Storing a days worth of wood hearthside

a big storage tote from dare I say Wal Mart it is cheap and will contain the mess. when you get a lot of crap in it you juast take it out side and empty the crap out of it.

Although they're not so critical for wood storage in this house, I have two brass tubs that are 2 ft. in diameter and 2 ft deep. I bought them to store wood by the fireplace while living back east. You might check flea markets for something like that. (I'll admit that I bought mine in a shop in Alexandria Old Town that specialized in brass fixtures and I paid too much for them. I suspect you can find some kind of neat metal tubs for reasonable prices at a flea market.) In this house, I keep kindling in my brass tubs because the stone/masonry alcove that houses the wood stove has 2 built-in storage areas that allow me to store about 3-4 days worth of wood inside the house.

crazy_dan said:

a big storage tote from dare I say Wal Mart it is cheap and will contain the mess. when you get a lot of crap in it you juast take it out side and empty the crap out of it.

Click to expand...

That's exactly what I bought. I'm pretty sure it was a 37 gallon with lid for about $10. I made sure to get a brown one to match the room decor. That way, the wife does not complain. ;-)

I got a couple of these Link. These baskets have a closed bottom and keep the dirt contained inside. The possibilities are endless.

HearthKB said:

crazy_dan said:

a big storage tote from dare I say Wal Mart it is cheap and will contain the mess. when you get a lot of crap in it you juast take it out side and empty the crap out of it.

Click to expand...

That's exactly what I bought. I'm pretty sure it was a 37 gallon with lid for about $10. I made sure to get a brown one to match the room decor. That way, the wife does not complain. ;-)

Click to expand...

Spend a couple more $ and get the one with wheels. The suckers are heavy to drag back through the house when full.

i used the box tubing off the sides of a gas grill welded them together--makes a nice small wood rack with sides

If you think the look of a galvanized wash tub would match your decor (or are willing to paint one) you should be able to find one at reasonable prices. Locally, you could try a farm supply store. Online, check out The Bucket Outlet. They've got 17 gal. plain, galvanized wash tubs for right under $30 (there are smaller sizes for less, too). Or, if you want fancy, they sell embossed copper-plated buckets. If you have local flea markets, I'd check them out, too.

crazy_dan said:

a big storage tote from dare I say Wal Mart it is cheap and will contain the mess. when you get a lot of crap in it you juast take it out side and empty the crap out of it.

Click to expand...

Just a note about the big tote/wood carrier that is sold at Lowe's. I am looking for one so I checked their's out. It contains lead and there is a warning on the box and carrier that clearly states this. I was really surprised to see that and I didn't purchase it. Probably because of the paint on the carrier. I know I can find just a plain canvas one so I will keep looking.

This site has a wide selection of wood racks:
http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Firep...google_racks&gclid=CNvliY3EtpYCFQOIFQod_kVoLg

You can probably get many of them from a variety of dealers.

jamkam said:

want something a notch above

Click to expand...

Get something flash. Fill it with some of your best pieces of designer wood and it will become an ornament that you can't burn. Then you'll still have to fetch wood from outside.

jamkam said:

As we await (impatiently -- it's dipping into the 30s here in the NE already!) the arrival of our PE insert, we've been looking around for a good size but compact (i.e. tall?) rack that'll hold a days worth of wood on the hearth, preferably something like a bin that will also keep the debris to a minimum. Anyone find anything? The bins and racks I've seen are either too small or too deep. Also, if you can post a cpl of names of reputable source (Plow and Hearth is the only one we know of), it'd be appreciated.

TIA, y'all

Click to expand...

Is your wood supply in an enclosed woodshed? If not, factor in that it will shed some water and/or need to warm up and dry out a bit before you throw it on the fire.

If you're looking for strictly utilitarian, Gardeners Supply has several sizes of black plastic boot trays with a grid-like insert sold separately that have totally done the trick for me. I have one of these just outside the hearth for easy reach and another on the other side of the room for drying/dripping. Personally, I rather like the look of a stack of wood, so don't feel the need for a fancier container. The black plastic trays are totally unobtrusive and you can't ask for better for catching drips and loose debris.

For bringing wood in, I haven't found anything better than sturdy cardboard boxes.

I like this carrier by Vogelzang from Harbor Freight. It's made with antiquey metal and I think it looks good. I painted the gray wheels black to blend in a little more. The large wheels go over steps a easier than the small ones. It makes it easy to bring in wood from the garage. It is loads better than lugging the canvas carrier: I can close the door behind me easy, it saves my aching back, and avoids one more load/unload activity.

I have a closet in my computer room that just stores junk. My computer room is off of the room that has the stove.

I cleaned out the closet, lined the walls from the floor up to half way with thick plastic and BANG, wood storage for me.

It now has a chance to dry out (if need be) and I can fit a bunch in there (days worth)