Longterm firewood storage.

[Steven P]

I don't store many multiple years of firewood, but have taken the opinion that a tarp over the top is probably asking for more problems than it solves - airflow and evaporation is needed. I reckon that if it take moths to dry each 1" of log then the reverse is true, it will take months to get that 1" properly wet again. Most of the rain landing on it will run off or evaporate fairly quickly. British summers of course, it is possible to have rain for the full summer. Logs on wet ground - as JustMe will absorb moisture from below and not have the airflow to dry off well. If you can get a log store with the roof above the top of the log pile - so air flow happens - or perhaps get the tarp suspended above the top of the logs then that would work (a shed is where I'd go given the chose though). 

 

Logs that were dry last October and outside will go inside just as soon as we get 3 days with no rain and will be dry be heating season this year

[openspaceman]

3 hours ago, Steven P said:

I don't store many multiple years of firewood,

I don't and cannot because my log store would take up too much of the garden if I attempted it.

 

I chop  four solid cubic metres of logs to last me the winter.

 

As long as the store is full by the end of May and I use the first bay loaded in early April  first it will all be less than 20% mc when burned.

[Tim H]

Really interested in your comment on the pallet over grass/soil, Justme. Do you reckon it will affect just the first layer on the pallet or every bit of birch on that pallet?

[Tim H]

Stephen P, I can only go with my experience of using a heavy tarp for 10 yrs over ash and larch. If the stack is in a really open area with the wind whistling through it,  there has never been a problem with condensation. I leave only 12 inches of cover overhanging the sides and the ropes are not 100% tight, so you can see the wind lifting the cover 6 inches or more in a decent blow.

[Steven P]

Sounds perfect, airflow and space to take the condensation away from the wood

[the village idiot]

On 25/05/2024 at 10:00, Tim H said:

It would be great to have a big shed, scbk and maybe I will take the plunge and build one, if the pension permits. It would certainly give peace of mind when the big storms come roaring in.

It is heartening to hear of 'old boys' still having the interest and strength to c/s/s timber in their late 70's. 

 

Our amazing volunteer Pete is in his mid 70's and still does a full day on the saws with us. He's a great role model for showing what is possible. He does do a yoga class once a week which probably helps a lot.

 

I echo the other comments on Birch. Needs prioritising over the other species. Get it split and under cover as soon as you reasonably can manage.

[openspaceman]

5 hours ago, the village idiot said:

 

Our amazing volunteer Pete is in his mid 70's and still does a full day on the saws with us. He's a great role model for showing what is possible. He does do a yoga class once a week which probably helps a lot.

 

 

Good on Pete, I suppose I fit into that age class but half a day wears me out, I find the main problem is keeping the heart rate below 160, but then I was always nerdy rather than athletic.

[openspaceman]

On 26/05/2024 at 18:50, openspaceman said:

 

I chop  four solid cubic metres of logs to last me the winter.

I need to revise that figure as I just measured my log store at 3.4m by 1.6m by 1.6m so 8.7m3 of carefully stacked wood, allowing 30% air space that is 6m3 of solid wood. With an average basic density (hardwood which is the bulk) of 400kg dry wood per m3 that makes it that I burn it to produce 12,000kWh of heat, that is a bit much for a small house but it leaks heat. It would cost me £1750 extra to do it with gas.