Does the holz hausen really dry quicker? - Testing Firewood Moisture Content

I love playing with different ways to stack firewood. I was lucky enough to get wood from a huge oak tree a few years ago. Today we are going out and testing the moister content of a holz hausen compared to a more traditionally stack of firewood.
The holz hausen was not as dry and on average had 5% more moisture.
Each stacking method of firewood has pro and cons. Which is your favorite?
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About Life In Farmland: Our family strives to be as self-sufficient as we can be. We grow a lot of food in the garden, raise or hunt for our meat, cut and use firewood to heat our house in the cold Minnesota winters. We want to know where our food comes from, what goes on it. We strive to love a slower and sustainable lifestyle with family being our first priority. On this channel, you will find a lot of how-tos, shared experiences, recipes, and videos of things we are trying and learning more about.

[@tannenbaum3444]

Having grown up in Germany, we stacked our wood the Holzhausen style, mostly because we didn't like stacking against the house or barn, or having to build racks, and we built them in-situ where we split the wood so no dragging the split wood to another location was necsssary, and the mounds were solid, no falling over. We never did it for dryness of the wood, it would be out in the sun for 1-2 years anyways, and besides we didn't have any of those fancy tools/equipment to haul back then. We stacked the wood that way for pratical reasons as described above.

[@seasonstudios]

This seems like the best Holzhausen answer. Perhaps a better way to stack a lot of wood but not necessarily better to dry the wood which, as noted, is not the main reason to stack it this way.

[@willy-dy9te]

makes sense to me

[@brandonkarhu5599]

Makes sense

[@kkreitma1]

In a traditional Holzhaufen the interior wood should be stacked vertical loosely, not just thrown in helter-skelter, and the top should be bark side up. This creates a draft when the Sun heats the top layer and warm air rises drawing cool air up through the center of the pile.

[@richardlawrence3770]

That makes sense.I would also top cover with rubber roofing.

[@lazygardens]

@@richardlawrence3770 No, that traps moist air and slows drying. Slabs of bark, laid as a shingled roof in overlapping layers keep snow melt out and still have gaps for ventilation.

[@jimsteele7108]

That’s the way I built mine, and I thought they worked remarkably well. The wind can catch no matter which direction it’s blowing from and the inside creates a draft. But yes, stack vertical on the inside. Just don’t toss it inside

[@joes2514]

Great video. I stack wood both ways depending on the space I have available. I haven't found much difference in seasoning either but both methods fit my needs. The one feature you left out of your HH is the "natural moisture meter", for lack of a better term. The idea is to stand a pole in the center on the pile and place a marker on it (paint, ribbon, etc) at the 80% mark. Basically the height of a HH is supposed to be equal to the diameter. Place a mark on the pole at 80% of the height (8' pile = about 77" marker). The pile will naturally shrink as it seasons. When you can see your 80% marker, you know the pile is seasoned without guessing. I find anything less than about 7-8' diameter is more difficult to stack because the radius is too tight for the logs to fit well. Again, great video. Keep up the good work.

[@Firstthunder]

Wow! This is so educational for me. Been stacking wood for decades and never knew this stuff. I see Germans have great wisdom and excellent methods. Can’t remember the words in German but there hill gardening method is second to none.

[@gonzobobo1]

I totally agree wit your findings but one thing you didn't mention is that holz can be stacked on a slope or very uneven ground because it's got the inherent stability of a cylinder.

[@mattmobley9671]

I went to round stacks as a decent looking, freestanding woodpile that easily accommodates irregular pieces. I wasn't looking to dry the wood faster. I wanted to preserve the wood longer. To do this I used some old polyethylene as a vapor barrier, layered in a pea gravel base. On top of the pile I layered in bark cuts and 15# felt to create a roof. By limiting rot from the top and bottom, these piles will last 5 years

[@xtravyx1]

You need to have a vented cover on the German way. Otherwise the bowl holds a tad bit more moisture. It heats and vents upward and out the vents.

