Lets try to avoid getting preachy here... We are hoping to get about 1/3 of our wood supply into the basement to ensure that we have access to it this winter. The majority of it will stay outside and will be brought into the wood hoop as we need it. We don't bring anything in until after the first hard freeze (we just had 5 degrees lows two days in a row) to try to keep pests to a minimum. My brother brought his in back in August be he tends to have a lot of mild and pest problems. Then again, he also seems to think six months is good to dry his wood, although I actually think I have convinced him to get a full year ahead as he had had next years supply stacked since August as well. But I digress. For next year we have our high BTU wood separate from the lower quality stuff. Next year we will bri g in all the high BTU stuff and then as much of the rest as possible. We only use a small room for storage which helps keep us from having to move anything back out. Anyway, what do the rest of you do?
I keep a day's storage next to the stove and about 3 days storage in the basement. That way I always have some dry wood available, since I don't cover.
I've got about 1/4 cord in the basement, with most of the rest just outside the (walk-out) basement door. The rack in the basement is just inside the door and is divided in half; when one section of the rack is empty I refill it from the outside wood and start using wood from the other half in a cycle that has the wood indoors for several days before it gets used. I went overboard on the scrounging this year and so also have around half a cord stacked on a first-floor deck, sheltered under a long strip of rubber roofing. I've been burning the stuff on the deck directly without it warming up indoors beforehand, and it doesn't seem to make a huge difference. So long as the wood is dry and kept covered, I think it's only worth bringing in a stock of it inside if it's especially convenient to do so.
We rarely get snow here and rain is more an issue. I have my wood in a shed That has open sides so it gets blowing rain but I just set that top wood to the side and pull lower wood. But living here in the south and the termite threat in this area my wood is NOT coming in my house! So metes I pull a wood cart or wheel barrow load up which may give me 2 days worth at most. But as a 2x a day stove loader i T's not a big deal to walk the 65 feet to the shed.
Since about a month ago i fill the water trough up every weekend Jack.. The rest of the year its a couch
I keep about 2 days worth in the garage. I actually like the daily chore of bringing in a load, gets me outside and moving a little.
If you do, I would bring in barkless wood. If not, you will most likely have powder post beetles flying around.
The wife and I just wish for a few weeks of the white stuff every yr. About 2 yrs ago we had snow that stuck in the shadows for a week and good every where for 3 days. Was fun to ride n okay in but kind of tricky as it was more like an ice sheet. That was a trick getting to the shed!!!
Hey Jack. I have a galvanized washtub thing next to the stove, and I bring in enough wood to fill that. Refill as needed. It's about 22" diameter. There's only 4 splits in it right now, but it's almost 50 out, so no need. I generally put close to 1/3 cord on the front porch, then pull in the house from that. The shed is only 13' straight out from the front of the house and a couple more feet from the porch. I go out in my slippers (after I've plowed ) to refill the porch. No basement here.
My stove is in the basement. I have a small underground room just off my basement that used to hold a swimming pool pump and filter. The pool is now long gone. The room is approx 10Lx8Wx5H...all concrete floor...block wall...concrete ceiling...all covered with dirt. In one corner there is a 10" hole that accesses the outdoors. I load up the ATV trailer...drop the wood down this hole and now it is in the basement. I have a wood cart that I wheel from the stove...to the room...fill up the cart...and wheel it back to the stove. In the dead of winter the cart will hold about 2-3 days worth of wood if I really load it up tall. Cart parks right next to the stove. I'm sure that explanation sucks so here are some pictures I found. Here's the hole leading to the room from the outside. I put a septic riser around it to keep the water out...and the list is made from a couple sheets of plywood laminated together...with one layer sitting inside the riser to keep it from sliding off. Here's the inside of the room. The access hole is in the back left corner. I'm taking the picture from the door leading to the rest of the basement.
We carry in wood as we burn it. The canvas log carrier sits inside a small rack next to the stove and we use the black Rubbermaid round carrier for kiln dried wood from the basement garage (I've got about 3 cords) for fire starter. We keep some splits on the front porch and as long as the weather permits we refill the front porch from the seasoned wood in the back yard. Once snow is on the ground we just go out the side door off the kitchen where we have it double stacked and covered to each side of the door.
I have to bring mine in almost daily, and it sucks!!! I thought of many times cutting a hole in the side of my house and making a trap door chute, That didn't fly…..
I have a couple cord on the porch, which is enclosed. Also about a days worth in what used to be a book shelf area about 3 ft from the stove. That tends to get rid of any residual surface moisture and maybe some internal.
About 3/4 cord at a time, brought in with a wheel barrow through the walk out. I use from one side and then when it's about half empty, refill and start using from the other side. The stove is about 4 feet away, and the basement is usually 80-90 90 when burning. Almost like kiln drying as you go.
Got a little wood box by the stove, it will hold a couple days worth burning full bore, but even if it's empty it ain't too far to the woodshed. Here is a picture I took of the woodshed while standing on the hearth.
