HH Stacking, What I learned

[Vic99]

In April of 2008 I completed my first holtz haufen stack of spilt mixed hard and soft woods. Center was filled with wood, mostly uglies. Covered top with barkside up to give a shingle effect. Middle of "roof" was highest point so water would flow away from center. The HH stack never fell over.

HH was 6 ft tall, 6.5 ft wide and stacked on pallets in a partly sunny area. Had a pole up the middle to measure shrinkage (if any). Seasoned it for 19 months. Did not cover for springs and summer. Covered with very heavy tarp before autumn rains and through the winter. Here's what I observed:

- Center did not dry out well. Seems that rain that made it into middle never really dried out properly. Maybe 40% of center wood had all manner of fungi growing on it. Moisture under bark in some places;

- Lots of the ends that faced inward also never really dried properly;

- Pile as a whole did not shrink;

- Pallets held up real well under the weight (built a square of 4);

Completed a second HH 2 months later. Just started pulling wood from it. That stack was covered with a tarp much more. This second stack had very little fungi growing, although I've only taken about 15% of that stack apart. Most of wood appears drier.

Have 2 other HHs drying now. They will stay covered unless we have a summer drought only broken by light rain. One all oak for next year, one mixed for the year after.

Tentative conclusion: If building an HH in a temperate area, like central New England, don't let rain get into the middle.

Other suggestions.

 

[westkywood]

Here is what someone else said about stacking this way.....

Some years ago a guy emailed woodheat.org and very forcefully told us that everything we said about stacking and seasoning wood was wrong and promoted the holtz hausen. I was dubious about the claim that the chimney effect would dry the wood faster. I wondered how a meaningful chimney effect was created without a temperature difference and how wood could possibly dry faster in an organized pile like that than in a windrow. See:

(broken link removed to http://www.thechimneysweep.ca/6seasoningwood.html)

I didn't want to challenge the guy without any knowledge, so I tried building one myself. It was without a doubt the most awkward, time consuming, tedious way to pile wood I could imagine. I spent all my time walking around that damned pile and reaching into the center to place pieces. I threw in the towel long before the thing fell down. I went back to piling in windrows and haven't looked back.

The lesson I take from this is that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is, as if we didn't already know that.

 

[Wood Duck]

Very interesting observations. I have several holz hausen and they are like yours, built with wood in the center and slabs of wood for a shingle appearance. I am sure my shingle roof does not keep out the water. The shingles are rounded so water would run off the sides of each shingle, not down onto the next shingle downhill. Mine are in a windy and sunny spot, stacked on rock. I am not ready to tear one down yet, and mine haven't sat for as long as yours. I hope I don't have too much fingus. One thing I do notice with fungus is that it sometimes grows while the wood is fresh then seems to slow or stop growing as the wood dries. The evidence lasts for a long time, however, so maybe you had old fungus, but not active growing fungus?

 

[Vic99]

I never thought it would dry faster.

I'm not ready to stop building them. I like the process actually and I like what they look like in the yard.

Although some of the fungus was clearly dry, lots was not, especially some of the forest green colored mold (I got all kinds of crazy colors).

 

[drdoct]

Mine is in rows and covered in fungus. Been the wettest 7 months of the century though. I so wish I had covered these stacks because they are wetter than sin. Thinking about doing a HH later this year though just for the experience.

 

[billb3]

Well, it has been a bit wetter than usual.

I have covers to try to keep my long rows as dry as posible and I stilll have mold and fungi growth on the north side of my stacks. (they go east and west to try to catch the predominant SW wind, here.)
I always get a little , usually on the bottoms of the stacks, but this year it's all the way up on everything but the oak.

 

[Vic99]

I know I only have info from 1 year, but it seems covering the top more often is the way to go. I leave them uncovered in the summer, but cover if forecast calls for anything more than light rain.

The dog loves these wood stacks because chipmunks nest there.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

I am tearing my first HH apart and quite happy with the results. It was actually built over the summer and mostly cherry wood, that seasons quickly. It was all dry and burning well, even the wood from the middle. I don't think covering really helps (and I am sure it would ruin the look), I am covering some now that the roof is off of a section, this is only so that if I bring more in I do not have to deal with the current rain or snow. I was surprised how dry it was in the middle. I stack both ways, but the HH is such a hit with friends and family I will have to build another one.

 

[Vic99]

Glad to hear it worked well for you.

I too will continue to used long and HH stacks.

 

[Nonprophet]

I am tearing my first HH apart and quite happy with the results. I don't think covering really helps (and I am sure it would ruin the look), I am covering some now that the roof is off of a section, this is only so that if I bring more in I do not have to deal with the current rain or snow. I was surprised how dry it was in the middle. I stack both ways, but the HH is such a hit with friends and family I will have to build another one.

I now have two 7'x7'x8' HH's. Here in the PNW, we just get too much rain to expect the bark "roof" to keep enough rain out, so I cover the tops with 8x10 white heavy duty tarps. Sure, I think they look better au naturale, but my firewood stacks are never meant to be works of art--they're meant to dry wood.

I also don't believe that the "chimney effect" helps dry faster or even exists, and for this reason I just heaped the ugly pieces in the middle if both my HH's without worrying about the vertical orientation of the splits. Frankly, the walls are so tightly stacked that I don't see how anywhere close to enough air could pass through to create the so-called chimney effect.

I do like the HH's, they have a much smaller footprint that windrows, they're fun to build, and throwing the ugly pieces in the middle is a great way to deal with those hard-to-stack pieces that I always seem to wind up with.

