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Round wood pile

Started by RSteiner, November 08, 2005, 06:58:30 AM

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RSteiner

I have been wanting to try making one of those round wood piles for several years.  I have read that wood seasons quicker piled in this manner, and they look unique.

I started will concrete blocks in a 10 foot diameter circle laid on their side so that air can move under the pile, the center aslo has a bunch of block keep the center wood off the ground and allow air flow.

The pile is not yet complete.  It is a little more time comsuming trying to keep everything in order.  Anybody tried this before?  Any suggestions?

Randy
Randy

Murf

I have family in Finland, when they saw our wood piled up in neat rows they thought it was the strangest thing they had ever seen, a real waste of labour.  ::)

When I was over there they showed me their method. They have a several poles sticking up like flagpoles, each one has two rings marked around it a ways up from the ground. They just heap the wood up around the pole in a 3m. (about 10') round heap until the pile reaches the second (the highest) mark on the pole, then start another heap. The wood is just piled right on the bare ground.

As the wood dries it shrinks some, when the wood pile shrinks down to the first (lower) mark on the pole the wood is seasoned enough to burn.

All over the country side everybody does this. Most homes have two or more heaps, one being used and one or more seasoning to be used later.
If you're going to break a law..... make sure it's Murphy's Law.

Coon

Sounds like a good idea.  Probably works great too.   Alot less work throwing it on a pile rather than stacking it all.   I hate it when you just get it stacked all up and some kids or the wind knocks your nice neat pile over. :o >:( :'(
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 w/Kohler,
Husqvarna, Stihl and, Jonsereds Saws

Quartlow

my brother does it a unique way, he has two pines cut off about 10 foot high, he cuts all his wood in 8 foot lentghts and stands them on end around these pines, builds one up one year while cutting the other. He cuts all his stuff on the buzzsaw after that, splits everthing in 8 foot lengths too
Breezewood 24 inch mill
Have a wooderful day!!

ohsoloco

Years ago when I was just collecting firewood for a fireplace and some spare cash I just made a large pile in the back yard (someone told me it dries faster this way too).  At some point a skunk thought it was a nice place to crawl into and die  :-\

Coon

Stinks too be you :D :D :D
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 w/Kohler,
Husqvarna, Stihl and, Jonsereds Saws

ohsoloco

Yeah....surprise  :o  :D  :D 


RSteiner

I have tried the heap method but my experience was that the wood in the middle of the pile once wet from a soaking rain never really dreid out.  The most effective drying pile seemed to be a long row one length wide piled along the fence line of the horse pasture. 

The only draw back was the lenght of the pile.  I figured that in a row of 18" long wood about 4 1/2 feet high every 20 feet was equal to a cord.  Putting up around 10 cord of wood a year made up around 200 linear feet of wood pile.  I also placed a 2 foot wide black plastic sheet on the top to keep rain and snow off. 

I thought the round pile would be a little more compact. 

Randy
Randy

OneWithWood

I had a nice row going between two trees.  We had some major wind this past weekend.  Now I have a nice stack in the vacinity of those trees.  Works for me.  :D
One With Wood
LT40HDG25, Woodmizer DH4000 Kiln

Engineer

I have some piled and some stacked in long rows.  The wood in the center of the pile really doesn't dry out too well. 

My stacks tend to fall over, especially when 13-year-old and 10-year-old sons with minimal wood-stacking experience are doin' the stacking.   :o :(  I have a firewood "wall" going halfway across my property - probably 250 feet long.  I was brought up to stack neatly, not to pile - the pile is a lot easier, but again, it doesn't dry too well and you can find some "surprises" in a large pile.  Good homes for critters.

beenthere

Quote from: Engineer on November 09, 2005, 11:33:46 AM
....My stacks tend to fall over, especially when 13-year-old and 10-year-old sons with minimal wood-stacking experience are doin' the stacking. :o ....

