Firewood Dries Better In a Pile

I had some wood that had been laying in a pile for 5 or 6 months and I checked it with moisture a meter.
Here is what the pile looked like up til about 3 weeks ago. • How Much Will it Split?

[@TractorTech]

This is a newer version of the moisture meter that I have. amzn.to/2mY294L

[@vspess]

Tractor Tech the science is interesting but the reduced work of pile versus stack is the best.

[@TractorTech]

Yes, it is. I am going to try to do some more testing next year.

[@dukeflem]

I like the General meter you mentioned above. It has a calibration resistor in the lid that you can use to check the meter and also has spare pins.

[@intox69]

We used to rank wood all the time, cut it, rank it, split it, rank it, throw it in, rank it... Know what I discovered after 40 years? The less you have to handle it the better.

[@TractorTech]

Your right, the less you handle it the better.

[@Tonnsfabrication]

The only place you'll ever see me stack wood is inside the stove, some people just love to move the shit around a million times before they turn it into ashes.

[@TractorTech]

Lol your right. Those usually the same people that have a pile of rounds and park the splitter 15' away from it and start splitting.

[@edsmith4414]

"some people just love to move the shit around a million times"...ahahhaaaa.....like there isn't already enough work to do without creating more !

[@Glock2201]

I have always felt that logic says that wood would dry faster when thrown into a pile because it allows for more airflow. The advantages to stacking are it takes up less space and is easier to tell how much you have.

[@TractorTech]

I agree completely. Stacking also looks better than a pile.

[@GainsMarathon]

Looks better and looks more organized too. I'd much rather take the time to stack then have a heaping pile. I love the sound of how seasoned wood sounds hitting against other seasoned pieces.

[@Glock2201]

@Handle000 I do stack the wood that I will burn that year but when I am doing it for the future it goes in a pile to save time,

[@stevenbell4053]

I think it depends on climate. A damp climate will rot and pulp the centre of the pile rendering it useless. The air flow to the pile will also determine whether it dries or not

[@TractorTech]

It may not work in a damp climate, then if you cover the top of pile, it may???

[@howtogetoutofbabylon8978]

Air needs to get to the wood, all of it. Watch Buckin Billy Ray and other channels. That mess would make a lot of rotted punky wood here in Missouri, make lots of dirt from rotted wood... and provide the PERFECT Habitat for Copperheads. LOTS of Copperheads. I think the Eagles sang that song; Hotel Copperhead Ya...lol

[@laser00]

@@howtogetoutofbabylon8978 i dont know why but your comment really makes me wanna "barfight" you bare knuckled

[@Dukemeistro]

I think you’ve discovered simplicity in an area where people like complexity.👍

[@TractorTech]

That is true. I had a customer call today. He needed more wood. He was talking about how dry my firewood is.

[@michaelfriedrich3850]

It wasn’t always so complex, it’s like everything today. Common sense is gone, everybody has to over think everything.

[@Dukemeistro]

I believe the wood is also producing heat in a pile as it decays and dries, like grass and leave piles. When it's stacked the concentration of heat diminishes.

[@SonOfLiberty1984]

Pretty hard to argue your method especially with the meter. I like your style! Subbed just off this video alone. Great content, brother.

[@TractorTech]

Thanks! I have more firewood videos on the way.

[@campingintheforest_]

I agree with you, this fella did a fine job on this video.

[@TractorTech]

Thanks!

[@JacobSchmittDeerHuntingSchool]

Nice!!! I own a tree service and split the wood into a dump trailer on the job right when we cut the trees, dump them, and push them into a big pile with a skid steer. I’ve never measured the moisture but I am glad to see that it dries good in a pile no way I’m stacking a couple hundred cords of wood a year. I might get me one of those moisture meters just for the fun of it.

[@TractorTech]

If I stacked the wood to dry, I would have get another $30 or $40 a cord. The moisture meter is a gadget. It sounds like you know dry wood is, but is fun to be able to put a number to what you have.

[@williamtukeyjr3661]

I've always piled up my wood for use in my woodstove, with good results. Even oak seasons well in 8 or 9 months.

[@TractorTech]

That is what is what I've found.

[@tractorman4461]

My shed is sectional, three sections 12'x12'x10.5'. Each section holds about what we consume in a season... ( Usually a little left over each year). I TRY to keep it full so there's a full three year dry time. It doesn't work that way all the time though. I've never used a moisture meter, but when the wood is used, I can say it is surely seasoned quite well. I split and toss directly into the shed, then stack as soon as the tossed wood begins falling back out and then repeat. We also try to stage logs in the close proximity of the wood shed, so it can be blocked and stacked with just enough room to place the splitter in between it and the shed. The result is a direct shot into the shed right off the splitter minimizing the handling. Three sides of the shed is open, the backside shielded keeping the wood from falling onto some old tractors parked in the other half. I see a lot of my youtube friends are visiting here.... so I'm late to the party again I guess. LOL. Good information provided. Thank you sir.

[@TractorTech]

I wish I had a shed for my wood. I have some ideas. That is good you can get a 3 year supply in yours. That is nice that you can split the wood right into the shed. Thanks for watching!

[@baddrivercam]

I piled it for years under a pavilion. Never had a problem with wet wood that way. That pavilion was a 20x20 and it was piled eight feet high.

[@TractorTech]

Having it under a roof would be a real good way to do it.

[@OurGreeneAcres]

This is interesting because I’m quickly running out of room in the wood shed. I made a large Holz Hausen and it has decided it would rather be a large pile lol, more to follow on that.