[@matthewmorgan4759]

Confirmed my suspicions about the interior logs in the holzhausen drying at a slower rate. Great job. Thanks.

[@cfishel15]

Hey Eric, I'm with you -- I've never understood how air flow on only one side would dry wood faster than air flow on two sides! I've been stacking my wood in long piles for years and can easily get less than 20% moisture content within 2 years. Thanks so much for your "scientific" analysis! :-)

[@fike301]

I wish he would have taken wood from center of hausen....been way higher moisture

[@OakKnobFarm]

I like how holz hausen piles look. They're also nice because they are physically stable (you could bump one with the truck and it won't fall over... how do I know this?) I'll probably continue to use them, but I'll make sure to allow more time for it to season.

[@beyondmountainshomestead2468]

I stack my wood on 4’ x 4’ pallets. I cut 18” long pieces placed in two rows with the short chunks and odd pieces in the space between the two rows. Great video as always 👍🏻

[@rogerknight2267]

I have to believe that the geographic location has lots to do with the drying process. I have three large racks of stacked red oak that I cut and split near the beginning of this year. My moisture meter is giving me single digit readings on all my sampling. I split my wood a great deal more than what I see in your piles, so that makes a big difference as well. I tarp only the very top of my racks, and remove the tarps on good weather days so they can get some air. I’m in south Mississippi. Thoroughly enjoyed your video!!

[@silverstar4289]

I started building round last year. Think it looks neat and takes up less space. The ability to throw all the ugly stuff into the center is a great solution on where to put them. I have an outdoor boiler so I can use most any shape and size. One thing not mentioned so far, is the theory of a “chimney effect “ that the round method benefits from. It isn’t exactly a wall of wood as you propose, which blockers air to the center and opposite side. The chimney effect theory may be hogwash- I don’t know. I stack my wood quarters in a haphazard way, because I’m not OCD, making all the pieces similar and stacking tight. I am using my first wood now from an HH erected late Fall last year. All the wood is under 15%. BTW I have the same meter you have. I appreciate the demo of the tester on the cover- threw away the package and didn’t read that feature. I keep it stored on my UTV next to my chainsaw whiskey. My boiler doesn’t need seasoned wood to operate, so I can get away with not needed sub 20%, but so far the wood from last season is there. With the limited example test you had, a five percent variable would mean both stacks compared are about even. Not criticizing it, it’s mainly just a curiosity test, but if a person did a thorough test and came up with five percent different, I would still call it a draw. Your videos are always informative and well edited. Keep the introduction brief. Nothing bugs me more than having 60 seconds of my time wasted with stupid music and montage. Seems to be some sort of Offering to The KZbin gods.

[@bavondale]

the circular setup is more efficient for space. if you don't have room for the long form

[@OFFGRIDwithDOUGSTACY]

Was always suspect of the round stack. NICE!

[@LifeinFarmland]

Will see you guys in just a few days at the conf. Should be a blast!

[@official180degrees]

It's gonna be fun Eric! We'll see you on Sunday!

[@Lanninglongarmmowing]

I like stacking wood in those pallet bins with a roof. That really gets them dry and plus they are easily movable if you have forks on your 3 point.

[@life-longpatriot8258]

Great video! So many times, I see people take a moisture reading on the outside of the log without splitting it in half first. I've seen holz hausen kits with round covers that I think might help that style's effectiveness. I live on the east coast of Virginia and stack firewood the traditional way--but I have tarps over every pile due to the large amount of rainfall and high humidity in my area. I wish I could leave my stacks uncovered like you can and still get wood moisture down to the 17 percentile. I use the same brand moisture meter as you, and my covered piles get down to around 14.8%. Again, very informative video!

[@frankphoto2]

14 % is starting to get too dry you will find your wood burning too quickly.