NP

 

[Vic99]

Have you noticed that your HHs are dry in the middle? How long did it take to season? What species?

Or are they still seasoning?

 

[golfandwoodnut]

I am tearing my first HH apart and quite happy with the results. I don't think covering really helps (and I am sure it would ruin the look), I am covering some now that the roof is off of a section, this is only so that if I bring more in I do not have to deal with the current rain or snow. I was surprised how dry it was in the middle. I stack both ways, but the HH is such a hit with friends and family I will have to build another one.

I now have two 7'x7'x8' HH's. Here in the PNW, we just get too much rain to expect the bark "roof" to keep enough rain out, so I cover the tops with 8x10 white heavy duty tarps. Sure, I think they look better au naturale, but my firewood stacks are never meant to be works of art--they're meant to dry wood.

I also don't believe that the "chimney effect" helps dry faster or even exists, and for this reason I just heaped the ugly pieces in the middle if both my HH's without worrying about the vertical orientation of the splits. Frankly, the walls are so tightly stacked that I don't see how anywhere close to enough air could pass through to create the so-called chimney effect.

I do like the HH's, they have a much smaller footprint that windrows, they're fun to build, and throwing the ugly pieces in the middle is a great way to deal with those hard-to-stack pieces that I always seem to wind up with.

NP

You probably get more rain than us, but believe me we get more than our share of rain. I personally do not believe rain is a big deal even on regular stacks. The rain will dry in a couple of days once you bring it in and is not a factor in drying the wood. My wood is bone dry in the middle of the HH, I can see covering when you are starting to take it apart. I believe the HH are works of art as well as drying machines so I know I will never cover them. I agree that in the middle you can just throw in the pieces and now worry too much about vertical stacking. Next time I take some wood out (this weekend) I will take pictures of the middle, I think you will be surprised how dry it is.

 

[pulldownclaw]

I had a fair amount of fungus on my oak HH I've been burning the last month or so. It did seem to be growing on the North side of the HH for the most part. The wood in the middle of my HH doesn't "look" seasoned because it hasn't been exposed to the elements, but the stuff I'm burning now is pumping out some heat. I'd say the stuff I'm burning now is about 15 months in.

One thing I won't do again is put in a center pole, because now that I'm about half way thru burning my HH I've still got the tarp hung up on a pole 8' in the air, and it's a real PITA to deal with.

 

[Got Wood]

One thing I won't do again is put in a center pole, because now that I'm about half way thru burning my HH I've still got the tarp hung up on a pole 8' in the air, and it's a real PITA to deal with.

Oh crap, thats a good point that I didnt think of when building mine. Live and learn

 

[Nonprophet]

I really have no way of knowing if they're dry in the middle without tearing them apart. The first one is 90% Black Locust and I built it in October. The second one is 90% English Walnut, and I built it in December. The Black Locust was down and bucked up for 6 mos before I built the HH, and the English Walnut was dead and down but not bucked up 6 mos before I built the HH. I'm expecting that both will be ready to burn next season.

NP

 

[adrpga498]

I am tearing my first HH apart and quite happy with the results. I don't think covering really helps (and I am sure it would ruin the look), I am covering some now that the roof is off of a section, this is only so that if I bring more in I do not have to deal with the current rain or snow. I was surprised how dry it was in the middle. I stack both ways, but the HH is such a hit with friends and family I will have to build another one.

I now have two 7'x7'x8' HH's. Here in the PNW, we just get too much rain to expect the bark "roof" to keep enough rain out, so I cover the tops with 8x10 white heavy duty tarps. Sure, I think they look better au naturale, but my firewood stacks are never meant to be works of art--they're meant to dry wood.

I also don't believe that the "chimney effect" helps dry faster or even exists, and for this reason I just heaped the ugly pieces in the middle if both my HH's without worrying about the vertical orientation of the splits. Frankly, the walls are so tightly stacked that I don't see how anywhere close to enough air could pass through to create the so-called chimney effect.

I do like the HH's, they have a much smaller footprint that windrows, they're fun to build, and throwing the ugly pieces in the middle is a great way to deal with those hard-to-stack pieces that I always seem to wind up with.

NP

You probably get more rain than us, but believe me we get more than our share of rain. I personally do not believe rain is a big deal even on regular stacks. The rain will dry in a couple of days once you bring it in and is not a factor in drying the wood. My wood is bone dry in the middle of the HH, I can see covering when you are starting to take it apart. I believe the HH are works of art as well as drying machines so I know I will never cover them. I agree that in the middle you can just throw in the pieces and now worry too much about vertical stacking. Next time I take some wood out (this weekend) I will take pictures of the middle, I think you will be surprised how dry it is.

I concur, good responce.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

As promised, I took a picture of the inside of my HH. I think you can see how dry the wood is, I only now have a tarp over the section I am tearing apart. Nothing before, and this January we have had near record rain and snow. I think you guys are wasting time putting on tarps ahead of time. But just my opinion.

 

[adrpga498]

Looks very dry , I only use a tarp to cover my 27 ton splitter. Had to move splitter outta the garage, too many other things taking up space. Bikes , junk etc.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

Looks very dry , I only use a tarp to cover my 27 ton splitter. Had to move splitter outta the garage, too many other things taking up space. Bikes , junk etc.

I agree, never enough garage space. I just gave away an old lawnmower and refrig on CL because I was out of room. Boy they went quick, my phone would not stop ringing 5 minutes after I listed them.