[@TractorTech]

Some guys stack are doing a modified version of a holz hausen. Instead of making it circular they make it square or rectangular. The don't do a roof on it either. So from the outside it looks like a big stack of wood, but the middle is just thrown.

[@TractorTech]

Found a pic images.app.goo.gl/pBqghrxUKVzZJBin6

[@heathenfirewoodservice2021]

Wood piles are fine really. I stack mine on pallets simply for counting my sellable wood as I sell it by the face cord. It boils down to it being split and blocked up so moisture can escape getting it off the ground will definitely help keep it away from the ground moisture. Good stuff man.

[@TractorTech]

Thanks! It is tough to keep track of wood in a pile. I go by how many truck loads I have cut and split.

[@bjimbosld]

I’ve been piling my wood up for many years. As soon as it comes off the log splitter it goes into a big pile and sits mostly in the sun but some rainy days. If I know there’s gonna be a long amount of days with lots of rain I cover all the piles up with a tarp. When it snows I definitely put a tarp over everything because that slowly melts and really gets into the wood..... Plus snowy time of the year the sun doesn’t come out and dry it the next day like if it rained on it. The only time I’ve ever stacked wood is when it makes it inside to be burned into the stove.

[@TractorTech]

That sounds like a good way to do it.

[@gamertime7605]

same here i do just about the same,

[@jaredtaylor1518]

Some times a little rain here and there getting on it can help as long as it is long before you plan to burn the wood because the moisture can get in and help the wood crack a little in the long run helping it dry out more but mostly late spring to mid summer rain. Not late summer or fall rain. However I do live in the lower humidity and less rainy days desert of Nevada.

[@driftlessareadrone5337]

Completely agree with you. No need to go through the extra work of stacking, farmers nowadays leave round bales of hay outside because it sheds rain, same is true of piled firewood. Only thing is try to put in open/sunny area to let to sun and breeze do it’s thing if you can. Been splitting and burning for 35 years and only way I’ve ever done it.

[@TractorTech]

I think it is a common misconception that wood has to me stacked for it to dry. Good point about the hay.

[@thomasminton3871]

I have piled my wood for 20 plus years with no drying problems. I do like to use old pallets as a base to keep the wood off the ground and I tarp the top, but otherwise I agree fully with his method.

[@TractorTech]

That is good to hear.

[@leonardlogterman3998]

I don't have any measurements, but I stack in well separated rows in an open clearing where each row is exposed to sunlight and breeze all year round. I think the exposure to the sun is as important as the exposure to the breeze. I have sometimes left small amounts stacked in the deep woods where this is no direct sunlight. Might as well not have even cut it up it is still so moist after 6 months.

[@TractorTech]

I left some wood in the woods stacked, and it was soaked too.

[@clementsconsulting9216]

You mentioned bottom, middle, and top of pile. All of your samples were from the outside. Ofcourse that is going to dry quickly. I would like to see the moisture read in center at the bottom of the pile.

[@TractorTech]

That was the middle of the pile. It was 12-14' longer.

[@matthewstout5889]

I split and stack mine in Nov/Dec. Stack it in rows in an area that gets max sun/wind. Leave it uncovered until about July and then tarp the entire pile with a brown colored tarp until the end of September when I just cover the top, but keep the sides open. With the pile fully covered in the hot summer months the wood stays out of the tropical downpours and just bakes in the hot sun. By December it's bone dry and reading between 11-16%. Any oak/hickory is usually sitting at 20-25% so I save those pieces for the coldest of nights or move it into next year's pile for bonus seasoning. Best advice for awesome firewood? Stack in full sun, keep the rain off, and start splitting/stacking at least a year in advance.

[@TractorTech]

I've had good luck 2 years in a row with wood drying in a pile. I have one 5.5 cord pile of oak that was green in the spring and I checked it a a couple of months ago and it was 20-24%.

[@matthewstout5889]

@@TractorTech hell yeah! Can't beat that!

[@mangore623]

This has been my experience as well. I was shocked by how quickly the moisture level dropped in my freshly-split wood that was left out in a pile pile for several weeks. If you move the pile intermittently, it accelerates the drying. I always cover the pile if there's rain in the forecast.

[@thepowertoact]

Agreed, just leaving it in the pile is the way to go! We call our piles "mounds" and we use sheets of old EPDM roofing as tarps over the top. It wouldn't matter if it doesn't dry as fast or as thoroughly-- it saves so much time and effort in not having to stack it that we can just burn extra and still come out ahead... but anecdotally it seems to burn just as well as stacked wood anyway. I think you're right about the rain getting onto the sides of people's stacks if they just cover the top-- that makes a lot of sense. But it's pretty easy to throw a tarp over a pile and cover the whole thing, and it naturally sheds the rain like a dome tent. Great video, I'm going to use it as a reference in future arguments! : )

[@TractorTech]

I might have to start calling my piles mounds. The reason I mentioned top covering wood is because that seems to be the most popular way people do it on forums while the wood is still drying. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@MrThenry1988]

I pile mine outside. Never thought of doing it any other way. You showed I've been doing it right all along.

[@TractorTech]

It is amazing how well it drys in a pile.

[@aldredske6197]

Hi Roger!!😀😀 The proof is definitely in the testing. I've had good luck drying my wood in a big pile also. Take care my friend and work safe!! Logger Al

[@TractorTech]

Thanks, you too!