[@mikewhite3293]

I agree with you, more air flow with the traditional stacking.

[@jerrygillespie6121]

I stack my wood using the Holz Hausen method, and truthfully dries much faster than traditional stacking. Not disputing your test, but I believe it has to do with the kind of wood that you're seasoning. I personally only cut, and burn Beechwood, I use to traditional stack, but depending on the weather I had some seasoning issues, with the Holz Hausen method my wood has proven to dry much quicker regardless the weather conditions.

[@frankphoto2]

I agree with your comments, have been harvesting and heating with wood for 10 years now and drying in the northwest NJ where its often 100% humidity. On single width racks 4 foot wide pallets and i had a 2 large red oak 8ft x 4ft stacks drying for three summers with the bark "roof". just burned that and found allot of surface moisture (boiling at the edges) still in the wood but still 20 % in the middle. Have had triple the rain fall last year. My take wood be 1: Keep the rain off. 2: Loosely stacked with lotsa of air flow. 3: single split width stacked in the wind shielded from rain fastest drying , 2nd would double width (less air flow). 3: size of splits, smaller = faster drying 4: I once made the mistake of completely covering stack with a tarp, it rained underneath it from condensation,thats how i learned the importance of airflow. Like you said HH stack looks nice and wont fall over, great for all those odd pieces that don't stack easily or neatly, i think they get 0 convection air movement they would have to be heated from the inside and that might happen some days in the fall when stack cools down and cold air comes in through the bottom and warm heated by the mass of wood exits the top. Not so easy with all that mess inside. thanks for taking the time to do the vid.

[@digbyodell2924]

Very interesting, I think when it comes to slow drying wood...size (diameter\thickness) matters the most! I end up testing the largest pieces as well assuming that's the high end of the range and all the oak I have under cover with limited sun and limited air movement, but with space between the rows has reached sub 20% (barely!) in 1.5 years. As we get deeper into summer and for fall, I think limiting one side (or thick end of a wedge) of the firewood to no more than 3 inches in thickness does more for drying than just about any other tip or methodology beside getting it off the ground of course.

[@LifeinFarmland]

Oh, I agree. well said!

[@markkiser5120]

I split most of my wood as if I am making boards.( 1 to 2" thick Yes it takes more time but it drys so much better and burns with much less air. Quartering most logs even after 3 years seems to have higher moisture content and the more air you have to add to burn it.Which means you are drawing in more outside air to heat. As I split I tilt the logs ,not center each split and each new split seems to break of all the fibers holding the last piece.Also smaller pieces are easier on the wrists. Yes you handle more pieces but....

[@theweekendhomestead]

Have you ever tested tarp wood vs no tarp. We just cover the tops but leave the sides uncovered - not sure if it makes a difference or not

[@OakKnobFarm]

It would certainly make a difference... since no more moisture is being added to the stack. But you're reducing ventilation, too... so it's hard to guess what the difference would be. Would be a fun experiument

[@lazygardens]

You need to build a shingled roof over the top of the holz hause, using slabs of bark or flattish pieces set bark side up to shed rain and snow melt. You just piled them any which way, and that traps snow and melt. Also, they need a few feet clear on all sides to allow air flow, and it looks like your regular stack was right next to the round stack.

[@inhocsigno9151]

Your long run of stacked firewood is great, and the sun will help dry it out. I don't have that much space so I make shorter runs, but 2 or 3 rows deep. The sun doesn't hit the 2 and 3rd rows, but I just cur dead trees generally, and keep the top covered so they dry out OK. The round house is more concentrated and air doesn't flow as well. People claim the wood doesn't get as wet after a rain, and that seems to be correct.

[@theolddogfarm4677]

I remember watching your original video on holz hausen stacking and being intrigued. At that time I was still working full time and enjoying my farm only as a weekend retreat. I didn't have enough wood each year to attempt to build one. Now I'm retired and just finished piling about 3 bush cords of wood in the traditional style. Next year I think I'd like to try the holz hausen style even if it doesn't dry as quickly. Thanks for sharing.

