Rain moisture

[Yeti]

Hey chaps well I store my logs in vented stacking pallets outside with tarp on top and open fronts and backs etc,well the inevitable happened due to high winds the tarp lifted and moved (despite being weighted down with tires) and the logs got a lashing of rain.

They were seasoned,just wondering if there is any way the will dry out quick enough to be burnable..in middle building new barn so can't even chuck them inside anywhere as space is limited.

It was all softwood aswell and I got told that if seasoned softwood has rain at It then it will be absolutly sodden and back to square one again...any input would be greatful thanks folks

[ben lightfoot]

My friend has this issue with a few customers complaining about when the logs are delivered wet after a brief spell of rain. I would just hope that they would have the sense to a, order before they have run out of logs and b, any fresh ordered logs they have in are drying next to the fire instead of grabbing them as and when. On to your question i would just suggest to them to have them next to the fire to help them out a bit. Before anyone jumps on me i will admit i dont sell logs or have a fire although its what i would do.

[Hogs Breath]

They wont take long to dry once recovered any moisture will be superficial,happens to me as well!

[Albedo]

This is a good day to ask this question as its been raining solid for days here.

I think from experience it doesn't tend to do it too much harm but......

Time for a bit of science.

 

I have taken a bit of seasoned connifer weighing 1kilo dry and placed it outside in the rain today at 4pm. It is a sawn piece, rather than split and has been placed sawn side up.

 

The question seems to be, will it soak up water to the extent that it again holds water in its cells so to speak, all the way through, or will it once dried out not do this again.

 

The rain outside is the big lumpy wet type so I will weigh it again periodically.

 

This is what it looks like after 15 minutes, just a bit of water absorbed into the first couple of milimetres.

 

 

 

Edit; others posted while I was preparing this post, I agree with them but fancied doing this little experiment

Edited February 5, 2011 by Albedo

[Yeti]

Glad I'm not the only one who let's silly little things drive them crazy to the point of investigating and experimenting haha.

Hopefully with tarp back on and tied down to pallets now aswell as tires it should stay put and hope the moisture pishes off before customer wants anymore.

Firewood customers are getting ludicrously picky compared to last year.

I had some complain the logs looked grey and old......haha yes seasoned logs.

[dylan]

they'll dry out fine if you have plenty of air flow, all the logs at the front of my stores get driven rain on them but dry out in a couple of days

[Albedo]

After the first hour I had to swap scales as the first ones weren't too good. I got 0.00 g of water into my log in the following hour, but now its stopped raining and there's a nice warm breeze.....

 

This science stuff isn't as easy as it looks:001_smile:

[Albedo]

It only stopped raining for about 10 minutes so after 4 hours in heavy rain I've got about 4 grammes of water into my log. It is dry on the leeward side and you can see it hasn't soaked in much.

 

After a day or two I'll cut it in half and post a pic

[Yeti]

cheers for updates bud.Tis all quite interesting.

[elfinwood saws]

tried a dehumidifier to help dry logs last night. A couple of vented dumpys with a tarp over them to the ground and the dehumidifier inside the tarp, good result wet logs last night almost dry logs this morning.may make a drying room in a corner of the shed.