[@leenewman4344]

Nice method, I live in the UK and myself and my wife process our wood in a similar way, even though we don't have the harsh winters you boys in North America have we still need a fair pile to see us through a winter, I Chop and air Dry as you do and store towards the end of autumn, generally 6 of your proper cords see us through to April/may, using this method we're generally at 9 to 15 percent by the time we burn, I pick up a lot of helpful hints an tips of you boys up there, keep making the videos!

[@TractorTech]

Thanks! 6 cords is a good bit of wood. Less than 15 percent is very dry. I have found that I burn about as much on a warm day as I do on a cold day.

[@craigjohnson4271]

Wood will dry faster cut, stacked in rows with air on both sides, good exposure to sunlight. Basic physics. Ball your fist loosely in the shade, blow air at it. Sure some air will get through. Hold your hand upright in the sun with fingers spread only slightly apart, blow air at it. In which scenario do more sides of your fingers get air and light (heat)? That scenario doesn't even take into account ground moisture. A great majority of the pile is exposed to the ground. Stacking not only looks much better, but there is an actual reason for doing it.

[@TractorTech]

I think this video proves that it dries quickly in a pile.

[@jondcarson52]

@@TractorTech I would love to believe that this is true, but I am not buying it. If you want to really find out, Take 4 or 5 cords, stack half on pallets, and pile the other half, test after 5 or 6 months, and make sure to pull samples from the lowest, central point. This method will at least approach a scientific method. Curious to see the results...

[@TheTorkerman]

This was in my recommend list. I stack all my wood (Australian Hardwoods) and have a pile for the overflow, no difference in drying time that I could notice.

[@TractorTech]

That is good to know somebody else got the same results.

[@bloqk16]

I'd guess some of that Australian Hardwoods would be Eucalyptus? Eucalyptus firewood is highly prized in California, as those trees grow nearly like weeds in the central to southern parts of California.

[@oldguysrock2170]

Much depends on the region in which you live. I am in Northern Michigan where 5-6 months of cold snow and damp weather are a norm. The keys are sun, air, and getting it off the ground. Loose stacking of split wood with gaps for air flow. Bark up or bark down? Air flow. As for a pile, I think the wood generates its own heat through evaporation much like a compost. Where I live, if split by May, it is ready by December. Another year is even better.

[@TractorTech]

It would be cool to do a big test on drying wood and see what works.

[@oldguysrock2170]

@@TractorTech : Yes it would be an interesting project! There are so many factors involved. The operation in the video shows plenty of sun and exposure free of moisture. In my climate in the UP of Michigan, wet leaves, short drying season, and humidity; all work against drying fast. The one thing I see up here is people leaving split wood on the ground where leaves and grass grow right up to the wood. And then there is the science of building wood racks!!!

[@4440pvc]

40 plus years tossed in a pile very rarely a complaint. Almost all oak here in Florida cut and split in the spring ready by October 50 some full cords a year.

[@TractorTech]

That's awesome!

[@mrwess1927]

Who needs 50 cords of oak in Florida?

[@4440pvc]

@@mrwess1927 All the snow birds that come down in the winter plus I heat with it. All kidding aside had I wanted to ramp up I could have sold 200 full cord and still run out. Not all of us live in the key's were I live we have several freezes every year. Thanks and stay worm wherever you are.

[@jdwis8956]

A better test would have been to also have a row of the same wood stacked and see what that moisture reading was vs the pile

[@TractorTech]

Yeah, I thought about doing that.

[@wernman]

I believe it all depends on the size of your split wood!Bigger pieces need longer to dry, but you are right, a pile will dry just as quick as a stacked one,with the exception being the pieces on the ground,unless its elevated!

[@TractorTech]

Yeah, I think my smaller split size helped.

[@russhall4780]

That is definitely interesting! Sometimes I loosely stack it, sometimes I pile it. I'm not going to waste my time stacking it to dry if the results aren't any better. Thank you for the video! Very helpful!

[@TractorTech]

Thanks. I recommend trying a small pile and comparing it to a stack to see if it works for you.

[@thesetruths1404]

The only real benefit of stacking is it minimizes pieces touching the ground and that will allow less rot to set in. I collect chunks or whole limbed trees and stack them as much as I can. Chunks or small pieces of rounds takes about 18 months to cure, about 24 to 30 months if whole logs. Western Colorado anyways...stacks are usually in the sun 60% of the day.

[@niallkennedy23]

appreciate the video dude, i'm over in Scotland and it pisses down with rain most of the time,

[@TractorTech]

Thanks for watching!

[@DoubleDogDare54]

This dude rips telephone books in half in his spare time to stay muscled up for ripping firewood apart with his bare hands. Beyond that, I usually buy wood in the fall, leave it in a pile with a tarp over it until spring, pull the tarp for the summer and haul it under cover in September. Come December it burns well. I don't have a moisture meter - I just pick it up and feel the weight. Water weighs. You can tell by the weight of the wood if it is dry or otherwise.

[@TractorTech]

Lol, do you know me? I do rip phone books, but I have not done it recently.

[@houndsmanone4563]

Hey there Roger. I'd stack it so there's no stacking necessary once it's dry. Let it dry while stacked. If you could stack it and then cover it or even have a lean-to shed for airflow, that would be a fix. Curiosity, have the clients been complaining that the wood's too moist, if not, I'd just keep doing what you've been doing. Remember the old adage ... there's no need to fix-it if it ain't broke. You sure got a lot of wood split since your last log-splitting video. Full-watch. 👍

[@TractorTech]

No, people have been very happy with how dry it is. Anything under 20% moisture content is good to burn.

