anyone use those metal carports for wood storage?

i was going to build something out of wood next summer but i got to thinking about those metal carports... i think it would be cheaper and easier than building something wouldn't it? i would only be concerned about the weight of the snow here in mid michigan... but i assume they can hold it up since they are meant as permanent structures right? anyone use these for wood storage?

Do you mean one of those free standing aluminum carports with the peaked roof. I know a few people that have those and they look to me like they could take a lot of snow...but then my lot of snow is not the same as your lot of snow, I wouldn't think.

Use the search, others have, w/ reported good results... As to the ability to handle a snow load, I wouldn't think it would matter much what's under them, so I'd look to see if people are putting cars under them in your neck of the woods.... If they are, then no reason not to use them for wood...

Gooserider

They're not a permanent structure so hopefully your property taxes would not be affected. That's a plus in my book.

My neighbor just bought one for that purpose.

btw, he is also on the township board and said that they are taxed. But they aren't that expensive so your taxes should not rise that much.

We had one of those put up last summer. Sure was easy: THEY did it in an hour and a half! I figure it was cheaper (and certainly easier) than building something on my own.

My only problem was that I had to remove the several cord I already had stacked in the area

We put ours on an old concrete slab from what had been a dairy barn a long time ago.

If they are popular in your area, I would assume they take the snow load okay.

Ken

It'd work fine, but they aren't all that cheap.

Here's mine. Cost me just under $1100. Then I added the sides and the doors for less than another $150. Very sturdy and NO problem handling snow. This one is 18' x 21' The back I left open. I know that you don't really need sides, but it is nice not to have the blowing snow and wind on the wood and it doubles as storage for other things.

^very clean operation crs7300. NICE.

Stacked that high I'm ballparking 24 cords at least in that shed that's has to be 3 years of wood in a stove you load twice a day. Are you north of Rt 90?

Obviously prices vary in different locations. Mine only cost $795 last summer (18x21). I don't think I could have built anything myself for that price. The price angle and the ease of letting someone else build it was the deciding factor for me.

Ken

We have had ours several years now. Chose one that was heavier metal and better made than others. We chose to have it installed rather than to do it ourself, darned glad we did! It was up and done in about 3 hours with a bunch of workers doing it at once. It is not considered permanent since we did not have a foundation for it or attached it to the house, so did not raise our taxes. We did, however, choose to have it anchored down and we are glad we did! Had that windstorm from Ike in October and it held steady, while another in the neighborhood was destroyed.

We don't store our wood under it, rather a boat and a fiberglass camper. With the sloped roof, no problems with snow.

pics attached.

so you get how many chords under an 18x21? i was thinking of a 12x16 and by my calculations i should be able to get about 15 chords under it.

If I'm asking this in the wrong thread, please move it.

Do any of you folks have any experience using lumber blankets (like they have at lumberyards) for drying?

Haven't seen any mention of them / not quite sure what you are referring to - got pics? So presumably not...

What I'd wonder about is if they were a product intended more to keep already dried wood from getting wet again rather than actually drying it?

The other possible problems might be whether they are something that would work with the irregular shapes of a firewood stack (other than Highbeam's :lol: ) as opposed to a regularly shaped pallet of lumber, or whether they were intended to get wood drier than firewood is generally wanted (lumber typically is under 10%, firewood is ideally 15-20% and often higher)

At any rate I haven't seen mention of what I imagine you are talking about.

Gooserider

They're free for the asking from any lumber yard I've asked. They're black on one side and white on the other. It's a 2 piece material with quilting sewn in at about 1" squares.

3 years!! I wish. As you all know, boilers use more wood on average. PLus ( actually minus ) my house is 134 years old. Not that greatly insulated. Prior owner did a ton of work on the house to update many things EXCEPT insulation. On these cold snaps, like this weekend, the house bleeds heat. Once it gets over 10 degrees or so, all is peachy. Unfortunatly, this winter has been a bit chillier than most we have had recently. I don't use the oil furnace at all, 100% wood.

Yes I'm north of 90. Middleville actually. ( 10 miles north of Herkimer)

1st pic is house, of course.
2nd is view from the boiler to the house. 120 feet from house, 100 from neighbors houses, per codes.

Ahh... OK, now I know what you are referring to - I thought that might be it, but wasn't sure...

No I haven't seen anybody talking about using those that I recall. They probably wouldn't do a lot for you other than what I'd expect from any other sort of tarp - they really aren't intended for "drying" lumber as far as I know, they are more just protective packaging to keep the wood clean and somewhat protected from any rain that the delivery truck drives through between the mill and the lumberyard - think industrial grade Saran Wrap...

My expectation is that the price would be right, and sizing reasonable, but I wouldn't expect the material to be all that durable since it's intended as a single use / disposable product. You might get a season out of it covering a pile that was just seasoning, but I'd be more inclined to get a standard poly tarp - not that expensive, even the high quality grade silver ones that I get, and far more durable, with tiedown holes and so forth...

Gooserider