Moving it from the stacks to the porch in the winter

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

KB007

Minister of Fire
Oct 21, 2009
553
Ottawa, Canada
For any of you out there who have to move wood in the winter, how do you do it?

I left my wood in the stacks this winter and have been moving 1-2 weeks worth up to the porch every week or so. So far so good, but my tractor has been giving me some troubles starting in the cold so I've had to use a wheel barrow a couple of times and lotsa loads in a wheel barrow do not do my neck any good. (Tractor is a Husquavarna YT2042 with 5W30 oil in for the winter. I've got about 60 yards to go from stacks to porch.

Any suggestions?
 
If you can find one, try a block heater for the Husky. Also, a battery tender will keep the battery charged fully.
 
Every 2-3 weeks I move 2-3 weeks worth of wood from the barn to a room off my attached garage. Lots of trips, but probably 1/2 the distance you have to haul your supply. I don't really mind - I put on some music in the barn, crack some Molsons, and I wait for the best day for doing it (usually sunny and cold). My main problem now is the amount of ice on the ground. I plow a large area from house to barn and workshop and there is now a pretty think layer of ice - when we get a dusting of snow, it's treacherous. I think I'm going to buy a pair of those slip on studded grippers for ice - WallyWorld has a cheap version and I think it might save my life....or at least my back, elbows, etc. and probably prevent a concussion at this point! I guess the Molsons don't help ;-) . Cheers!
 
I'm in a similar situation to you - I have my wood about 40 yards away from the house and down the hill a bit. My first few years burning wood I would haul it by wheelbarrow every day or two. Now I stack a couple cords under the deck when it gets cold for use only when it snows. When it's not snowy I just drive the pickup truck through the yard to the woodstacks and fill up the bed, then drive it to the back door. I only need to do this once a week. Of course for people who actually get a lot of snow this won't work but here in Va it works okay.
 
I use a wagon/trailer with numatic wheels that I bought at TSC for around fifty bucks when it is nice out or I am not feeling like getting out the Griz. After it snows I just use my bigger trailer and my Yamaha Grizzly to haul it all in one load. I keep a face cord on he porch under cover and about 1/2 that in the house warming to go into the stove.

When I am working up a sweat or just trying to find motivation to move my wood around I just think about the full 400 gallon propane tank in the yard that used to get filled 3x a year at between $400-600 a pop. Motivation discovered!!
 
I use a plastic sled (or a garden cart if there is no snow). I learned a long time ago to not stack my wood downhill from the house.
It's no fun trying to haul wood uphill over ice or snow!

- Rich
 
I bought a cargo sled (designed to be pulled behind a snowmachine--easy to find in this neck of the wood--the grocery store carries them!) Right up there with the `best $40 I ever spent'. It works just as well in the summer as it does in the winter, and hauls about four-six armfuls at a whack. I pulled most of my wood uphill with it last year, and am moving some downhill with it this year. Even at extreme cold temps (-30 or so) it has not shattered as I feared it might--and I throw my wood in it, I don't gently set it in.

I use it in the summer to move wood through the property as well. Slips just fine on the trails. Nice thing about this solution is it's a one-time expenditure and it's ready to go.

Good luck.
 
The wood shed is only 15' from the front porch, but it's easier to use the wheelbarrow to move from there to the porch. I do about 1/2 cord at a time, and then all I need do is open the front door, grab a few splits and right back in the door. Stove is 6' from the door.
I'm considering getting a high wheeled cart that'll hold a couple days worth that I can just load and wheel into the stove room and park next to the stove. Couple more months and the weather won't be bad enough to worry about it. Maybe next year.
Always thinking of ways to streamline.
 
Had a pm asking for details on cargo sled; replied, but am posting info here for anyone else who wants to know.

My sled is made by Shappell, and I have the smallest one they make, the Jet Sled Jr. It looks like an overgrown sled made for kids to go down a hill. They also make a mid-size one called the Kodiak and a big one called the XL--but I"m pretty sure I couldn't budge that one fully loaded w/firewood. Popular with duck hunters, ice fishermen, etc.
 
This is the stuff I think about every time I think I'm not going to stack wood in the garage any more. I'd never be able to get it to the porch because the snow slides down the metal roof right down to the walk. If I go with the driveway stack next year, I'm thinking about using a utility trailer to wheel a larger load into the garage and then picking the wood off there. Of course that would take a lot of space in the garage too, vs. a pile on the floor. I'm still liking the garage stack though...
How about a plastic tobaggan? I bought one a couple of years ago at the hardware store but haven't used it yet.

index.php
 
i have almost 100 yards to carry wood. i bring 2 or 3 weeks around at a time and like using a 4 wheeler with a little trailer. i ran in to trouble using the lawn tractor when the snow got deep or the trail got to icy. if the tractor works for you i am sure you can find a nice universal magnetic block heater to keep it ready.

a few nights ago my daughter came in and said the 4 wheeler stopped working. i have 2 weeks to get it or i will use NH Wood's technique - music in the barn and Molsons. a good approach.

also, i have seen a very nice heavy black plastic sled for sale at the farm store. it has high sides and can be used as a boat in the summer. that baby will carry some wood.

good luck.
 
