Am I a fool for trying to build a shed around my stacks?

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Cross Cut Saw

Cross Cut Saw

Feeling the Heat
Mar 25, 2012
404
Boulder, CO
So some of my wood is stacked like this:
2012-06-20 16.45.08.jpg2012-06-20 16.46.33.jpg
And I'm really not wanting to deal with tarps at all so I've been scrounging lumber to put together a shed of sorts over the existing stacks.

Apparently I'm better at scrounging lumber than I am at firewood because I've pretty much got everything I need and I've only had to buy the cement feet for the posts and the metal that will be cover the roof.

I'm nervous about putting up the roof but I figure if I can make the corners nice and stable and get the boards across the top I should be able to put the plywood down and secure it from the top...

All together the stacks are about 16' wide, 10' deep, just under 4'8" tall by the fence and about 5'8" tall in the front.
The front will be open, the back will have the fence and I have 2x6 planks for the sides...

Those back stacks looked so nice when freshly split!
2012-06-07 17.47.11.jpg

I don't see why I can't build it around these, but then again I've never done anything like this...

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...
 
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I faced the same question earlier this year. I built around the stacks, but ultimately wound up restacking after the shed was complete in order to maximize storage space. My stacks were only 5' high pre-shed; now they are 8' high. Knowing what I know now, I would tear 'em down from the beginning. Just my $.02. -DH
 
Kind of like a ship in a bottle?

It sounds like a good idea to me. A couple of years ago I was going to do something similar around mine. I was basically going to put some posts in the gound, just past the corners of my stacks. Connect them with a few boards on three sides leaving the front open and put on a roof. Seemed easy enough!

In the end I chose not to do it for several reasons:

1. cost
2. my laziness
3. more pressing projects
4. once I got ahead on my wood supply by a couple of years, the wood burns great even though it's not covered. If it burns great already, why spend the money and time on a shed?

So to answer your question, I'm sure it can be done and if you want to spend the time on it, it can be a really good idea.

I would suggest you build the walls in such a way as to allow air flow, leaving spaces in the walls maybe. Be sure to post pics!
 
I don't know of any reason not to do what you're proposing. I know it's been done before. It looks to me as though you might be a little space-constrained. If those stacks are right where you always want the wood to be, then build the cover (shed) over the top of the stacks as they stand. I can't imagine moving all that stacked wood out of the way, building the thing, and then moving all that wood back into it. Seems like a lot of unnecessary work. Rick
 
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If there's any doubt in your mind about placement of a permanent structure - then I'd redo all the stacks and start from scratch. Basically what DeerHunter already said.
I know its alot of work - but may be worth it in the end. Your stacks can be stacked more efficiently within a structure of sorts.
 
I ended up with about a cord of leftover wood the spring of '10, when I started building the shed.
I built the shed around 2/3 of it, and moved the rest inside afterward. There was a bit of wasted space because the original stacks were about 2 feet apart, but I wasn't going to move more than I needed to.
That wood got used the following winter and when I refilled, I was good to go with a bit more room inside.
My shed ended up just a bit taller than what you're planning, but the outside dimensions are 10'x16'.
 
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I think the wood is going to get in the way and waste your time. The time you waste could be spent on restacking. I have a similiar situation where I have wood stacked where I want to eventually build a shed, I am going to burn as much as I can in the next winter, it will probably take 2, then build the shed. I hate a redo. Also I think it is a good idea to bury the posts to avoid wind and frost issues.
 
You'd be a fool not to ;)
 
I think there is some value in restacking. When wood sits a while it settles, reducing the space for aire movement, plus the cracks get filled with leaves, bits of bark, other junk, and all of the accumulated stuff holds water. Restacking allows you to shake off the dirt and loose bark and I think will make the wood season better. Would I restack just because it is a little better? No, but restacking isn't completely wasted time. In your case I think it will be a lot easier to build the shed without a stack of firewood in the way. i'd be a lot more concerned about building the shed solidly than about restacking, which should only take a couple of hours extra time.
 
You might build it on the lawn, dig four holes, then invite a bunch of guys over. With four handles two feet up from the post bottom, four guys to a post, the shed is lifted, positioned, and ready for concrete in two minutes. Don't tell the wife, just say 'Honey, come outside, watch this.'
 
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I've actually done some reconsidering, that place where the wood is now is THE prime wood drying spot on my whole property.

I'm going to build the wood shed near the back door for easy access and move the more seasoned of the two stacks into it in October and tarp the rest as I'm hoping I won't need it until '13/14 anyway...

Thanks!
 
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Cross Cut Saw said:
I've actually done some reconsidering, that place where the wood is now is THE prime wood drying spot on my whole property.

I'm going to build the wood shed near the back door for easy access and move the more seasoned of the two stacks into it in October and tarp the rest as I'm hoping I won't need it until '13/14 anyway...

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Good plan.
The wood shed will be more permanent than the stacks.
Make sure it's where you want it before it's built ;)
 
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I like your plan Cross Cut.
 
Cross Cut Saw said:
I've actually done some reconsidering, that place where the wood is now is THE prime wood drying spot on my whole property.

I'm going to build the wood shed near the back door for easy access and move the more seasoned of the two stacks into it in October and tarp the rest as I'm hoping I won't need it until '13/14 anyway...

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I like that plan too, except I'm not sure I'd bother tarping next years wood. A C
 
amateur cutter said:
I like that plan too, except I'm not sure I'd bother tarping next years wood. A C
Click to expand...

I might not tarp it if I were positive it wouldn't be partly wood for next spring...
 
How about this...(here's what I did.) I built my shed not around my stacks, but I did not attatch it to the ground. I used PT posts, and made (You could probably buy some or not use any at all), metal "feet" for the ends of them. The shed just sits there, so if I ever wanted to move it, 6 or so guys could pick it up and walk off with it.

So, you could build around the stacks, and if need be, move it in the future. You could also always pour concrete, and anchor it permanently if you wanted to.
 
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For those of you you just set your shed on those concrete "feet" How does the wind not blow it over? Im talking those hunks of concrete like they use for deck supports inbetween the large buried posts (i guess thats were there used?). Are you guys putting all 4 or 6 of your shed posts on top of these blocks were the post just sits in that 4x4 cradle in the center?

My shed has 4x4's that are 2 feet in the ground with half a bag of concrete in each hole then soil filled the rest of the way. We obviously dont have frost heave here in SC so 2 feet is more than adequate i feel, as the high side of my shed may be 8 feet and the back side may be a shade over 6 feet so its not like it it super top heavy.
 
clemsonfor said:
For those of you you just set your shed on those concrete "feet" How does the wind not blow it over? Im talking those hunks of concrete like they use for deck supports inbetween the large buried posts (i guess thats were there used?). Are you guys putting all 4 or 6 of your shed posts on top of these blocks were the post just sits in that 4x4 cradle in the center?

My shed has 4x4's that are 2 feet in the ground with half a bag of concrete in each hole then soil filled the rest of the way. We obviously dont have frost heave here in SC so 2 feet is more than adequate i feel, as the high side of my shed may be 8 feet and the back side may be a shade over 6 feet so its not like it it super top heavy.
Click to expand...

In my case . . . I have a lot of weight holding it down as I have 2 x 4 studded walls with boards on the outside . . . a roof . . . and an actual floor . . . pile in several cords of firewood and that sucker isn't going anywhere unless a tornado touches down beside it . . . and Maine isn't exactly in the path of Tornado Alley.
 
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