When stacking wood, should I stack with the bark down or up (towards the sun)? I'm thinking up cause the sun will dry the wood faster, but then won't water collect in the bark?
Bark up or down?
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In many woods, bark has moisture trapping capabilities. It probably won't make a whole lot of difference but put the bark side down so it doesn't act as a cap holding the moisture in. The battle is to get water out of the deep interior of the wood. Rain etc won't penetrate far into the wood so wetting exposed surfaces is somewhat irrelevant.
I always believed they have moisture barrier capabilities. On the first course, I put the bark against the ground but then after that I always put it bark side up. Even the wood in the shed is stacked that way.jpl1nh said:
LOL
I just looked at my avatar and realized that even for the short trip to the shed, I stack it bark side up on the trailer. Force of habit, I guess.
I just looked at my avatar and realized that even for the short trip to the shed, I stack it bark side up on the trailer. Force of habit, I guess.
Huh...seems to me back when we stacked the bark was up. But that makes sense about the split side drying faster if it's up.
Anyway I take it you finally decided to start cutting on your own and now it's time to stack...how did you split the wood? Don't forget to take some pic's.
Anyway I take it you finally decided to start cutting on your own and now it's time to stack...how did you split the wood? Don't forget to take some pic's.
For stacking - I usually go which ever way fits best in the pile. (This usually means which ever way fits in the most stable configuration, but still allows air to flow around the stick) Like others say, I don't think as much moisture gets out through the bark, but I don't think it makes a difference which way it's pointed - the same moisture will come out whether the bark is on the top or the bottom.
For burning - If I want fire immediately, I try to put the wood side down and bark facing the back of the stove. The theory being that the bark protects the wood from burning a little, so we want the wood exposed directly to the coal bed. Also, if there happens to be any pockets of sap trapped under the bark and causes a 'POP' the flying embers tend to shoot back into the stove, but if the bark was on the front, they might pop out into the room if the stove door was open. If I'm loading up for the night, I'll try to put the bark side down which delays the ignition of the wood a bit and extends the burn time by a small amount.
For burning - If I want fire immediately, I try to put the wood side down and bark facing the back of the stove. The theory being that the bark protects the wood from burning a little, so we want the wood exposed directly to the coal bed. Also, if there happens to be any pockets of sap trapped under the bark and causes a 'POP' the flying embers tend to shoot back into the stove, but if the bark was on the front, they might pop out into the room if the stove door was open. If I'm loading up for the night, I'll try to put the bark side down which delays the ignition of the wood a bit and extends the burn time by a small amount.
For the most part we stack either way until we get to the top few rows and that is always bark up. It's worked pretty good for us for over 50 years. If it ain't broke then I have no reason to try to fix it.
i always do bark down makes the stack a little more looser and bark up for the top row but this year i am gonna do all bark down and see
Thanks guys! Bf thinks that if it's bark down then if water gets in between the bark and wood then when it freezes it will expand and pull the bark off, which would expose more wood to the elements...whatcha guys think?
I don't pay any attention. I stack the way it fits. All my seasoned wood is under roof and already missing a lot of bark anyway. My unseasoned wood is outside, either stacked or heaped, and since it'll be at least 2-3 years until I need any of it, I don't worry about it. No tarps, no nothin'. Rick
honestly ...... it doesn't matter.... if a holt..whachamacallit doesn't dry any faster up or down isn't gonna make a difference .. just stack it some place where wind and sun can get to it... thats all that matters
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