What’s up, guys. I started reading thru this forum a week or so ago and I’m loving it, and learning a lot. So, anyway, I bough a house last year with a wood burning stove and I’m getting into the wood hoarding (not close to the level of most of you guys…). I built a wood rack in my yard a few months ago and as I was building it, people were telling me, “no matter how big you make it, it’s not going to be big enough.” …They were right. Thanks for having me. …ok, I was trying to post a pic of my wood rack, but I’ll have to figure out how to post pics. …think I figured it out.
Welcome PatrickNY Great that youved joined in the fun. We love pics here. Looks like you are well on your way with that nice looking shed. In a nutshell you want to get on the three year plan. Basically enough dried wood cut, split and stacked, that would last for three years then replace what you have burned. It takes time and dedication but can be accomplished. Looking forward to seeing that shed fill up!
Welcome PatrickNY and it looks like you’re nailing it with that wood shed- strong opening post! Note: when you upload pics, use the “upload a file” button located next to “post reply,” and pick the “insert all as thumbnails” choice. As for all the other questions FHC folks will pose to you, I’ll just say this- strap in and hold on- good times ahead.
Thanks, guys. Yes, I’m just learning about that 3-year plan. I’m going to need more storage space. Also, I’ve been picking up free wood from people giving it away thru FBook marketplace, and they tell me that the tree was cut down a year ago, but I’m learning that that year doesn’t count towards the 3 years…? As I split the wood, it’s very wet underneath the bark, so I’m guessing that the drying time only starts after the wood is split…?
Yes! The countdown starts when it is split. Some woods dry in as little as six months (silver maple, tulip poplar) whereas others take up to three years (oak, hickory) We consider dry when the internal moisture is below 20%.
Question. So, since I’m not going to have enough room in my wood rack for 3 yrs worth of wood, when I’m stacking split wood outside, is it better to take the bark off? It seems like that bark is holding in a lot of moisture.
If the bark comes off when im splitting fine, but other than that i leave it. Yes it does dry faster with the bark off. The black locust i cut yesterday was year old logs and the bark came off easily.
When bucked it'll hold moisture cause it can only go two ways, but once its split you'll be fine more surface area to disperse that moisture within....
Welcome! Nice rack you got there. I wouldn't waste time taking off the bark. In fact, if you stack your wood bark up, it will serve as a natural, individual, personalized piece of shingle to shed the water off the splits. If it falls off, it falls off. I cover my stacks that I plan on burning for the winter at hand. In fact, I just covered mine the other day and need to purchase 3 more tarps.
Welcome to FHC PatrickNY ... really cool firewood family you've just found... ... even tho most are a little "off"...
Welcome! You’re off to a great start with that shed - especially since it’s open and allows more air to flow. And yes if the wood is split stacked and covered for 3 years you won’t go wrong.
Welcome to the forum Patrick. Good questions. No need to remove the bark unless it is wanting to fall off; otherwise a waste of time and you already have plenty of time spent putting up the wood. And yes, basically the time for drying really starts after it has been split and stacked. Hopefully this will be some help to you as it has been for many. Primer on Woodburning by Backwoods Savage | Firewood Hoarders Club. In the future you can find this under "Resources." Good luck.
Welcome ! Looks like you are off to a great start. Very nice job on the wood shed. Did you figure out how much it will hold ? It might help if you can measure it and figure how many cords it will hold then you can use that to figure out wood needed down the road.
PatrickNY welcome to FHC! We're glad you've joined. That's a good looking woodshed for sure & I'd say you're well on your way to successful wood heating. Dry wood as most have said is the key to good & safe heating. There is nothing quite like the feeling of a warm comfortable home on a cold winter's night & knowing that there won't be a massive bill due for that comfort in a few weeks time, or imagine an ice storm in winter with an extended power outage. Your home will be warm, no frozen pipes etc. it's a great feeling imo. The article that Backwoods Savage linked above is well written & covers most everything you need to know about wood heating. He's really old & knows "stuff". Ask any more questions you may have & you'll find answers based on real experience by real people that are happy to help. Enjoy!
Buzzsaw, Thanks. As near as I can figure, I think my wood rack will hold about 3 cords. It's 16' x 5' and height goes from 6' in the rear to 8' in the front. ...also not sure how much wood I'll go thru in a year.