[@dkhs555]

Interesting this! I used to make cages of 5x10 reinforcement mesh, throw in your wood, ready. Cover it with a tarp or just let it be. Dries well. Same airy condition as your pile. I live in Germany and see this method used a lot also at lumber yards selling firewood. Cage being rusty fits in the environment.

[@TractorTech]

Thanks! I find it interesting that someone in Germany has found out that wood dries well this way too.

[@Hardwoodbuyer]

If you can get hold of some pallets to put around on the ground out there as a barrier and then throw the stack on top of that it will help the wood dry faster by creating another airflow underneath and help keep the moisture from the ground from seeping up into the wood.. if you want to take it a step further than that get a couple large cheap tarps from Home Depot to lay underneath the pallets and you will get an even better barrier... Can't really speak for the northern part of the country but down here in Georgia.. this works fine usually ready within six months to burn if you catch it early spring and let the Georgia Heat burn it through the summer time ... bust your pieces down a little bit bigger than fist-size.. Just got to be a careful about where you're sticking your hands when you get ready to go get some out of there.. copperhead and other snakes do like it... but a good stout garden hoe pulling them out will take care of that. just got to keep your eyes open... if you're busy and your time is precious and you don't have time to stack..piling works fine ..just not as pretty... subscribed.. See if you can come up with any other cool ways to save us folks time out here.. Happy New Year

[@TractorTech]

I had thought about putting pallets or a tarp under the wood. I have 2 concerns. A tarp would be slippery if it was wet and someone may fall. I have a rock bucket, and use the some to load wood, so that makes it tough to use pallets. Most of my wood is not bigger than 4.5x4.5.'' I think that is the key to it drying so fast. I've never seen a snake in the pile thankfully. I have found some rodent nests in the pile. The cats like to hang out around the wood pile especially at night. Thanks for subing. Have a good week!

[@deonrobinson2774]

i have tried both ways and either it dries it only takes about 8 to 10 months and my wood burns i am in Arkansas where it gets pretty hot in the summer i have been selling firewood about 5 or 6 years and have no complaints thanks for sharing

[@TractorTech]

Thanks! So you saw no difference in stacked or piled?

[@tomharvey704]

I put mine in rows and cover the top mainly to keep it organized. I tend to split the pieces smaller to dry quicker plus easier to handle for my wife. I do use a meter to watch the moisture over the summer just for fun. No argument good video.

[@TractorTech]

Stack do look better. I think once the wood is dry it needs to be put somewhere under a roof or tarp to stay dry, and maybe dry a little more.

[@Dino-uo5vj]

Criss crosd stacking on top of biards or pallets us more effective. At least here in BC a pile will hold moisture and get skunky down at the bottom of it.

[@TractorTech]

Thanks for watching!

[@WOODDIGDIY]

I live on a north slope close to the coast. I always have to tarp my piles. When ever I see we are going to have 2 weeks of no rain I untarp them. I only stack if I need to save space. I can't tell a difference. But the piles do need to be on a mound out of the water.

[@TractorTech]

I see people tarp their wood and leave it tarped. Then they wonder why it is wet.

[@unhippy1]

For a given volume of wood a pile always is larger than a neat stack.....so there is more air space in the pile than the stack, its easier for air to move thru the wood pile.....its airflow that dries wood out as long as the humidity level is low enough to allow the wood to dry

[@TractorTech]

A cord of wood stacked is 128cuft. A cord of wood thrown is 180cuft. So there is nearly 50% more air in a pile of wood than a stack.

[@paulmcdermott2034]

Good information l like to pile my logs as I have a good mix of timber and processed cuts of staves I feel more air gets through

[@TractorTech]

Thanks!

[@123ChrisG]

One flaw, inside they will be more damp, especially if they are on soil with no membrane in-between, when you stack in a cylindrical shape, column or square/rectangle you get more air flow and more surface area for sunlight,this is the whole idea for stacking, plus it's more compact and looks more neat. I think stacking wood is ideal but in a pile it will still. I kinda do what you do leave a large pile of wood mostly uncut ( I have a similar size to your whole pile) then I cut and stack a years supply each year to dry for a year.

[@TractorTech]

I split the wood open to see how dry it was on the inside.

[@TheHonestPeanut]

I live in MA and I don't know a single firewood guy that stacks their for sale wood. This is my 3rd winter harvesting and splitting my own wood and I've noticed the stuff I've left in a pile seems to dry a bit faster than the stuff I stack right away. I'm thinking of putting up an RV port just to keep piled wood dry and leave it like that until I need to bring it inside.

[@TractorTech]

I think a having a roof over a pile would be the ultimate setup. I'd put a moisture barrier down then gravel the area.

[@garyjohnson6640]

When you are cutting and splitting numerous cords it takes too long and is too much work to stack it. I lay plastic or old tarps on the ground and pile the wood on top. I cover the piles if rain is in the forecast and keep them uncovered when the weather is good.