[@FredFlintstone21]

Interesting video. I'm inclined to think different areas of the tree have different moisture levels.

[@kevinmoore8780]

Thanks for this. I just had some wood delivered and have to stack it for the winter. I was going to stack in using the holz hausen method just because it looks nice but if it the traditional way dries the wood better then I'll do that. Especially as in Nova Scotia we get lots of moisture normally and I didn't want to tarp my wood stacks. Haven't said that we've not had much rain this spring and now in a week of +90oF so it would be nice if the wood had arrived earlier as drying conditions are great now. Sadly stacking conditions are not so good. :-)

[@scoopyall2996]

3 generation, threw all the wood up like a muskrat house bark up , in spring and Burt in fall. Sometimes we restacked in rows to dig out of the snow easier. 15 cords a year.

[@frankphoto2]

yep in the end it'll burn one summer worth drying, lotsa folks do that just be sure to run a brush down the chimney once in a while.

[@1acrehomesteader43]

Thanks for shedding some light on this. I'd always heard that the holz hausen wood dried quicker as well. Glad we know the truth now!

[@thejerseyj1636]

I did holzhausens one year and I'll never do it again. It was a lot more effort in making the stack and I also did not see any benefit in the drying. It did look very cool because I topped them with circular peaks bark up. I almost didn't want to take them apart when the time came.

[@SteelJM1]

I mean it makes sense, the surface area to volume ratio is larger on the traditional stack vs the holzhauzen.

[@FelsNaptha]

Thank you, I appreciate the data-driven approach. I wonder how the Holz Hausen came to be in the first place.

[@markkiser5120]

someone used a patio umbrella ....AND VOILA!

[@kylesweogard5013]

The best wood drying I've found is in a corn crib. A roof with vented sides.

[@papax4815]

Awesome video, i totaly agree, traditional wood stacking is by far a better way for me at least. After watching your video last year, i brought myself a moisture meter also, its an awesome tool. Keep up the great work, God bless

[@timothylongmore7325]

Most all our hardwoods in the NE check when fully dry. The harder ones especially. I did a holz hausen last year. I watched a couple youtube videos. Didn't use any of their instructions. Other than round. I stacked it to shed water. Angled out not in. I'm a stone mason so stacking that way wasn't an issue. You touched on a couple good ideas. I think they were more for longer term storage and to get as much wood off the ground as possible. And they look really cool. Everybody that does there own wood knows you end up with a lot of freeky pieces and kindlin. Do I use them ? No. I might if i was doing next years wood and didn't have a lot of room. Those two things don't usually happen. I'm curious how much moisture wood be in a piece that wasn't on the face of your stacks too. Interesting text , thanks.

[@muddyacres9334]

Truly impressed. Love the scientific study!! Guess that may well put this to rest. Like the look of the holz hausen. But since I'm not 9' tall I was bending towards the traditional stack anyway. As a side note, I should really purchase a moisture reader this year.

[@Gideon_Judges6]

Well traditionally you can make them only about 5' tall anyway. 8' diameter and 5' height cylinder gives you just shy of 2 cord of wood (256 cu ft). But if you want to build them bigger or smaller you can but smaller will be less stable and bigger you will need more than 2 cords.

[@johnpantling9284]

I am just about to start stacking my wood in the Holz Hausen way. Not because it will dry that much better but mainly because the structure is , in my opinion, easier to construct and more stable. By saying that what I mean is it is very self supporting. I also think that they are easier to cover.. we get a lot of rain. I am hoping to start using this structure and not keeping my wood in my wood store... which will free up this covered space to keep some of my garden machines in... which in turn frees up space in my barn. Also they look nice !

[@markkiser5120]

guess you get nice straight logs. a lot of my logs look like a blown up beaver dam pieces LOL

[@sidneybear]

Eric, that was very informative, thank you for your expertise.

