I have learned a lot from other members here, and agree that you would be best suited to cut your logs and split at least in half, preferably quarters. Get yourself a bunch of free pallets and stack your wood off the floor. The bottom of your stacks will not be wet since they won't have the concrete acting as a moisture conduit. The number one thing for seasoning wood is airflow, and the more airflow passing through, over and under your stacks the better. I bought a moisture meter, asked advice here for models and had Amazon ship me one. It's a simple enough technology that I got a solid one in the $20 range. It (and many others) allow you to select category 1/2/3 etc. for hardwoods, softwoods and that's a good feature. Your oak will definitely read different than your poplar. Have fun, and nice wood hoard! Although, without pictures we're inclined to think you are sitting on a box of Duraflame logs.
That's fine. You really won't even need to know. The wood will be dry if it has been stacked correctly.
Rob, I understand your quest for doing this and many do what you are speaking of. We have done that several times (but still leave the wood after being bucked and split in the stack for 3 years or more). Of course you know to sacrifice a couple of logs for the bottom to stack the rest on and you can do this and not have to cover the stack. The big question is how long do you plan on leaving the logs before bucking? If 6 months or less there is not problem. If you don't plan on burning the wood next winter there is no problem. If more time, yes, you may have to score the birch but realize there will be very little drying of the logs except on the very ends. So you have to use your own judgement as to how long to leave the logs before bucking and splitting. Also, with you not wanting to stack the wood after being split, realize you probably need an extra year for good drying of the wood before burning. Of course, we've never owned a MM nor do we have a need for one.
I'll mostly agree to that, but even as Scotty Overkill noted, sometimes even stacked properly, 3 year seasoned wood will not be low enough in the moisture content. I've seen the same thing as well, with other species of wood other than oak too.
Cut / Split / Stack and season for a minimum of 1 yr (2years is better) and you will be snug as a bug in a rug !!!
If they were cut to a 3x or 5x multiple of your desired stove length and split in half you'd be drying the wood as is practiced in some European countries. Get the wood exposed to and drying in Winter low rH and cut it to lengths needed when you have a chance . Works with the tree type and size they have.
I split down to 3” limbs. My stove is more concerned with dry than size. No more all-nighters for me.
I am burning mostly red oak that was pushed into a pile when clearing some farm land over 20 years ago. Piles were set on fire shortly thereafter burning all the leaves and small limbs leaving just the logs. Most are 10" to 15" in diameter and bark all fell off or rotted long ago. Logs are still solid and are consistently testing around 20% moisture after all that time.
