Birch going mouldy?

[sandspider]

Hi all

 

I've got some silver birch logs chopped to length, split and stacked outside to dry. They're under a projecting shed roof, so dry at the back and from directly above, but open to the elements a bit from either side and open at the front. They were cut early this year and have been drying ever since. However, I noticed some spots of mould forming, on the exposed ends (which get dripped on / blowing rain occasionally) but also on the inner ends and a bit of the top surfaces. Considering the weather has been fairly dry, I wasn't expecting this - is there anything I can do about it? Tarpaulins or similar? Though I guess that would probably make them worse by sealing the moisture in and stopping the breeze getting through... Burn them sooner?! Don't want to get serious mould in all of them when the weather gets wetter...

 

Cheers.

[sandspider]

I could possibly make space and move them into the shed, but if they're already mouldy I assume they'll get worse without air flow...?

[Alycidon]

Air flow is the secret, sheeting then over will make the situation worse.

 

I am surprised you are getting this issue, sounds to me like you are doing it about right.

 

A

[Serendipity]

Once they have seasoned the issue will resolve itself.

[woodyguy]

Sycamore yes, goes mouldy as soon as you look at it. Don't have the problem with Birch, so surprised. Air flow is the only answer. Move it into the open rather than inside.

[Stubby]

Syc and Birch sometimes gets a bit of pinkish/whitish mold on it but only on the cut surface and I find it has no affect on how it burns ......

[sandspider]

Cheers all. The mould is blueish / blackish, in small circles. The wood isn't in the shed, it's leaning against it (under an overhanging roof) as I thought that would be better for air movement. (I did wonder if moving it into the shed would be better, but it seems like that wouldn't help). And I live in a fairly windy valley, so I think there's plenty of air movement - the wood is off the ground on pallets, in two rows with an air gap between them and a gap behind so the logs don't lean on the shed directly. Oddly enough, I had a load of sycamore in the same place last year and no mould at all. (And that was a wetter colder year)

 

Bugger. Oh well, I suppose if I burn them this year it won't have time to get too much worse...

 

Serendipity - when you say the issue will resolve itself do you mean the mould will go away? Or stop getting worse? Or I just won't see it once they're in the stove?!

[Stubby]

Cheers all. The mould is blueish / blackish, in small circles. The wood isn't in the shed, it's leaning against it (under an overhanging roof) as I thought that would be better for air movement. (I did wonder if moving it into the shed would be better, but it seems like that wouldn't help). And I live in a fairly windy valley, so I think there's plenty of air movement - the wood is off the ground on pallets, in two rows with an air gap between them and a gap behind so the logs don't lean on the shed directly. Oddly enough, I had a load of sycamore in the same place last year and no mould at all. (And that was a wetter colder year)

 

Bugger. Oh well, I suppose if I burn them this year it won't have time to get too much worse...

 

Serendipity - when you say the issue will resolve itself do you mean the mould will go away? Or stop getting worse? Or I just won't see it once they're in the stove?!

 

Serendipity , I think , is accidental good fortune but what ever , If they are for you and your stove don't worry . As I said it will burn fine , mine does .

[Serendipity]

I had a similar issue on a birch I felled and stacked. The mould appeared early in the process but after about 6 months it disappeared. Burned fine too.

[sandspider]

Yeah, it's for my log burner only. As long as they've still got enough dry mass when they go in the stove - I won't dry them till next year then!