[@TwostrokePuchwizard]

Been waiting for this test for 2.5 years! Love it

[@LifeinFarmland]

The holz hausen had on average 5% more moister. I have yet to find it drying wood faster. Would love to hear about your experience.

[@robbobcat7286]

Firewood stacking contest at morgan outdoors

[@jeremiahshine]

Here on the outskirts of the city I'm still in the city so my wood has to be 18 inches off the ground. Luckily there's always a cinder block garage being torn down somewhere that I can go load my truck and come home. I made foundations for my scandi-style stacks. I think being higher off the ground helps for ventilation.

[@mikebowman1733]

I like the holz hausen look for sure. It holds more wood in a smaller space. Very interesting to see the moisture levels. May switch back. However main reason I do it is because all my wood I get for free from people in the city who have had a tree fall down and they chop up in mish mash of sizes. So instead of 16” (which works perfectly for my stove) I get 20” pieces or 6” pieces. A lot of weird shaped stuff too that is PERFECT for the hausen technique of stacking. Throw the odd stuff in the middle and the stacks don’t fall over. If I could cut my own pieces from scratch if you will, I would probably do the row stacking.

[@mikebowman1733]

Life in Farmland did you notice a difference the deeper you go into the pile on the Hausen? Outer edges gets more rain hitting it....just a thought.

[@fike301]

my experience is the wood on the outside holz hausen dries ....however center not so much. guess would depend on climate type of wood etc. Appalachian Mts .....personally use single stack with top covered and wood shed method. I also cut wood at least 1 yr ahead or 2yr.....some guys cut in summer and burn in winter say its dry! Personally have bot figured out that magic yet

[@deanlevang6031]

Please do a test on your traditional stacks between those running east-west and those running north-south. I've heard the stacks running north-south dry better due to prevailing winds and sun on ends both morning and afternoon. What would your moisture meter show?

[@SingerOfTruth76]

I have the same moisture meter, and I had no idea you could test the calibration with the cap!!

[@rustynail4705]

This is all new to me. Thanks for you time and info. Really enjoy your channel 👍👍 God Bless your Family

[@LifeinFarmland]

😀👍

[@Glock2201]

I wish you had some wood that you just threw in a pile to test as well. I think it will dry faster that way because there is more air flow.

[@EricWhiteChooseGod1st]

I would have thought that having more moisture in the middle would keep it from drying faster.

[@jhanks2012]

came across a couple of your videos now. I had to hit subscribe when i heard you refer to a stack of firewood as potentially a good conversation piece.

[@mrglock2313]

Traditional is the best way. That's what I do. I store mine in a very big lean 2 to keep it dry and I get additional heat from the metal sides and roof. 👍

[@kathleenzimmerman8227]

It would have surprised me if the Holz Hausen wood were drier than the traditional stack. I have seen some people buy an expensive cover for them, and I couldn't even imagine how long it would take to season, if it ever did at all. I think that style of stack is more for fitting more firewood into a compact space, without using a rack. It is kinda cool looking, tho. :-D Love & prayers

[@markkiser5120]

buy used patio umbrellas and place pole in the center but tie down the outsides. HH tarps, hell I could buy a months worth of log heat for those prices.

[@mandbhomestead]

Very informative video, full the nuggets..... as Doug would say. Have fun at the conference. Thanks for sharing for sharing

[@LifeinFarmland]

Ha, Thank Ken!

[@TomWylie]

Thanks Eric! Good info here, don't think I'll bother with a holz hausen unless I can let it sit & dry for a good while.

[@annaaron3510]

We heat with wood, period. No time for the cool H². Our stacks are simple, straight, traditional, spread out to dry and varied by species for the season. And when you need to get the wood, the H² is tough to get firewood easily. The interior of the round lovely pile will not dry well. The Holz is pretty, very Germanic.

