What's More Important, Sun and Wind or Coverage?

[EPS]

I have two outbuildings on my property, one is a detached two-care garage and the other is a leanto shed. THe leanto has become a catch all for all of my lawn and garden equipment in the five years we've lived here. This Spring I hope to rearrange the shed so that it will double as a wood shed and storage area. Currently, I stack a bulk of my wood outside with tarps on the top. They get lots of sun and wind this way. The leanto shed doesn't get a lot of direct sun or air flow, but it is covered and the wood would stay bone dry in there.

Thoughts?

 

[Dataman]

I hate moving wood. Which one is easiest to get for Winter? It all depends on the type of wood. I used White Pine and it dried very quick in the sun. In 2 weeks bucked up wood was lots lighter. In a month out in the sun stuff I split up was dry. I kept mine in bay when it was dry and wife would bring it up in tractor bucket for me to stack.

Went to pellets last year. Sure don't miss all that fun! Downing Trees, Delimbing, disposal of limbs and bucking up and splitting and stacking and then moving.

Guy comes with Skid Stear and leave the pallets in the bay.

 

[begreen]

I would guess wind being able to freely flow through the stacks, but some places don't get much wind. In that case, staying dry. Sun is helpful, but not essential. Our wood stacked in the open sided shed gets no direct sunlight, but it dries fine. The most important element is time.

 

[MAD MARK]

The most important element is time.

This gets my vote.

 

[johneh]

Wind -wind-sun my wood gets twice as much wind as it gets sun
Drys fast with lots of air movement

 

[HisTreeNut]

I agree with begreen on this. My wood is stacked in an area that gets wind and occasional sun. I top cover with tarps and it dries fine usually.
This year has been especially wet & is causing issues with dryness but in adjusting my tarps the other day, after 4 years of use, several need replacing. That problem will be solved on the next hardware store run.

 

[thewoodlands]

I have two outbuildings on my property, one is a detached two-care garage and the other is a leanto shed. THe leanto has become a catch all for all of my lawn and garden equipment in the five years we've lived here. This Spring I hope to rearrange the shed so that it will double as a wood shed and storage area. Currently, I stack a bulk of my wood outside with tarps on the top. They get lots of sun and wind this way. The leanto shed doesn't get a lot of direct sun or air flow, but it is covered and the wood would stay bone dry in there.

Thoughts?

Wind.

 

[Jason A]

If the wood is green I'd definitely start it off in the area with the most wind and sun. Stack loose and single rowed with metal roofing or plywood (tarps if the other two aren't available). I'd keep it in that area til just before burning season and then move to the lean-to.

It's extra work for sure but I made the mistake of putting green wood in a shed too early and the hissing coming from my stove just about broke my heart.

Just my opinion

 

[woodhounder]

The hot summer sun beaten down on the wood sure seems to dry it out pretty fast.

 

[weatherguy]

Wind is number one, I'm sure direct sun doesnt hurt.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I stack all of my wood in a shed. Once its in the shed I'm done with it untill its time.to burn. When stackinging a few.things are important. Dont stack the wood to deep. I only stack.3 rows deep. This will allow air flow through the stacks. The 2nd is my shed is facing south. A southerly exposure will allow the prevailing winds to work through. My shed is vented allowing the air to move out throuth the back and sides. My wood is ready in 18 months doing it this way. I start cutting and stacking in january and I'm finished by the end of march. To me the 3 most important things are keeping the wood dry, southerly winds and letting it sit there untill its ready..

 

[EPS]

Thanks for all the feedback. I meant to say sun and wind as one package, not one or the other. I made two log stores last spring that serve brilliantly as the get both sun and wind and they are covered but with lots of ventilation. I think what I'll do is use these ( they hold about a month's worth of firewood each) as the last spot before the wood goes into the house, as they're placed on the walkway from garage to house. As they deplete I will refill with wood from the leanto, where all incoming splits will begin.

I'll post pics once I get the leanto all cleared and cleaned.

 

[rowerwet]

air flow first, sun is nice, covered is good to keep leaves, snow and ice out of a stack, leaves will keep the airflow away from the wood, and promote water staying in the wood. Ice and snow also keep water in the wood.
cut and split wood naturally expels water, as long as the air is dry enough for evaporation to happen.
wood will absorb water if it is in direct contact with wet objects all the time, like leaves, or the ground.

Time is your friend, work at getting a few years ahead will do more to make sure it is seasoned.
I have 15 cords stacked, burning about 5 cords a year, I know my wood is ready to burn after that long in open air, covered racks.

 

[TedyOH]

You can not control where, if or when the wind is going to blow so stack where the sun can get to it the most first.....side note....i need to treat my wood deck this year...can some one grab me a can of that stain from Home Depot that has the wind protectors in it? I can only seem to find the stains that have UV protection...

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Woodsplitter67]

You can not control where, if or when the wind is going to blow so stack where the sun can get to it the most first.....side note....i need to treat my wood deck this year...can some one grab me a can of that stain from Home Depot that has the wind protectors in it? I can only seem to find the stains that have UV protection...

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

You can not control the wind.. this is correct. That being said. There is somthing call prevailing winds this is the direction that the majority of the winds will be coming from in a given period or season. My prevailing winds in the summer mostly come south to south west.. in the winter its mostly north to north west. Knowing this when your setting up your shed is invaluable. Setting up this way shortens up the seasoning time.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I have two outbuildings on my property, one is a detached two-care garage and the other is a leanto shed. THe leanto has become a catch all for all of my lawn and garden equipment in the five years we've lived here. This Spring I hope to rearrange the shed so that it will double as a wood shed and storage area. Currently, I stack a bulk of my wood outside with tarps on the top. They get lots of sun and wind this way. The leanto shed doesn't get a lot of direct sun or air flow, but it is covered and the wood would stay bone dry in there.

Thoughts?

Top cover it.

If you are trying to dry something out, keep it out of the rain.

I went halfsies with a neighbor last winter. Their wood, my labor.

Stacked theirs in their open sided woodshed, no sun, whatsoever. Mine, in a single row stack, open to the sky, plenty of sun and wind. Top covered mine in September.

Their wood is bone dry. Mine barely burns.

Top cover it.

 

[billb3]

It might depend on what part of the country you are in. Where it rains a lot a roof of some sort might be a primary concern.
On a small tree shaded lot surrounded by a wind blocking fence a tarp might act like condom even just laying across the top if it is making contact.
I doubt if there is one fits-all set of parameters that works for everybody everywhere.

Ideal for me would be stacked under a carport in the middle of a rather large open field.

 

[Sodbuster]

It might depend on what part of the country you are in. Where it rains a lot a roof of some sort might be a primary concern.
On a small tree shaded lot surrounded by a wind blocking fence a tarp might act like condom even just laying across the top if it is making contact.
I doubt if there is one fits-all set of parameters that works for everybody everywhere.

Ideal for me would be stacked under a carport in the middle of a rather large open field.

I'd say covered and wind are your best choices. I stacked some green cherry on black top in the sun with tar paper covering, and it was seasoned in 6 months.