What's your stack made of?

  • 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.

Alan W

New Member
Oct 11, 2014
31
South East Connecticut
Okay I have stacked wood between trees. On pallets. On 2x4's with store bought ends and made my own crappy holder. Someday I'll make a real wood shed. Until then what's the best way to stack wood? I'm a little OCD in stacking the ends and after years had my first stack fall last month. I'm out if pallets and need to either get more or develop a new system.
 
I use 2x4s on blocks. On some I use trees on the ends and some have the cover built on.
 
Two or three pallets laid flat, with a pair stood up as book-ends, braced with tuba-furs:

IMG_1653.jpg
 
Put 2 metal t-fence posts on each end. That's the way I have done it. Both out in the yard for drying and under the deck to keep the wood from crashing into the siding. I have yet for a pile to fall over. If I'm stacking more than what fits I just use the log cabin method on the ends.
 
Lots of different ways to do it. I like the pallet method, but I have access to all the free pallets I need. If you don't have access to pallets, then another method would be better.


ynege8ym.jpg
 
I have a nice wood shed. I stack between 6x6's but I also do the pallet method.

Pallet bottom & sides with particle board lid. Two rows @ 16".



Some Big chunks. The BK is gonna love them.
 
I've always stacked on pallets with cribbed ends and rarely had any piles topple over. The key for me is to not go too high and about halfway up start stacking wood so it is "leaning" in to the stacked row beside it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BobUrban
DSC08461w.jpg DSC08462w.jpg
 
We've been stacking on sweetgum sapling logs for years with good results. The logs last several years before they rot. Darn things grow like weeds around here. I like 'em because they don't cost anything. Cut to length and drag 'em out of the woods. Here's a photo I took last year starting a new stack.

A few tips we've learned: cross-stacking at the center and ends of your stacks provides stability. If you have small rounds, place them at or near the top. Try not to stack too high... five feet is our maximum. Any higher than that and the stuff shifts and falls. It never fails. :)

100_569.jpg
 
Start experimenting with cross stacking the ends. You need straight pieces to do this correctly. Once done, you just cross stack the ends and don't need any more artificial structure. Look for pressure treated free material on CL. People are always looking to get rid of old decks and swing sets. Set the lumber on bricks off the ground.
 
I stack on pallets I get for free from my dad's work, but I see listings on CL all the time for free pallets if I needed another source. After one months of stacking in rows and cribbing the ends, and watching my dog try to climb them after a cat was walking across the stacks, I decided to take a different approach in the fear that he'd eventually knock them over. I do the Holzhausen thing. I can stack 8' high at the peak and they are stable enough to walk on. After some trial and error with the first one, the rest go up just as quickly as stacking in rows.

IMG_20140114_132620_627_zps6f3cf078.jpg


IMG_20140114_143810_837_zps1f3e8248.jpg
 
mine are made of wood mostly with an occasional t-post here and there
 
I stack on blocks with either 2X4's or landscape timbers for most of my stuff. I also have some stacks on old decking and use the cribbed ends. I prefer the block type racks though. This is my makeshift shed for the dry stuff where i built a roof under my deck. Easy access into the basement where the furnace is.
20140825_135056.jpg


And one of the stacking areas.
20140825_140218.jpg
 
All great ideas. My pall it's only seem to last a few years before rotting out. I've always used a tarp to keep the rain/snow off come fall time and just trying these shorter 4x7 tarps for the top. Sides have always been log cabin style but you will see a lean this year I need to address. I go high as big as 7 1/2 feet - 2 rows deep. I like the idea of using another pallit on the sides. Termites chewed up one of my big ones this year so I'm trying to seal the islets with deck waterproofing first to see if it helps. image.jpgimage.jpg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.