[@geoffoutdoors]

Thanks for doing this video...very informative and I'll say i was suspect of the round stack... Stay warm out there this winter!

[@gersonduran4451]

Thank you for all these great quality and informative videos you do

[@ml4286]

Thanks for putting all the effort in to doing this test but I think it has a flaw. I've just started heating with wood and have been researching the holz hausen stacking method and how it works. It's hard to tell from your video angles but the roof of your holz hausen does not appear to have been constructed properly. The roof is critical for the holz hausen to work. It keeps water from entering the center of the pile. It looks like you have your roof pieces abutting each other not shingled. The water that lands on your roof runs to the bottom of the log and drips into the stack. With overlapping (shingled) logs the water drips to the bottom of the log onto the next below then to the next and is guided to the outside of the pile just like shingles on a roof. The evaporation in the center mass of the pile is what drives the airflow in the pile. It is constantly moving air in the pile even if there is no wind. As the moisture evaporates it cools the air in the center relative to the outside temperature. The cool air sinks to the bottom then out the sides and draws warmer drier air from the upper sides and top. It doesn't matter if the interior logs are vertical or random. There are plenty of gaps for air to move. The only way for the center to dry is air movement since interior logs are constantly in the shade and never get warmed by the sun. If you keep letting water into the center of the pile it won't dry. This appears to be a common mistake with holz hausen builds. If the roof isn't done right they perform poorly. My apologies if I'm wrong about your roof but it doesn't look right from what I can see.

[@lisabooker6405]

Thanks for the update. Have fun on your trip. Safe travels. God Bless ~Lisa

[@humility-righteous-giving]

Surly with the kit the drying is comparable and I wonder if maybe you put a j pipe cage through the middle if that will have a rocket stove effect,, If I ever homestead i will be doing this method because it's so pretty ,I will do it like wranglestar ,his wood piles look like ornements

[@lostinmyspace4910]

The General brand moisture meter you are holding is actually $24.82, not 34.00 like you said. As of December 13, 2019. Order it online and have it sent to store or your home.

[@2mnxffrddfghjbbvcdfh6644bcddcv]

I like this test. Wrangler star says the holz is the only way to stack. I guess he never did a test.

[@climbe4422]

My dad and i tried the round method but found that the middle wood didn't dry well. What does make drying faster is splitting smaller pieces ,it dries more constantly and its easer to keep an even consistent fire going.

[@lovetooski]

We resorted to this too, which was made easy by the addition of a powerful wood splitter. no more half burned logs in the morning when you shut the drafts down at night for sleeping.

[@gmonet8753]

Great video. I feel like the HH is for a bygone era (ie no pallets, tarps, roofing) of long term high volume storage where you can come back a few years later after original stacking

[@beerayfarms7979]

G Monet that is the exact original intention. The rounded stack sheds off rain to a certain extent and the pile is more dense so it actually doesn’t “dry rot” as fast. The outer shell is really sort of it’s own shelter

[@petejames1337]

Great vid, I always enjoy the simple but important information you always send out. Keep up the great work that you do. Thanks

[@LifeinFarmland]

Thanks for the kind words. 😀

[@Novack_]

Its beautiful! But from where you start consuming the wood? I mean how do you open it for getting the firewood?

[@ordinarychap1085]

I have to wonder: is piling wood all that you with your days? There's so much of it split and stacked...how much time do you give to this task?

[@frankphoto2]

i see city folks climbing stairs to nowhere, lifting weights, running on treadmills, what's up with that. Wood burning is my hobby with benefits, ( really warm House)

[@lovetooski]

How much do you spent to heat your home every Winter? Divide that amount by what you earn in a week and you'll see you're spending weeks of labor to heat your home as well. Plus cutting and working with wood is great exercise and mentally relaxing.

