How long can firewood last if its kept dry?

[James]

Yes, and when the tree-stringers rot, you nice firewood is laying on the ground, which is what we are trying to avoid............

--James--

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You people are weird. We always just laid a pair of the longer, thinner trees longways, and stacked the split wood on top of that. The stringers rot, but who cares? If you're storing wood for more than two years, the best place to put it is attached to a living tree. If you're using it faster than that then you only have to worry about rot if you're using poplar, or some other cellulose sponge.

--Goedjn

[keith]

I just put it in the garage. I don't use much (backup and when it's below

-20F), so it sits there just fine. It lights easy too! ;-)

[Mark]

I pile mine on a 6" bed of gravel and tarp it. Water drains away no problem. Some of it is over 5 years old near the bottom and shows no signs of rotting. It's a little gray, but that's about it. Just like cedar siding......

[Goedjn]

By the time the stringers rot, your firewood should be a pile of ash uphill of the garden.

[FACE]

So you are practical. They are not particularly weird. Weird would be the guy who builds a $5000 humidity controlled enclosure with forced air ventilation to protect $200 worth of firewood. Or maybe that one would just be rich and eccentric. ;-)

FACE

[George E. Cawthon]

Although this is probably one of the stupidest questions because it is so easily answered with common observation and knowledge, I just have to jump in. I've seen wood stacked in a wood shed that has a sand and dirt floor that becomes wet and has running water every spring when the snow melts. Wood that had been stacked in that shed for 15-20 years showed no evidence of deterioration even for most pieces in direct contact with the ground. (note I said sand and dirt floor so the floor was dry most of the time and the shed was no where close to air tight.)

That, of course, doesn't answer the question, but indicates that that firewood deterioration should not be a concern during anyone's lifetime.

[dean]

George - you said something partially useful! Wow! What happened?

I'm talking about normal wood outside under a tarp, it gets a little wet as the rain splashes or blows, and its on bricks just above ground. I've seen wood go completely rotten when it contact gound even for a short time.

[dean]

Well I assumed some common sense in the question rather than specific literary accuracy.

[George E. Cawthon]

The subject says "if kept dry."