why has my wood gone mouldy?

[lorskimac]

Hi. I'm a bit new to this game and would like the help of some of you experienced wood stackers out there please.

A few months ago we split a load of ash and some other unidentified wood and stacked it to store in our garage. The gararge is cold and draughty. Now the logs feel very wet and are covered in a thick coating of white mould or something like that. There are also outbreaks of orange stuff as well. They're wetter than when we put them in! How can I store my logs for seasoning without this mouldy growth?

Thanks

Lorraine

 

[FLINT]

you are getting mold because you put wet wood in a non-ventilated area.

if you can, let your wood dry outside first, before you stack it indoors. although in your case, if your garage is really damp - the wood might be better off outside all the time and covered with a tarp or something.

I dry my wood outside all spring and summer (or two) , and then move it in to the shed in the fall after I'm sure its all dry.

We put some green wood in my dads shed before and it grew some white fungus on it.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I agree. Wood needs air circulation in order to season properly. If not, it will mold. That is not to say you won't get some mold when it is stacked outdoors but it will be minimal.

After cutting wood during winter, we do all the splitting after snow melt. Then we stack it on some poles (4 x 4's work and many use pallets to keep it up off the ground) so the side of the pile is so that the prevailing wind hits it which will help it to dry much faster. We do not cover our wood until it has had a full summer of drying and cover the top only in late fall or early winter; before the snow flies. Some never cover their wood piles and get along fine. If you live in an area with lots and lots of rain, then perhaps it would be good to cover the top of the pile right after stacking but never cover the sides or ends of the pile otherwise air can not circulate through the stacks. Wood has to dry to burn properly; especially so with the newer stoves.

Good luck.

 

[firefighterjake]

As others have said . . . the area where the wood was stored was not the best place . . . well I mean to say it was the best place if your goal was to grow fungi . . . cold, damp, dark . . . in general the best practice is to season the wood outside or in a well-ventilated area . . . some folks have had luck in storing wood in a garage . . . but generally they tend to season it outside first.

 

[lorskimac]

cool. thanks. Will have to construct a shelter at side of house or something. very wet here in ireland!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Good idea on the shelter but still best to keep it away from the house. More than one reason for this.

1. Bugs
2. Next to the house will not provide as much air circulation as it will out in the open. Both sun and wind are good for drying but wind is the most important.

Good luck.

 

[lorskimac]

I never knew that. The thing is that I only have a small back garden. Suburban Ireland is all like that. The house is double-skinned solid brick. Do you think bugs will still be a problem? The only other place would be a space I have under a tank, but that's closed on 3 sides with a roof on it in a dark corner of the garden. What do you think?

 

[Wood Duck]

If you have to stack it up against the house, leave a gap between the stacks and the house to allow some air to circulate. Also, kep the wood elevated off the gorund if you can, to allow air to move underneath the stack. With a brick house you don't have to worry as much about termites and fungus as you would if you lived in a wooden house. Stacking against a house is not ideal, but should be a lot better than the garage.

 

[lorskimac]

Thanks. I'm going to try that. I don't believe we have any termites here. Are there any other bad bugs to look out for?

 

[LLigetfa]

With a brick house you don't have to worry as much about termites and fungus as you would if you lived in a wooden house...

Ummm... I'm pretty sure that the floors and roof would be made with wood and damp is never good regardless of the building material.

If you don't have a place to properly season wood then you need to buy your wood already seasoned. If you buy kiln dried wood there should be no concern of bugs or damp. Have you considered a pellet stove instead?

Maybe try a dehumidifier kiln. Some people swear by it. I don't know how expensive electricity is in Ireland.

 

[Tony H]

With a brick house you don't have to worry as much about termites and fungus as you would if you lived in a wooden house...

Ummm... I'm pretty sure that the floors and roof would be made with wood and damp is never good regardless of the building material.

If you don't have a place to properly season wood then you need to buy your wood already seasoned. If you buy kiln dried wood there should be no concern of bugs or damp. Have you considered a pellet stove instead?

Maybe try a dehumidifier kiln. Some people swear by it. I don't know how expensive electricity is in Ireland.

Many of the structures in Ireland are built with block , poured concrete and metal so there might not be alot of wood and termites are unheard of in fact there are very few bugs in Ireland. The main worry would be the fungus and mold there's plenty of moisture to cause that. All fuels are quite expensive by american standards gas is $8.00 plus a gallon ! The old traditional heating fuel is /was peat dug from the peat bogs and dried then burned in a stove similar to burning wood but due to enviromental concerns peat is being phased out by the government I am told.
Any place you can stack the wood with good airflow should work if next to the house leave a foor or more to allow airflow behind the wood and keep it off the ground with the wind you have wood should dry well try cross stacking to save the existing wet stuff and cover just the top to keep the rain off your wood. If you have a stone wall around the yard I have even seen it stacked on top of the wall if the neighbors don't mind.

 

[gzecc]

Lorskimac, If you guys can dry peat and burn it you should be able to dry wood!

 

[Tony H]

Like alot of firewood dealers the peat farmers would dry it and sell to the city dwellers ( my uncle had a peat farm ) he dried it in a big barn with the doors wide open and when he built a new barn he had it open on 3 sides.

 

[Tony H]

Lorskimac,
Where abouts are you located in Ireland ? I have family in Kerry and Mayo .

 

[gzecc]

Amazingly wood has about the same heating energy (BTU"s), wrapped up in it as peat.

 

[Tony H]

Gzecc - That is amazing I would have expected wood to have more BTU's by volume or weight than peat.

 

[Tony H]

Sorry double post

 

[lorskimac]

Tony H, I'm just north of Belfast in County Antrim. Never been to Kerry, Mayo is beautiful for a holiday but I wouldn't know anyone there! Although peat is still burnt here, we're moving away from it because the bogs are becoming badly eroded and valuable wildlife habitat is being lost.

You guys are right, the cost of living here is very high - that's what you get for living on a small island on the edge of Europe I suppose! I love it here, can't imagine living anywhere else.

Can I just check what is meant by cross stacking please? Do you mean to stack them at right angles to the layer below? Although born in the heart of the countryside, I was brought up on the edge of the city and have never cut, dried or burnt peat! We got a stove for environmental reasons and also because they certified for use in smokeless zones, which applies to most housing now.

 

[Tony H]

Tony H, I'm just north of Belfast in County Antrim. Never been to Kerry, Mayo is beautiful for a holiday but I wouldn't know anyone there! Although peat is still burnt here, we're moving away from it because the bogs are becoming badly eroded and valuable wildlife habitat is being lost.

You guys are right, the cost of living here is very high - that's what you get for living on a small island on the edge of Europe I suppose! I love it here, can't imagine living anywhere else.

Can I just check what is meant by cross stacking please? Do you mean to stack them at right angles to the layer below? Although born in the heart of the countryside, I was brought up on the edge of the city and have never cut, dried or burnt peat! We got a stove for environmental reasons and also because they certified for use in smokeless zones, which applies to most housing now.

Yes cross stacking is at right angles from the layer below. The wood will get more air flow thru it and help to dry it faster.
Every place I have been to in Ireland has been beautiful and the people are great. We have a great time visiting but I am not sure I could get used to all the rain you get.