[@jdkim6829]

Honestly a nicely piled pile looks better than average stacks

[@bloqk16]

An aspect to consider when piling the wood like that: Nesting rodents. What I found to minimize the health hazards of the fecal and urine residue from rodents is to place quantities of _bait blocks_ in the wood pile as it is being piled up. I did that for the years I accumulated firewood for home heating. An aspect that makes this kind of loose piling of firewood a good thing: When moving the pile for stacking, the pieces of firewood can be sorted according to size. There could be plenty of those people out there, like myself, that don't accumulate uniformed sized pieces when scrounging for firewood; but instead, finds all sorts of irregular sized pieces. So, when making delivery loads of the wood to the property, or after cutting/splitting the scrounged pieces, tossing them into a loose pile to dry does make sense. Then, with the approach of the cooler weather, the dried firewood on the loose pile can be sorted to size prior to it being moved to the final stacking storage area. The physical work of just doing that will save you $ with avoiding gym membership. xD

[@TractorTech]

You are right. I have cats, so I don't have problems with rodents. I have found if you have rodents, you will also have snakes.

[@bulgarianfarmadventure7202]

Moved to Bulgaria 3 years ago, people predominantly heat their homes with wood out here. Not one of my neighbours stack wood, its all thrown in a pile outside and left to dry for six months plus. As you have mentioned, better air flow drying the wood quicker.

[@TractorTech]

Thanks, that is good to know. Do other country is in Europe leave it in piles? I know Germans do the holz hausen.

[@bulgarianfarmadventure7202]

@@TractorTech I'm originally from the UK, not many wood heated homes there (gas and coal) but i have seen heaped wood piles in France. Sweden and Germany do built round structures with their wood. They look amazing and i have built one the previous year, never again! Too much time wasted to make something that looks nice only to take apart.

[@Mr65gone]

I would have liked to see you test wood from the center of the pile. From a testing standpoint, not doing so makes your testing suspect.

[@TractorTech]

The pile had 8 cords (3 weeks ago) and it is down to about 2 or 2.5 in the video. Look on the ground, you can see all of the chips and fines. Where the camera is, is about were the pile ended. You can see the pile in this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppClqKmdqcqclZY

[@sandrataylor8765]

The only way to do it for long term is stack rows North an South so the morning sun hits the end grain and the noon sun hits the top and the best part is afternoon sun hits the other end grain l read this in a book before internet!!!! Also you can put black plastic on top of the stack to speed up the sun heat.

[@TractorTech]

That sounds like a good idea. Some people cover their wood with plastic to make a solar kiln.

[@rnr4204]

Another reason for having your ricks run north and south is due to frost. If you run them east and west the rick will tip from the frost on the south side melting first.

[@mvblitzyo]

Excellent video simple into the point multiple points that you have made very clear his airflow. Being in or not in the sun. There are multiple combinations of getting good results. From parts of the country along with microclimates dry areas or humid area play factors into drying firewood. Just my thought great video.

[@TractorTech]

Thanks, I try to make simple and the to the point videos. The feedback I have recieved from this video has been interesting. I have people from Florida and Australia say wood drys as well in a pile. Some people in the North East say it drys better in stacks. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@jimcole6423]

I pile it like you do. Pull of the top as I burn. No problems at all.

[@TractorTech]

That is good to hear.

[@bloqk16]

A tip when splitting firewood with an axe or maul: Have a slightly elevated spot to place the wood on prior to splitting. Elevating the piece of wood for splitting reduced the amount of back flexing, which reduces back fatigue. I've found using a tree-trunk cut _round_ of about 12 to 18 inch height makes for a good platform to split wood on.

[@TractorTech]

I'll have to give that a try sometime.

[@joshfoster9832]

Nah best way is Definately just dump the rounds off your vehicle into a pile and lay into them at every angle where they lie with your splitter. Every hit is a split with decently straight wood, and you can throw a hit every couple seconds. Most the time splitting wood on a block is moving the pieces

[@Reloaded-rx2qd]

Ever notice a pile of mulch heats up from the middle that’s just bigger mulch. It will heat in the middle and can dry faster if you pile it tighter. Arrange it so it sits tight in a circle from the middle out and up 5 to 6 feet tall and 10 to 12 feet across.

[@TractorTech]

Your right about mulch. Even a bag of mulch will generate heat. It would be cool to put a thermometer in the middle of the pile of wood to see how hot it got.

[@skyroot8529]

I put my wood in a pile for about a year ,covered it during the rains but it did not dry out. The plastic tarp kept it wet so now I stack it in a single row or put about 8 in. between rows. I think it's good to have the wood off the ground and not let the tarp sit directly on the wood.! You must be doing something I'm not. ! Maybe I shouldn't have covered the pile at all during the rainy winter ? Thanks ,nice video 👍😁 !

[@TractorTech]

Anything you cover completely with, outside will be soaking. I've heard, that in the early stages of wood drying, you are best off not to cover the wood because there is so much moisture coming out of it. I think when you do cover the wood, don't cover it completely to allow for airflow. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@skyroot8529]

@@TractorTech Thanks for the feed back ! 👍😁

[@gyffjogofl7676]

When hay is in a pile, it gets extremely hot. Maybe the wood does?

[@TractorTech]

I think it does.

[@jakebredthauer5100]

That hay is being damaged by excessive moisture.

[@terry6512]

I think you are correct, and no wasting time by stacking. Good video.

[@TractorTech]

Thanks!

[@thegreatoutdoors2000]

Interesting, I’ve toyed with both stacking and just piling over the years, granted even the piles have been under a roof, but they tend to be very similar moisture content as your getting. Less work. Thanks

[@TractorTech]

Interesting that you have found similiar results.

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Drying wood is tricky business. I think it's 6 for one and half a dozen for the other. Some people like to stack in a row with the bark side up. There are lots of techniques to stacking and drying wood for sure eh!! Thanks for posting!!!