My stacks are outdoors, under tarp, about 100 yards from the house. I'm lucky enough that I can pull the pickup right up to the stacks, load the truck, then drive straight to the garage where I back it in and unload. Simple rack in the garage holds about 1/2 cord. I usually try to make the trip when the ground is frozen. Less mud.
 
Can you build a stack or two closer to the porch when the tractor is running so you don't have to make such long trips every time? Our porch holds enough for about three weeks to a month in this climate. Every year before the first snow I put together a couple log racks, one by the front door and another by the back door. I keep them full and tarped but never use them unless I can't get to my main stack of wood out back to resupply the porch. When it warms up in the spring and there is no need to heat the house I move all the wood back to the main stacks out back then take down the temporary racks until next winter.
 

Attachments

  • 718a.jpg
    718a.jpg
    66.8 KB · Views: 430
Im in a similar situation. My stacks are roughly 150 ft from the house. I too use my lawnmower Husky 2348 when the weather permits. If its downright nasty, i will back my SUV up to the stacks and stack it in the back. Its easy enough to clean the wood mess out afterwards. Last year, we got so much snow that the wheelbarrow became the go to tool, because i wasn't snowblowing a large path for the mower or the SUV. I keep about a face cord stacked in the garage. Thats about 7 trips with a wheelbarrow, 4 trips with the mower and cart, or two trips with the SUV. Lasts almost two weeks.
 
Thanks for all the good replies. After a bit of fussing I managed to get the tractor going so all was OK. Checked with the shop I bought it from and they don't make a block heater for it :(

Only thing he said was to check the choke lever was engaging fully and with a well charged battery it should always start. Guess I'll check that next time I'm out in the garage. I like the 4 wheeler idea, but with 3 cars and 2 motorcycles already, the wife has cut me off of any more vehicular purchases.
 
I came up with this map to show the path of my firewood from tree to hearth (work was boring today).

Spring/Summer: I have 2 ATVs so one is parked at the splitter station. Get a load of logs from the woods and drive to the splitter station. Remove logs from ATV#1 onto the splitter and load splits immediately into ATV#2. Drive ATV#2 to the stacking area to unload then back into the woods for more logs. Drive back to the splitter station and unload, split, load back into ATV#1.

Rinse and repeat.

With the splitter in the vertical position AND sitting on the shed porch, no bending down. Once the log is picked up from the forest it doesn't hit the ground ever again...straight to the firewood rack(s). You cannot believe how much this saves back strain.

Fall: We haul 5 cord from the stacking area to the wood shed.

Winter: We haul 3/4 cord at a time from the wood shed to the front porch again using the ATV.
 

Attachments

  • Firewood_Path.jpg
    Firewood_Path.jpg
    206.6 KB · Views: 319
  • splitter.jpg
    splitter.jpg
    128.6 KB · Views: 317
  • atv.jpg
    atv.jpg
    99.7 KB · Views: 490
SWNH said:
I came up with this map to show the path of my firewood from tree to hearth (work was boring today).

Spring/Summer: I have 2 ATVs so one is parked at the splitter station. Get a load of logs from the woods and drive to the splitter station. Remove logs from ATV#1 onto the splitter and load splits immediately into ATV#2. Drive ATV#2 to the stacking area to unload then back into the woods for more logs. Drive back to the splitter station and unload, split, load back into ATV#1.

Rinse and repeat.

With the splitter in the vertical position AND sitting on the shed porch, no bending down. Once the log is picked up from the forest it doesn't hit the ground ever again...straight to the firewood rack(s). You cannot believe how much this saves back strain.

Fall: We haul 5 cord from the stacking area to the wood shed.

Winter: We haul 3/4 cord at a time from the wood shed to the front porch again using the ATV.

Just wondering why you don't stack where your splitter is? Would cut down on travel time, and it looks like a much better place for seasoning. Just going by the aerial that is.
 
maple1 said:
Just wondering why you don't stack where your splitter is? Would cut down on travel time, and it looks like a much better place for seasoning. Just going by the aerial that is.

It's an older sat pic. There is a 10x24 shed there. Also, there is the start of my garden off the end of the house. The sat pic shows my OLD processing area there. The current stacking area is on a lower terrace of my property next to the road...down about 15ft from the level where the house is. With only the wood stacks, it's nice and neat. In fact, it's a landmark for directions now. "Take a left on the road and go past the big wood stacks."
 

Attachments

  • 1.jpg
    1.jpg
    164.3 KB · Views: 316
  • 2.jpg
    2.jpg
    162.3 KB · Views: 311
same boat here. I have a beer on both ends of the route.
 
KB007 said:
Thanks for all the good replies. After a bit of fussing I managed to get the tractor going so all was OK. Checked with the shop I bought it from and they don't make a block heater for it :(

Only thing he said was to check the choke lever was engaging fully and with a well charged battery it should always start. Guess I'll check that next time I'm out in the garage. I like the 4 wheeler idea, but with 3 cars and 2 motorcycles already, the wife has cut me off of any more vehicular purchases.

Glade to hear you got it running.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.