[@frankphoto2]

@@lovetooski does not take as long as you think I usually get one to two even three years worth ahead of myself. I love the exercise. Beats being on treadmill like the city folk. Oh oh how wonderful radiant heat feels on a cold winter day. Watching the fire hypnotic.

[@lovetooski]

@@frankphoto2 I agree, I just got back from my property in Canada where I'm moving and will heat with wood. I can cut, buck, split and stack a cord a day. I've been around wood stoves most of my life and love them too.

[@teejay2726]

Thanks. You have saved me from trying another way. I will stay with the same thing.

[@blademan6075]

Good investigative work. Thanks. Now I don’t have to do it. I’ll keep making my traditional stacking.

[@theinternets7516]

I would have liked for you to test a piece from the middle of the holz housen. I bet it's waaaaay high.

[@eddiewilliam1193]

Your traditional stacks appear to be a full pallet in thickness, so perhaps two rows of logs butted together. Or is there a space between the two rows? I need fresh cut oak to dry in a year if possible. Wood was from dying trees so moisture content is in the high 20% range now.

[@georgedoorley5628]

holzhausen will work better on top of a hill so that the wind can get at it from all sides , we do it here and cover the top with a tarp .............then leave it for 3 years and take it into the yard and put it in a shed to store it till the following winter to be burnt ........will dry quicker in long narrow rows outside but it is hard to build and will fall over as it drys ....... we can graze sheep around the wood stacked in round stacks and they will seldom knock them over ........ wish i had a large shed to store all my fire wood and not have the bother of building round stacks outdoors ......

[@jack-cv5gq]

how long do u Season your poplar fire wood it my first season to heat my house with a wood stove my dad and I cut all our fire wood back in mid March and I got it in my wood shead

[@harrypehkonen]

It would make sense that a thin row would dry faster than a great big round pile. But they look very tidy!

[@AlmostHomestead]

Great video. I built two of those last year after reading the book Norwegian Wood. I put cedar shingles on one of them. I wondered how they would do compared to a straight stack of wood or pallet stack. For me it was a fun project and saved space. Got about 2.5 cords in my largest one.

[@bigboss-tl2xr]

Yeah, I'll just keep throwing it in a big ol' pile, thanks for the info.

[@lyssapaull5365]

have you tried the holz hausen putting the wood bark side down so it doesn't hold moisture in, except on the top where you put bark side on top to shed rain?

[@user-hw4jz5eh5d]

Well done.

[@richfarfugnuven6308]

I like covering in a black tarp, it gets so sunny and dry here in CO that it dries really quickly.

[@nickguthrie9309]

What's the RH in your summertime?

[@richfarfugnuven6308]

@@nickguthrie9309 very, very low. Generally 5-12%

[@adamholbrook2281]

Getting excited about Fall. Been looking fwd to some Wood Heat Wednesdays if you plan to keep that going. Take care.

[@mm5aho]

I thought the meter probes should be across the grain, not long with the grain the way you did it?

[@jh-lp7cg]

Two years and not sub 20% !!? Wow most of my lot is red oak. I better get moving for 2021. Other than that it's black cherry and sugar maple with a little bit of birch.

[@douglas9607]

I miss your vids. I hope you are doing well.

[@kurgan322]

The holz hausen is just like any other fad. The evidence given in favor is anecdotal. If people were honest they'd say "I use the holz hausen because I think it looks cool, and I want to be like all the other people that I think are cool". Thank you for taking the time to do this comparison testing with actual data points.

[@BadAssDude69]

Haha, of course people do things in life for purposes other than optimizing some specific factor. Cosmetic and/or cool/novelty factor could be one of them though optimizing space utilization could be the goal. Stating that all who use a Holz Hausen are "just trying to be cool" is definitely an overgeneralization.

[@planbhomestead8276]

Great info! Your videos are top notch quality.

[@BOCraftsman]

Great video Eric. Since your wood stacks look so nice, do you ever find it’s hard to want to take wood from them? I know for me, once I have it all nice and stacked I hate to see it dwindle down as I use it.