[@TractorTech]

Oh yeah, everybody has their own ritual to drying wood. Thanks for watching.

[@waynejohnson9855]

i dont split that small so drying takes longer, i have two different places i cut wood one is heavy soil the other is sand and the wood from the sand country dries faster.

[@TractorTech]

That is interesting. I'd like check wood from both places with a moisture meter after it was cut.

[@waynejohnson9855]

@@TractorTech the wood on sand feels lighter. how much is the moisture tester you are using and what brand is it?

[@TractorTech]

@@waynejohnson9855 They are around $30. amzn.to/2mY294L

[@JayGaulard]

I left three cords of nice hardwood in a pile uncovered for one year in Maine. When I got around to stacking it, the pieces in the center had already begun to rot. It was crazy. I wonder if my results would have been different if I had the pile covered. I sure would like to get around the stacking dilemma. Thanks for the video.

[@TractorTech]

It also depends on when the wood was cut. If you cut the tree down before march the sap is not up in the tree. It is naturally drier. It try to get my logs before the sap is running. Split size factors into it also. Small splits dry faster. I split my wood 4"x4." Covering is not a bad idea if you know it is going to rain a lot. Covering all the time will hold the moisture in. Are you sure the wood was good hardwood when you split it, there was not any rot on it? Maybe leaving wood in a pile doesn't work in your climate.

[@JayGaulard]

@@TractorTech I really don't think leaving it in a pile would work out in Maine. It's just not dry enough here. If I were out west, I think I'd have a chance, but as it is, I think I'll end up with rotted wood. But I'll keep thinkin'!

[@TractorTech]

@@JayGaulard I've heard it is wet in Maine. I'm in the mid Atlantic. It gets very humid here during the summer. If you set 2 post the run a board from post to post. You could throw a tarp over it and anchor it to the ground. That would keep the rain off and you would still have air flow.

[@Candid1ify]

Thrown it into piles for years, outside, never worried about it.

[@TractorTech]

I got the same results this year.

[@mattseymour8637]

@@TractorTech So works as well as stacking it? Does in the inside of the pile dry just as well?

[@GPOutdoors]

Good morning Roger. Some interesting fun facts there. Never thought about leaving them in a pile. It would be interesting for you to take the tractor and push through the pile and test a couple of pieces that are deep in the middle of that pile to see the results and then also check a couple of pieces from a stack you have. I would be interested to see how it turns out. On another note, it looks like you have been working hard my friend. LOL. Thanks for posting. Food for thought. Cheers and have a good one!

[@TractorTech]

This is close to the back end of the pile. The pile was 8 cords and in the video was about 2 or 2.5 cords. I shared this video on a forum, and some guys are saying they have the results as me. As you say, food for thought. One advantage to stacking is, it takes up less space.Thanks for watching!

[@GPOutdoors]

Hey thanks Roger! Enjoy the weekend!

[@lyndabuchholz1216]

I think the biggest thing is the air flow. My daughter in law stacked my firewood so the pieces fitted together like a puzzle and I just got some wood off of that stack and the snow had melted and the wet stayed in the places that were so close together. In a stack like yours there is good airflow and that is essential. I would think if it was covered or enclosed maybe it would dry faster. Who knows.

[@TractorTech]

It may dry better if it had a roof over it.

[@lyndabuchholz1216]

@@TractorTech I have it under my solar panels and we are thinking about making a specific wood shed.

[@howtogetoutofbabylon8978]

Everyone in damp climates say DO NOT COVER IT. WIND IS THE BIGGEST FACTOR TO DRY IT. Cover the top ONLY if you cover it at all.

[@thecurrentmoment]

It makes sense to toss it in a pile to dry it then stack it in the wood shed

[@DoubleDogDare54]

Biggest problem I've had with large piles of wood is getting hornets and chipmunks nesting in the pile. The chipmunks aren't too bad but busting open a hornet nest while moving wood can make life exciting...

[@TractorTech]

So far I have been lucky. I have not found a bees nest. I have cats so they keep the chipmunks to a minimum.

[@bobpaul851]

I sell fire wood and use plenty to heat my home and shop. Stacking wood is very cosmetic It looks nice and clean, some people want the organisation and the presentation. However, those of us who rely on it for survival or sell it, tend to pile the stuff up. Personally when I have 20+ cords in mutable big piles, I find that cosmetically pleasing and way more functional. But I also like to stack some into neat designs and murals, I do that because I enjoy it, it's art and for the people that drive by my property they see that and then they give you a call... But I sell them and use the big stacks.

[@TractorTech]

I agree that stacking looks better. It may also slow the drying time.

[@Himoutdoors]

I thought about building a place to season wood but to be honest I have way too much for that, so it’s going into a big pile, and I guess some of it will rot, but it’s not the end of the world. It’s March now and I’m hoping to have some usable firewood come the autumn.

[@TractorTech]

If you keep the pile 12' wide or so it should be fine.

[@kindredspiritzz66]

its called a holzhausen when you build a box and throw it in loose. Its not a good way to dry wood but it will work. Stack it and top cover it if you can, thats always best. 12% moisture is what you are shooting for in the end

[@TractorTech]

i think drying in a pile is best.

[@kindredspiritzz66]

@@TractorTech well, its not.

