Moved some wood to the porch today. Red oak. The bark is coming some of it. The pieces on the top of the stack that have loose bark are wet under the bark. The pieces that the bark was tight on looked fine when I popped the bark off. Only the top layer, the rest of the stack was fine. On this split the bark was still tight on the right side, nice and dry under there. Wet on the left were the bark was loose. I've got plans for a wood-port with a 4 year capacity. Need to get it built.
How long ago did you cut/split/stack the oak? Ive got another year to wait for my pin oak to be ready for next year. It will be 2.5 years when ready (hopefully)
Did you just pile it to let it dry? I am curious if this works? I have a guy I know who said he just throws his into a pile and lets it dry for a year like this. But, but, he is using mostly Ash. Big difference from Oak.
It was CSS in Feb '12. Stacked in single rows 30' apart. I resplit some of the larger pieces a few weeks ago to check with MM, 16-19%. Its just the pieces on top with loose bark. There is a thin layer of punk under the bark on the wet ones. I tried to seperate them all out.
Good. So you got Red Oak to that moisture content in less than two years. Good to know. I have some I am waiting on, not a lot, but after one year it is no where near ready.
I top cover for a few reasons. I'm in the woods, so there is always a dampness happening, leaves in between the stacks could potentially slow airflow and retain moisture and lastly, after a rain, I believe it would take longer to dry out, especially the middle stack. (I use a skid system that holds 3 cords with an air gap between rows) Top cover during the winter and leave open during the summer seems ideal too. Whatever works. I hope your oak does well, sounds like it should be ok with those readings.
I have had some luck with oak being ready in 2 years too. Then again, it was dead wood standing, the outer 1/3 was good to go, the inner went another year
Nice looking stacks/rows Fox. For my stacks sitting on pallets outside of the woodshed, I need to top cover here in the PacNW or the wood would simply get destroyed with the 8mos of moisture and rain we get up here.
Gotta top cover oak The sap wood & bark will suck up rain I have the same issue with spruce, uncovered the bark traps moisture. Gets real bad when we get our wet season rains. Does much better if the bark is off. Top cover !
Another good reason to top cover is to provide a roof for the wasps that make tons of nests up in there. Then you CAN'T bring that year's wood into the shed until after a good frost.
LOL. I new that was comin! That's why you always see mine stacked! He says it's burnin fine. Wonder what moisture content the wood is he is putting into his Gasser?
Well, last year I cut a bunch of dead ash. Didn't get it all stacked yet. Tried burning some of it this fall and had terrible results. Sure, it will burn, but it won't burn worth a hoot. I ended up taking it all back out and got the drier wood. All is well again.