Firewood stacked and drying more on one 'face' than the other will result in more shrinkage (south facing side, side away from the pile or a wall), thus a change in the height of the pile one face to the other (which has less shrinkage).  When stacking 6-10' high, this difference can cause enough 'tilt' to the pile edge that the stack can tip over, and/or lean out pretty easy. I have experienced that several times, and blamed myself (and my boys  :) on occasion for lousy piling, until I discovered the drying result.  Enjoy what help you can get now, as all too soon they will be working under someone else's roof-top.  ;)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

edsaws

Has anyone got a picture of this round wood pile? I've seen them before somwhere and was thinking of doing it next year.  My youngest son helps me out by stackin it but it usually falls over after a while or leaning pretty badly. I try to explain the right way (or my way) but he just keeps on stackin it his way ::). So I figure next year we'll give the round pile a try.

ohsoloco

I had a large portion of my firewood pile fall over on me this spring  :(  Of course, I stacked my wood six feet high this year instead of four, and it was the south facing side that fell over (interesting beenthere mentioned that).  Then again, it COULD be that I cut my firewood 20" long this year instead of 16" since the stove will take the longer stuff...I was stacking on 4' wide pallets, so I made two rows on the outside, and just piled odd length stuff in the middle running in the other direction so as it settled it pushed out on the pile  ::)  No, wait...I like beenthere's explanation much better  :D :D :D

farmerdoug

In the fall I stack the firewood on pallets.  When the snow is on the ground I skid the whole tree up behind the greenhouses and cut to length.  Then I load it in the front end loader and dump it on a pile right next to the stove.  I burn most of what I cut each year so I do not have to worry about piles sitting around to collect rodents.  I have enough things already to do that. :D

Farmerdoug
Doug
Truck Farmer/Greenhouse grower
2001 LT40HDD42 Super with Command Control and AccuSet, 42 hp Kubota diesel
Fargo, MI

beenthere

When does the wood dry?  Maybe when it gets burned?   ;)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

farmerdoug

Cut in the winter as green tree has is lowest moisture content.  I cut both live and dead trees.   It is still green but I have less problems with the Cenral boiler when I am burning green wood than I do with seasoned wood.  Dry wood seems to spike the temp and shut down to quick and then the cerosote builds up.

Farmerdoug
Doug
Truck Farmer/Greenhouse grower
2001 LT40HDD42 Super with Command Control and AccuSet, 42 hp Kubota diesel
Fargo, MI

wiam

It was explained to me by the dealer that green wood reignited faster than dry in a Central Boiler.  Iguess I gave him a funny look because he asked me if I had burned wood my whole life.  I told him I had and he said to forget  everything I knew because this was different.  So my favorite woods when it is -30f  are green hard maple or green beech.  With dry wood you will have to feed it more.

Will

Paschale

I found this picture online of a round wood pile--it looks like this one was from Denmark.  I like it! 


Y'all can pronounce it "puh-SKOLLY"

Timburr

That's a  8) well engineered stack, but me thinks the splitter got a bit jiggered (tired) at the end ;D

If that's the missus's "dog house", where's the door? :D
Sense is not common

edsaws

Here's a link that shows how its done http://www.gransfors.com/htm_eng/yxboken/bok04.htm
Paschale's pic would be the finished pile I'm guessing.

RSteiner

Well, my attemp at making a round pile is almost finished.  The picture is great.  I will attemp to post a picture when complete.  I used culled cement blocks on the side for a base that would not rot and allow air to flow underneath, also to provide a habitat for mice and such for the winter. :D

You sure can put a lot of wood in a small area.  Getting started correctly is the key I found out, had to start over part way through.  How do you think they got those pieces on the top of the pile?

I put a ladder against the pile filled the tractor bucket with wood and walk on the top to finish it.  The base of the pile I made is 10 feet in diameter and it is over seen feet high to where the top starts to round over.  The pile is very stable even when walking on the top.

Randy
Randy

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