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Storing wood

Started by bendjoseph, November 02, 2011, 10:38:50 AM

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bendjoseph

Due to the recent storm here in CT, I now have about a dozen good size oak trees.  I will not be able to sPlit and stack it this winter.  Is it better to store it in six foot lengths or sixteen inch lengths?

beenthere

Pick either/or, and what is most convenient for you. Will dry just a tad bit more in the shorter blocks as there will be more endgrain exposed. Take the easiest which may be ease of moving and stacking, hopefully with a set of forks.
I buck my logs to 90 inches, which gives me 5 18" blocks from each and hauls nicely on the forks, as well as stacks neatly in a log pile.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

John Mc

It depends on when you are planning on burning it.

Oak tends to dry slowly. The shorter you cut it, and the smaller you split it, the faster it will dry. I know I have trouble getting red oak dry in less than a year, but non-oak species I can cut in the Spring and get down to 15-18% moisture content (good for burning) by fall, if I store it properly.

Don't expect much drying if stored in 6 foot lengths -- just not enough exposed surface. You'll get some drying if cut to 16".
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

woodmills1

oak is almost a 2 year dry to burn right firewood
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

John Mc

Quote from: woodmills1 on November 06, 2011, 07:47:20 PM
oak is almost a 2 year dry to burn right firewood

Yeah... depending on how big you cut and split it, and what your drying season is like...
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

bendjoseph

Due to the amount, I have dropped four trees with 12 to go.  I will store it in 14" lengths.  I will start to split it in April. 

John Mc

If you can, put something under it like pallets or two poles laid parallel, to hold it up off the ground. It improves air circulation, and keeps it from wicking moisture up off the ground.

Also, get it out where it is exposed to the sun and wind. Covering it is not that big a deal at the beginning of the drying process, especially if it is still in round form.

Your drying season is probably a bit better in CT than it is here in VT, but I still would not expect a whole lot of drying to happen over the winter. You might pull out some surface moisture, but when the water in the wood is frozen, you won't get much to move out of the interior.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

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