Vented barrow bags for seasoning.

[Just_me]

Hi all,

someone kindly helped me out on another question I asked. But brought up another possible concern. I’m new to seasoning wood and have only been do it for 2 years and smallish amounts. I’ve been using vented barrow bags on well drained hardcore and not suffered any issues to date. 
But…..someone mentioned on the other question, that drying in bags will cause mould and not dry properly. 
Has anyone any advice? Is this likely to be an issue? I’ve 26t to dry out and tbh some are all ready below 20% but I don’t want to continue bagging up if it’s not right. Tia. 

[Will C]

Air flow is key. We have seasoned in cube m bags as long as you allow air flow through the stack and the rain off you will be fine. (I may have just been lucky)

Stack them tight and get them wet you may have problems. 

[scbk]

Just wondering, is the wood for your own use, or to sell?

If it's for your own use, is the plan with the barrow bags to wheel them direct into where the stove/boiler is?

Are you filling them loose with a conveyor or hand stacked, what length are the logs cut to?

[Just_me]

Erm tbh I’m not sure. I bought 26t and planned to use it over a few years. The bungalow is a drafty old place but needs knocking down and rebuilding due to flood damage. So I wasn’t on planning to sell it, but seems like I’ll probably need to. And if it works out ok, may buy some more and see how it goes, potential to be a decent side hustle. 

[Steven P]

I don't have anywhere near space for 26t, but unless you need to bag them for storage / management that does sound like adding an extra process to drying them out.

 

However if you are maybe going to get rid of them then it makes sense to bag them sometime - I would still wait till after they are dried a bit though

[GarethM]

26 ton is say 30 IBC cages.

 

Granted I use them for ease of moving things around as I've the equipment.

 

As an IBC is about 5 and a bit barrow bags depending on how tightly you pack the IBC or barrow bag.

[Stere]

 

 

I don't see the point as its gonna be a hassle to fill them all as 26t gonna be alot of bags?

 

Why not use the 1m3 size bags?

 

Or is idea you have a sack trolly and bring each bag into the house to use ?

 

Also if you pack/stck the barrow bags to hold more logs  rather the loose fill will season alot slower-  (maybe this  is obivous)?

 

As  for seasoning the bags  up on pallets with space between each would be best to maximize airflow  if you can get enough pallets etc and maybe  some cover to keep the  the rain over the tops

 

Basicaly the ideal is as little water on the logs as possible but the greatest wind and sun exposure.

 

 

I don't think selling any is worth it unless you have acess to free wood or are doing is on a larger scale with all the equipment.

Edited May 3 by Stere

[david lawrence]

Photo of the 26 tonne log pile would be interesting 

[GarethM]

Me thinks the may sell, becomes a definite will sell once you realise how much space you'll require.

 

Just as an example 30 cages double stacked takes up 18 x 18ft

[scbk]

It's fairly common in the Highlands for people to buy an artic load of softwood for domestic use (24-27t or whatever). Sometimes for 1 house or sometimes it's neighbours/close family chip in together.

 

If you can, it's worth thinking of a system to cut down on handling as much as possible. So vented bags or cages and forks to move them, or a tipper, or the conveyor straight into the shed