[@GardeningGroomer]

B&O Craftsman do you take th wood off the holz hausen from top down or do you chose a side and pull from there.

[@charliesmith643]

Glad you wore your good jeans. Lots of nuggets in this video.

[@oregonsdank]

I was scared his balls were going to fall out of a hole.

[@seamusdelahunty1615]

excellent real world test

[@lindanwfirefighter4973]

Goodness how many cords do you currently have staked in total? I live just north over the Canadian border from you. In a good year we burn 2.5 cord but the average has been 10 cords the last few years. The trees are already turning to fall colours! It’s going to be a bad winter.

[@50shadesofgreen]

awesome update Eric

[@richardmcgrath61]

Did the gold coloured Chev truck finally rust out? You appear to have a newer F-150 in the video.

[@mcunard31]

I plan to do that same test this fall. I expect a similar outcome. HH's are fun building though!

[@michaelpungitore7292]

Did you end up testing?

[@mcunard31]

@@michaelpungitore7292 Yes! I found out row stacking dries just as fast as the Holz Hausen if not even faster.

[@jam06477]

Thank you!

[@TH-ot9ef]

Any opinions on moisture meters with pins vs. others without? I want to order one but I see another model (same manufacturer) without pins for only a few dollars more.

[@scottfoss716]

Nice video Eric.

[@LifeinFarmland]

scott FOSS 😁 thanks Scott! Thanks for watching.

[@michaelnelson3469]

How was the corn?

[@frankburns8871]

If I'm following the timeline correctly, this wood had been seasoning for three years at the time of this video? And the holz housen wood was still over 20%?! The usual advice is to aim for 20% or lower before burning...if it's still over that after three freaking years...yeah, I'd stick with the conventional stacking method.

[@HilltownCT]

Great video! Thumbs up people!

[@alphaone101]

I noticed none of your wood appears to be covered in any way. Is that the way you let it? I was taught to always keep a cover on the top layer so that's why I'm asking. Thanks!

[@techtrek31]

This is a RAGING controversy to cord wood nerds! Pros: The tarps do a good job of shedding rain water, no need to move wood to a covered area before bringing into the house Cons: Tarps are ugly, they can blow around if you don't tie them down really well, and they significantly cut down on evaporation and air flow when it's not raining Bottom line: Too many variables to choose one clear winner in terms of maximizing seasoning. Even in a relatively rainy and humid area (New Hampshire), I choose to stack my wood without tarps for one year, then move them under my wood shed the spring before I plan to burn. It's extra labor, but I enjoy it and it goes well with a six pack. It works well enough. Might I get a couple extra percentage points of dryness using a tarp that first year? Possibly! But it probably would depend on the weather that year.

[@larrykluckoutdoors8227]

Thanks for the info.

[@ashleighjaimaosborne3966]

Very informative, thank you. 😊🇨🇦

[@cosminhusqy3138]

Nice video 👍👍

[@David-fv7zg]

Sure...it holds a lot more wood which is why it didnt dry as quick. You tested the wood on the outside of the ring. I winder what the pieces in the middle of the circle test as......Ill bet its 25 or more.

[@jakerauls7895]

Here is my experience burning wood in a small woodstove, where the wood has to be seasoned or it won't burn, because I can't get the stove hot enough, safely, to burn unseasoned wood. Hard woods, like oak, walnut, mulberry, season quicker out in the rain, sun, weather, uncovered. I believe the rain and moisture and the wood getting wet and then sun dried, then wet and dried again, accelerates the seasoning process. I believe the moisture then sun/wind drying helps suck out the tree sap. Keep it completely uncovered until you need it for burning, then keep it dry. But with softer woods, like hackberry, pine, etc. they need to be covered a little bit. Too much rain and moisture on the softer woods will just rot them.

[@greecemonkey1313]

Great Video appreciate it !!