how long will my cordwood last?

[defender tipper]

Hi Guys,

can anyone please tell me how long my beech trunks and cord will last in the wood?

its all stacked up on bearers at the bottom of a sheltered wood,mainly 18inch trunks and some larger,i have bought to much so need

to find out how long will it last for resale,there is 325 tonns of it and would hate to see it rotten and unuseable after a year or so.

I have only ever bought the right amount to last me one season normally about 100 tonne..also any tips on making it last longer?

i can get 80 tonne in the barn over winter and spring but will still leave a fair bit out in the elements..any thought please?

[sandspider]

I've never tried, but I'd have thought as long as it's kept off the ground and there's some air movement, it should be OK for two or three years? It'll probably dry out quite nicely!

[Owainlogs]

Put a sheet over top of stack if you have one

[Woodworks]

Guess it depends on your local weather conditions to some extent. I dont like having beech more than a year as it is on the turn after a year and well on the way to rotten in two but this is soggy climate of Dartmoor. Thing is with beech it has so much water inside it when fresh it seems this makes it rot faster than other hardwood species. Might be better if it's been through a harvester as they tend to knock some of the bark of enabling drying so slowing rot.

[Squaredy]

Yeah I agree two years is a bit too long -best to sheet it over.  Processing firewood and finding half is soft is not much fun.  Also it all gets very messy - dusty and mucky - not such a clean product.