How long will it last?

[ohio woodburner]

After checking on my wood stash today i figured i am about 3-4 years ahead on c/s/s wood. Well after my scrounge last weekend of about 2 cords of ash i has wondering if i should split it or leave it in rounds for a couple years. I'm just worried about it getting punky. Any ideas how long ash will stay good in rounds? I also have about a 1/3 cord of cherry in rounds. Should i just split the cherry or leave it in rounds also? Should i cover the rounds also? Thanks Jim

 

[Wood Duck]

I think any type of wood will last longer the drier it is, and splitting it makes it dry faster. I'd split the wood now.

 

[savageactor7]

Yeah I'm from that same split it sooner rather than later school too.

 

[smokinj]

3-4 years ahead I wouldnt kill myself to get after it!

 

[JustWood]

Off the ground ,under cover will last a very long time. Moisture is the enemy.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

After checking on my wood stash today i figured i am about 3-4 years ahead on c/s/s wood. Well after my scrounge last weekend of about 2 cords of ash i has wondering if i should split it or leave it in rounds for a couple years. I'm just worried about it getting punky. Any ideas how long ash will stay good in rounds? I also have about a 1/3 cord of cherry in rounds. Should i just split the cherry or leave it in rounds also? Should i cover the rounds also? Thanks Jim

You are in luck Jim. We burn lots of ash here and will be until they are all dead. The good news is that ash is about the slowest wood to go punky. I have some down on the ground that has been there for 3-4 years....in a wet area. Some has been under water for quite a while each year also. There is no sign of punk on any of it.

How long will it keep in rounds? I don't know. The oldest I've burned has been 10 years. Rounds or split will keep extremely well for many, many years. Stack it off the ground and cover the top of the stack only. We usually leave the whole stack open the first summer and cover the top in late fall or early winter; before the snow flies. Then we forget it until we are ready to burn it. We burned 5-6 year old ash this winter.

Here is some ash we cut during the winter of 2008-2009:

Here is some that is 5-6 years in the stack. This is ash, elm and soft maple with maybe some cherry mixed in:

 

[woodsmaster]

I wood split it sooner than later or at least make sure it's off the ground. I wouldn't cover the top till split.

 

[ohio woodburner]

Hey thanks for all the replies and tips. I think i might just leave them in rounds and put them up off the ground and covered. Although Dennis's second picture of that 5-6 year split ash looks pretty darn good.