When trying to learn how to dry firewood fast, you will come across a number of methods. A Holtz Hausen is a good way of stacking wood for quick drying. If you handle everything properly, the method will help you to season wet wood to dry in 3 months or so. This European method works because it creates a "chimney effect" and draws air through the outer pile. You will have some vertically stacked wood in the center that will also facilitate airflow for better effects.

But people also responded that it is impossible to dry firewood in 3 months, even with this Holtz Hausen. What do you think?

Building a Holtz Hausen to Dry Firewood Fast

It means you cannot usually tell how long to season firewood, but you can definitely limit the time it takes for drying by opting for this particular method. Here's how to handle everything:
1

Select a good place to start your Holtz Hausen. Choose an area that is level and is in direct sunlight. Start by covering the ground with a thick layer of bark – you can also use gravel or something else to ensure that the wood is not exposed to the moisture in the soil. Place a stake directly into the ground and tie a string around it. Now, cut the string and knot it to avoid unraveling. Cut it off four feet from the place where you have pounded a stake. You now have your measuring string ready to design your Holtz Hausen.

2

Place a piece of flat food at the very end of the string. Make sure it is perpendicular to the string. Place another piece next to the first piece with its center perpendicular to the string. You now have the outside radius determined for your Holtz Hausen. Now, keep moving around the circle and place smaller wood pieces as you move. The string will provide you with a benchmark, and ensure that you end up forming a large circle of eight feet in diameter. What is the height of your stack and how tightly you have stacked it will determine how much cord and wood your Holtz Hausen holds.

3

Use the outside of every block that you have aligned with the outer end of your measuring string. This will ensure that your first row of blocks has a slight tilt towards the center. This will improve the stability of your stack.

4

Once you have built a stack as high as 3 feet, you need to place a couple of cross poles of 8-foot length across the stack. When you place those poles, you should ensure that the ends are in line with outer edges of the blocks. This will ensure that your Holtz Hausen stays in place even when it rises in height. After you have reached about 6-foot level, you should again place cross poles on the stack. Add another couple of feet of blocks to hold it steady.

5

Once you notice the first set of cross poles is steady enough, you can start adding firewood into the center. Stacking your firewood vertically is another good idea. The bark placed on the surface will help prevent ground moisture from affecting the wood.

6

To complete the Holtz Hausen, you need to pile up the loose centerpieces to create a mound. The top of the wood should have a circle of blocks divided into half. Make sure the bark is still on. Now, create another tier of similar blocks inset 8 inches in from your first circle. You need to create another circle that should be in from the second. You will be moving inward to make circles that will start climbing the mound, and the inner tiers will be above the outer tiers. Keep shrinking the circle while moving towards the center to create a "thatched rooftop" to your stacks. The use of bark will ensure that the water doesn't seep into the wood.

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