[@clayreynolds5502]

Green wood 🌲 split in a pile try spraying it with water it season a little quicker I only stack it when I sell it otherwise in a pile been cutting wood for 60 years no better heat

[@TractorTech]

Someone else mentioned the same thing. I have since noticed after a rainstorm you can smell the wood drying.

[@GainsMarathon]

Stack it up, it looks better, more organized and well imagine what that looks like driving by. Even if no one drives by because it is on a remote location, still stack it, it will looks more aesthetic.

[@TractorTech]

I am putting my personal wood in IBC totes. I can"t justify stacking the wood I sell.

[@compostjohn]

My neighbours would go nuts if I stored my logs this way, They don't even like my tidy wood stacks if they can see them!

[@TractorTech]

You must have crazy neighbors.

[@TheNortheastAl]

I think this is the reason most people stack wood. They don’t like the way a pile looks and are concerned about what the neighbors think. A Holz Hausen works very well as long as you keep a tarp on the top so the middle pieces don’t rot. They make a special tarp that has straps to hold it on. It has a mesh you put on the bottom of the HH so you Connect the top tarp to the bottom mesh with the supplied straps. The top has vents so the moisture continually is being removed. It works well for me and I can get almost three cord in the space of one.

[@jimramsey3279]

Piled wood creates it's own heat. Measure temp in middle of pile on cool morning.

[@TractorTech]

I wish I had a way to do that.

[@frankveenis2093]

@@TractorTech thermostats to regulate floorheating have already a temp sensor on 5-8 ft of wire. Just put it inside while making the pile for science’s sake

[@firstamendment6346]

Tip, put pallets down under your mountains of wood.

[@TractorTech]

I occasionally scoop up some with the tractor.

[@danmc5542]

I am a stacked, for the wood I want to burn this winter. I do like to look out at my wood shed in Spring and see it full of dry wood ready to go for the next winter. This year was the first year I got enough for two years stacked and ready in Spring. But, I have had piles of wood sitting out in the weather, and even without splitting, it gets pretty dry. I am working on winter 2023-24 in the Fall of 2021. But I plan on taking down a bunch more trees this year, that will see me into 2024-25. I will stack them, but maybe not this year. I do have neighbors that almost always have a pile that looks like the one in this video. The wood in it gets stacked in a wood shed each Spring for use the next winter, but it is pretty dry when it is stacked. The piles are not what I will burn out of, but the wood can dry in them.

[@TractorTech]

I think the best thing to do is let it dry in a pile for 6-8 months. Then put it in a shed to help it dry more and keep it dry. I have no problem hitting 20% or less in a pile.

[@douglasfick4817]

Ya, wow, I don't know, green oak, red or white, in my opinion takes at least a year and a half to dry, unless standing dead, I don't think it matters how you stack it, but believe it is good to cover the top, especially if it was a very wet fall

[@TractorTech]

I think it depends on when it is cut, the length it is cut and the split size.

[@rmc489]

I have to stack wood off the ground in this part of Australia, we have voracious termites that would eat a whole stack over summer. Concrete or bricks on the ground and lumber frame or pallets to keep the stack off the ground. Nice video :) I thought moisture metres had to measure along the grain? I don't have one, I should get one but it's easier to just have lots of wood.

[@TractorTech]

Man that is crazy that termites would eat that much wood. Someone else mentioned that the meter needs to go with the grain of the wood. I'll try it an see if there is a difference. A moisture meter is really not necessary. It is more of a toy.

[@bloqk16]

When I was fueling my home with firewood, the firewood storage area floor was made of construction cinder blocks to keep the bottom of the wood stack away from ground moisture and termites.

[@outdoorswithlarryrobin]

Best way we have found is loose pile in a building with concrete floor, and open east, south, west and blocked of north🚜🪵👍🏼🇱🇷

[@TractorTech]

That would be the best way.

[@mossymaple]

Just put pallets underneath it, with or without mason blocks under pallets for air flow from underneath and throw it in a pile on the pallets, fn before first snow fall, cover the top, and weigh it down with gallon jugs tied to grommets on tarp

[@TractorTech]

That would work good. Sometimes people come to pick up wood and I would be worried that they would get their feet tangled up in a pallet and fall.

[@randytowery770]

#MikeMorgan @#MikeMorgan just wanted to see if u had seen this by chance? We have always put our wood in a pile and never had complaints. However with that being said I am looking at the IBC totes as another method of selling our wood. We live in N.C. so in as little as 6 months our wood is ready to burn. All oak,ash,hickory,cherry,maple. I sell green and seasoned yr round. So happy these little pit fire deals are so popular now!

[@ThierryC2373]

Hahahahaha, just try to get one from deep in the middle of the pile. The closer to the ground, the wetter. Water cannot evaporate properly at the bottom of the pile. It also depends on the local weather and the wood species. On the East coast, a guy did the experiment and the wood was much drier when stacked.

[@joshfoster9832]

In Northern England I can tell you it Definately doesn't dry faster in a pile

[@TractorTech]

It will vary by location.

[@gregschultz2029]

Thank You For The Food For Thought ,Sun And Wind Are The Best Natural Kilns ,Just Thinking !!!

[@TractorTech]

I agree, but I think air flow is the most important.

[@mikeadams2339]

Imho.green wood seasons quicker with rain,air sun. If you took a shop class and learned that a hammer hit to wood makes a dent. We learned to place a drop of h2o on the dent.Dent or hit will expand with moisture. So wet wood that receives h2o AND sun and air will help it dri ,season. Of course after seasoning you wil want to cover or put in a shed so wood is ready to burn. Even wet seasoned wood will burn better than unseasoned wood.

