Can you guys please help re: seasoning ?

[dave7965]

When seasoning wood, how important is it to stack them criss cross ? I know that this increases airflow but it involves so much more work due to the fact that it takes up so much room this way. I have to totally dismantle it and restack it tightly when preparing for the burning season. I would rather do it once.
thanks

 

[Wood Duck]

I don't think it is necessary to stack criss-cross style. I would only stack that way if I really needed the wood to season fast, for example if I had no choice but to burn the wood this winter and it was too green right now. If I needed fast seasoning I'd stack criss cross in a really windy, sunny spot and put a cover over the top elevated at least a foot or so above the wood. If not, I'd just stack them the normal, parallel way and let them sit a year at least. how soon do you plan to burn the wood you're stacking?

 

[billb3]

I only criss cross to build a stack end support or to speed drying by increasing air flow. Takes up extra space, too.

 

[dave7965]

I sometimes need to burn in 6 mos time (I know that's not ideal)

 

[daveswoodhauler]

I think if you have sufficient airspace between each row, you are ok with not stacking the criss/cross method.
One mistake I made last year/this year is when I had stacked each row, I only had a few inches in between each row, and due to shrinkage, some of the stacks started to lean against each other....meaning no air flow.
Well, my outer rows that were cut/split last March were below 20% below moisture content...mostly Beech, Maple and a little oak. (I split the oak smaller than the others as I know it takes longer to season)
I am now onto the 4th row (inner one) that was cut/split/stacked in January 2009, and it is reading 21-23%...mainly maple)
So, just learned another lesson this year....just gotta have air flow all around to get it to season well.
Good Luck

 

[dave7965]

To ilikewood:
how can you get airflow between each row if they're stacked the same way ??

 

[Pagey]

I stack 8 face cord in my shed, all facing the same way. I use metal fence posts as ends to hold the stacks securely. I have about 5 or 6" between each run to allow air to flow between the stacks.

As long as you don't butt the stacks/ends right up against the other, you have air space. This means that I technically have less wood in the shed that it could hold, but I sacrifice that space in the name of air flow, which to me is more important.

It's hard to tell in this pic, but if you look at the bottoms of the rows you can get an idea my spacing:

 

[daveswoodhauler]

To ilikewood:
how can you get airflow between each row if they're stacked the same way ??

I use these bad boys, as I don't have a woodshed...and had a number of 2 X 4's left over from a home improvement project.

(broken link removed)

Basically, I use 10 footers (pt) on the bottom, and then stack 5 feet on each end...I think I would have been a lot better off if I just had 5-6" in between each row...

Pageys ideas are good too