.
addicts don't know what drives them and rarely seek justification.
i'll read threads about bark up bark down cover not cover ported non ported full chisel partial chisel till the cows come home. 

i've had a couple of fires already just to drive the moisture out of my house. its uncanny how a few bits of bark can raise the temp in the basement 10 degrees this time of year. that surely ain't happenin' in january.


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## onetracker (Sep 8, 2011)

jatoxico said:
			
		

> Funny this came up today. I just deburred and rehandled my maul. Was doing a little research before starting into it and ran across this from Swedish axe maker Granfors Bruks. If you look at the link they say stack wood bark side down and cover the top. http://www.gransfors.us/TheAxeBook.pdf
> 
> I like to get the bark off if I can since I feel it holds moisture but it is time consuming and not always possible. When I stack wood with bark still on I've been trying try to stack bark up. Maybe I'll try their way.
> 
> ...



i LOVE this company. their carpenter's axe has been on my wish list for a while.


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## PapaDave (Sep 8, 2011)

I'm an equal opportunity stacker. However it fits is how it gets put on the stack.


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## Ken S (Sep 8, 2011)

I was taught as a kid bark side up so that is how I do it just natural by now,wouldn't feel right to do it the other way


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## Backwoods Savage (Sep 8, 2011)

As usual, this is sort of a fun thread just to see what different folks opinion is on stacking. 

As for Rick's sort of question on that bottom row, we usually have plenty of logs that we just split in half. Those pieces and rounds work great for that bottom row. Same thing goes for the rectangle pieces but on those, of course the bark is on one side. 

I'll keep stacking the way I always have just because I don't know any better. Besides, my record still holds about no stacks tipping over. Had some that was close but don't ever remember having to restack.


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## RoseRedHoofbeats (Sep 8, 2011)

Flat side down? Which usually means bark is sideways, or I guess up, if it was a true semi-circle. I rarely have splits that are a semi-circle shape, they're normally wedges or squares of larger pieces with no bark to speak of. But, I have really small splits for my small stove. 

I'm trying and failing to imagine how you could put it bark-side down and not have it roll. The bark side is the rounder side. Generally speaking. 

~Rose


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