[@TractorTech]

I think you are on to something. I cut wood Saturday. You know how wood smells when it is drying? I never smelled that. Today we got a little rain and I can smell it drying. Maybe I need to set up a sprinkler system on my wood pile to accelerate drying😄 Yes, there is a difference in wet wood and unseasoned wood.

[@mikeadams2339]

@@TractorTech i think the difference is in specific woods. I waz surprised at how quickly ash dries up. Cut and split a standing dead ash.meter read 30 percent h2o. One day drying (in sunlight) it went down to 17 percent same surface. This was in December. I need to check same metering on locus.

[@TractorTech]

@@mikeadams2339 Ash does dry very fast. Did you split the wood open again when you rechecked it.

[@mikeadams2339]

Nope . I knew it was still gonna hold moisture after one day. I wanted to see how much the outside had dryed. I waz surprised.

[@betseyroy5709]

I would store it in a pile ON pallets so the bottom wood has air underneath it .

[@TractorTech]

That would help with airflow but it would make scooping it difficult or loading by hand.

[@dennisbailey9307]

I think you will find that the prongs of the moisture meter should be inserted along the grain not across or your results will be very inaccurate.

[@TractorTech]

I've tried it both ways and didn't see a difference.

[@birdhunter2754]

I use to stack wood years ago. I just make. 4 to 6 big piles. I just cover it all be4 snow flys.

[@TractorTech]

The only advantage to stacking is it looks better.

[@HOODS]

I think the most important thing is to get your fire wood off the ground. I think why people say to stack it is because. Typically when you stack wood you stack it off the ground. This is just one of those things that people just didn't understand why you stack it. But if you have huge piles of wood it would best if you can pile it on well draining soil like a slope or on rocks. Another thing to consider is when dealing with that much firewood its is simply retarded to spend the time to stack it till your stacking it in a woodshed to be used next.

[@TractorTech]

In the winter time, the wood on the bottom of the pile would be nasty. The ground freezes and thaws several times a year here. The splits on the bottom would be muddy and stuck in the ground. If someone wanted to keep their wood in a pile, they could lay a bunch of pallets down, and throw the wood on the pallets.

[@HOODS]

@@TractorTech that would work.

[@suffolkshepherd]

Very interesting. Appreciate you posting this. Do you think it needs to be a giant pile so I need to combine them? or will smaller piles here and there work too?

[@TractorTech]

I'm not sure. With smaller piles, a lager percentage of the wood would be exposed to rain but then it would also get more sun exposure.

[@jamiedalluge9472]

We put up around 60 face cords in a huge mound and the stuff on the bottom takes forever to dry

[@TractorTech]

I guess it is getting the moisture out of the ground.

[@jamiedalluge9472]

And it never gets any sun or wind and rain does work its way down thru to a degree. Stirring the piles with front end loader helps tremendously

[@martinschulz9381]

I worked on a farm in Germany years ago and the farmers just piled it green in wire mesh hopper, and dried just fine. (no stacking) Wood cutter people are notorious for making a complicated scientific process out of an easy simple like stacking and drying wood. A lot of this complicated nonsense is handed down from the old timers. I stack my wood in a woodshed not even splitting much of it and it dries just fine.

[@TractorTech]

Yeah every one has a crazy method to dry wood.

[@NoyeBray13]

Very interesting information. The less handling the better. How do you know how many cords of wood in the stack?

[@TractorTech]

I buy triaxle loads and I know how about how much is on each load. Then I know how much I have sold. The state of maine recognizes a thrown cord as 180cuft.

[@jasone9]

A thrown cord as 180 cf, that is very interesting I have never heard a specific number as recognized for a thrown cord but it sounds good to me. Thanks for that info

[@TractorTech]

@@jasone9 Here is more info on the thrown cord. www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/projects/mesweat/downloads/firewoodfacts2.pdf

[@josevelasco3245]

Ehh wood dries better with air flow and spaced out off the ground. Would you dry wood slabs piled on top of each other like that on the ground?

[@Kennethswoodcarvings]

Did you test before spliting what was already split?

[@wafive]

Probably a silly question, Would firewood dry faster if stacked vertically as opposed to horizontally as is the norm? I believe that sap and water move from the base of the tree up the trunk. not from the inside to the outside. would it not dry / drain better if it was set so the moisture could fall out of the wood through the same path it ran through when the tree was alive? Just a thought and quite happy to be educated as to why I have it wrong.

[@TractorTech]

That is a good question. It makes sense that the water would drain out of the wood.

[@harveyroad6]

Capillary action goes in all directions, regardless of orientation so no I don't think it would make a difference.

[@kenweis7913]

Nothing dries out wood like the sun

[@TractorTech]

Air flow is very important.

[@fricknjeep]

good points john

[@TractorTech]

Thanks

[@omadeitz3340]

We stack the outer edge but let air space then in the middle is criss cross stacking.

[@TractorTech]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@SeanPalmerify]

If I had more room I would pile it up but need to conserve some space as I'm only on a third of an acre.

[@TractorTech]

A pile of wood will take up 30% more space than a stack.

[@botfoblhrp]

Theres more than one way to skin a cat. I stack mine in 16x16 cause that the length of cattle panels, and stacked nice keeps neighbors quiet.

[@TractorTech]

You are not the first person to mention that their neighbors complain about wood. I can't believe that people would complain about something like firewood.