drying log's

[yaxleylad]

Can I ask a few question's about firewood drying please?

I saw the post about the log's at a shop for sale with 45% MC. The last load I bought off my regular dealer (South norfolk/north suffolk) was very WET probably about the same MC .

When the professional firewood dealers dry wood what is the best way? I have often wondered if a huge mountain of cut and split logs in a yard or even under cover is all that good for losing water-doesnt the logs in the middle have a hard time drying and dont they go mouldy or spalty. I noticed in frnace they had oak in 3 or 4 foot lengths sometimes split 2 or 4 way and then stacked up criss cross and left out for up to 4 years. Also does wood dry out quicker if its in halves or quarter's rather than full round with the bark on?

Any way the up shot of this was I decided to do my own wood and got 2 proper cords of oak/ash/birch/cherry locally for £80 and have almost done splitting it all up (totally by hand, I used wedges to split length wise down to 1/2's 1/4's or 1/8's, then crooss cut them on a buck frame, I have a very old disston saw which I maintain myself that cuts better than a snadvik bahco one ) Some of the logs are felled almost a year ago and are already quite dry. Ive just stacked them in walls about 8 footx4 footx12 inches wide with a 4 inch air gap between them. Will this allow enough air flow? I want to be sure my wood is bone dry for next season.

[Dean Lofthouse]

What I do is split the wood asap after cutting and store under cover in a huge pile.

 

I did notice that some of the bottom logs didn't dry as well (although they were ok) but then thought of putting pallets on the floor before piling the logs up.

 

The way you have stacked yours is very good for drying. But with oak it needs splitting, if you store or season it in log lengths it takes forever to dry.

 

If I split oak fairly small it dries to around 20% within a few summer months.

 

The best way is, split, store under cover, with plenty of ventilation, preferably open fronted so the sun can get at them.

[bob]

my store at home is pallets on the floor and sides with a proper roof and they dry very quick as no rain but air gets to them

[Log-ologist]

dry head and dry feet. thats the way to dry wood, let the wind in the side.

[Andy Collins]

Welcome yaxleylad, just across the fields from me

[yaxleylad]

Thanks for the replies!

I put bricks down cross wise of the wall, about 6 inches apart, then odd and end bits of ply offcuts and split hazel poles as a foundation so the logs arent resting on the ground. I have my eye on an old cutrain side off of a lorry which would cut up nice to make small customised tarp's with some rope and bricks to hold down to make a water proof cover. I have completely filled my normal shed, the rest is in various spots around the garden. The logs are split down to about somewhere between wrist and fist sized (3x3 ish cross section some bigger some smaller)

2 cords is about the same as 8 dealer load's I was getting before so £80 worth would of cost me £440, just a few afternoon's effort to convert them down

[yaxleylad]

Welcome yaxleylad, just across the fields from me

 

Where are you at ? Do you live near the Eye airfield

[Andy Collins]

Bit further than that, n Cotton

[3dogs]

i find if you lay your log on a plate and place it on sunny windowcill it will dryout very quickly. or you could speed the drying process by placing it on a baking tray and popping it in the oven:wave:

 

i find they make good paperwieghts:icon14:

[yaxleylad]

i find if you lay your log on a plate and place it on sunny windowcill it will dryout very quickly. or you could speed the drying process by placing it on a baking tray and popping it in the oven:wave:

 

i find they make good paperwieghts:icon14:

 

"dry" yarkshire wit, luvv itt:wave: