Holz Hausen ( wood stacking )

[bubba3228]

I ran across this artical thought some others would enjoy.

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/fluckiger132.html

 

[project240]

I built one in about April 2010. I started using the wood from it this winter (mostly pine/aspen). The wood on the outside was nice and dry (16-18%), but everything towards the bottom and inside didn't dry nearly as well (22%+). I really liked the look of it, but I wouldn't do it again. Plus, it took much longer to build it than stacking normally.

 

[LLigetfa]

As far as stacks go, that one looks a tad precarious. I do like the idea of the cross-ties though.

Now, when you want to talk perfection, take a look at this. I like where David compares it to Highbeam's stack that has often been accused of being photoshopped.
http://soede.net/soede/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=151&Itemid=9

 

[redhorse]

I just posted in another thread about this! My grandfather stacked wood this way. Takes awhile to get the knack, but the wood does dry faster and, if you line the top with halves bark side up, it keeps the entire pile pretty much protected from the rain.

 

[Wood Duck]

I have about six of these, and I like stacking this way. I have used slabs on the top to make it look like a roof and it does look nice, but there is no way those slabs actually keep rain off. In order for a shingle roof to work each row of shingles has to deliver runoff to the row below. In a wood stack with half rounds for shingles, the water simply runs into cracks between the half rounds then through the wood pile.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

The picture in the Ops link is pretty sad. You can see my first one in my avatar. I put the bark side up on the roof to give a nice shingled look. You will definetly get alot of attention with your wood stack when you do a nice one. The 10 foot diameter ones are the prettiest but take alot of wood to build. I would not say they do not dry any faster, but you can store alot in a small footprint because you can go higher.

 

[BlankBlankBlank]

The directions in this article explain the method in concise detail. I like the pole in the center marked with a line at the 80% of total height. When you can see the line on the rod, your wood is seasoned. Also, like the wood piled vertically in the center to create a chimney effect to aid drying.

http://www.thechimneysweep.ca/6seasoningwood.html

 

[golfandwoodnut]

The directions in this article explain the method in concise detail. I like the pole in the center marked with a line at the 80% of total height. When you can see the line on the rod, your wood is seasoned. Also, like the wood piled vertically in the center to create a chimney effect to aid drying.

http://www.thechimneysweep.ca/6seasoningwood.html

Hate to argue but stacking vertically is the biggest waste of time. Most people like to just throw the wood into the middle on an 8 foot diameter one. It is nice of odd size pieces. Stacking vertically will drive you nuts trying to keep the wood from falling over. The chimney effect is negliable, I would say no existent. Also if you give the wood a year or two is all you need, you will see it shrink. If you want to see the moisture content, get a moisture meter.

 

[BlankBlankBlank]

The directions in this article explain the method in concise detail. I like the pole in the center marked with a line at the 80% of total height. When you can see the line on the rod, your wood is seasoned. Also, like the wood piled vertically in the center to create a chimney effect to aid drying.

http://www.thechimneysweep.ca/6seasoningwood.html

Hate to argue but stacking vertically is the biggest waste of time. Most people like to just throw the wood into the middle on an 8 foot diameter one. It is nice of odd size pieces. Stacking vertically will drive you nuts trying to keep the wood from falling over. The chimney effect is negliable, I would say no existent. Also if you give the wood a year or two is all you need, you will see it shrink. If you want to see the moisture content, get a moisture meter.

Nice avatar pic! Never built one. Love the idea. Thanks for the insider's tips.

 

[Wood Duck]

I stack mine about like golfandwoodnut does - the center part of the stack is full of oddball pieces just tossed in there. My wood will be in the stacks two or three years so i don't worry about how fast it dries.

 

[basswidow]

Now, when you want to talk perfection, take a look at this. http://soede.net/soede/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=151&Itemid=9

That is a perfect looking one. If it's real - it's a work of art. Is it possible it's just wood stacked around a round object? Maybe a mesh corn crib? I noticed it's built with the splits level and not tilted in. There's no shims.

I built one and I noticed that smaller splits made the job easier. This also may explain the quicker drying myth. Small splits will dry better. I found that my maple didn't season any better. In fact, it was not as well seasoned as straight rows. They are attractive. If you aren't needing the wood for a few years - have at it.

 

[Vic99]

I like HHs and am slowly building my sixth. I stack them 5-6 feet high. Pretty easy with a stable pallet base and stacking a horizontal circumference every 4-5 splits up to keep the wood tilting in toward the center. Uglies go in the middle.

I also stack wood on traditional 4x8 racks.

I let the HHs sit for two years and it seems to dry the same if the top is covered. Use bark, etc. or tarps. The first one I built was uncovered and moisture got into the center creating lots of fungus on 1/3 of my wood. Now I always use tarps.

A guy from Australia who posts here sometimes did a pretty careful experiment comparing HHs to tradional stacks. Conclusion I believe was that HHs do not accelerate drying time, but are still fine.

 

[firefighterjake]

Random thoughts . . .

I've been built 3 or 4 of these holz mietes (commonly called holz hausens) along with my traditional straight stacks . . . my own experience is pretty much the same as everyone else here . . . they don't season the wood any faster or protect the wood from the rain or snow any better . . . but they're also not particularly hard to build nor do they take that much longer to build -- like anything else, the more you do or build the faster you get.

You can go higher with the stack . . . but the flip side is you may need a step ladder to build them and take them down. Truthfully, I have the space . . . I like building 'em just because they're cool . . . and I'm pretty sure you have to build at least one in your lifetime to retain your hearth.com membership. Another advantage is the center is nice for the punks, chunks and uglies . . . but as mentioned those tend to season a bit slower inside the stack . . . which is not an issue for me since I typically season my wood for 1-2 years before burning.

About the article . . .

-- This has got to be one of the ugliest holz mietes I've seen . . . and mine are no beauty queens.

-- I think the author needs to learn to stack better . . . whether it be a holz miete or standard straight stack.

-- Building on the base of just dirt or even gravel is not the best . . . better to get the stack elevated a bit.

-- Seeing cracks in the wood is a possible sign of drying . . . but as mentioned many times it is not conclusive evidence that the entire split is seasoned and good for burning.

-- Not sure if I buy the argument about this being more stable due to the pressure . . . perhaps stable due to the way the splits rest on each other and against each other . . . but I would be willing to bet that a well made straight stack or two could also be quite stable.

Finally . . . for some real works of art . . . (you must need to be able to read German.)

http://www.holzmiete.de/anleitung.php

 

[basswidow]

Totally agree. The HH in the article would not stand for long at my house. First gust of wind would take that one down.

 

[Wood Duck]

Basswidow has a good point - the HH in the picture is too perfect. Maybe the builders picked only the most suitable splits out of a big pile to make it. If you build with a representative set of splits it looks a lot less perfect.

 

[NH_Wood]

I'm worried that if I built one of these, and it came out really nice, I wouldn't ever be able to tear it apart to burn the wood! Cheers!

 

[golfandwoodnut]

I'm worried that if I built one of these, and it came out really nice, I wouldn't ever be able to tear it apart to burn the wood! Cheers!

I know what you mean, I even decorated my HH with Xmass lights the one year. But once you start tearing it down, they look bad and it gets easier. The one thing I did do with a large one was tear half of it down and then rebuild that half the next year to keep it going. The eight footers I do not feel are near as neat as a 10 footer so I do not expect I will have the same desires. Not many people build the 10 footers. If you look at my avatar you will see how small I am in the picture and I am 6'2"

 

[golfandwoodnut]

Here is the new one I am working on, had to stop for lunch. Brother Bart was over.

 

[trailmaker]

Here's one of mine in progress. The one in the background collapsed and I'm rebuilding it in the foreground with tapered sides for stability. I built a core first and now I'll just put layers onto it.

I have a temperature sensor in one of my HH and the inner temp seems to always be cooler than the outer temp, so there's no "chimney effect" in mine. If anything there's a reverse chimney effect; air in the core gets cooled and sinks thus pulling air in from the top and sides.

Here's another that's been standing for a couple of years.

 

[btuser]

The stones around the base are a great look. I once stayed in a hunting lodge made out of cedar rounds cemented together and a thin base of field stones. It was 40 years old when I was there and lasted another 20 before someone burned it down.

 

[firefighterjake]

Your holz mietes are much prettier looking than mine Trailmaker . . . and it looks like you live in a beautiful area.

 

[trailmaker]

Thanks Jake, that's a beautiful spot and the only place on my property that's really suitable for drying wood. I think the organic look of the HH compliments the scenery.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

Thanks Jake, that's a beautiful spot and the only place on my property that's really suitable for drying wood. I think the organic look of the HH compliments the scenery.

Trailmaker, that seems like alot of extra work to do the inside first. On the 8 foot diameter ones I just throw the wood to the inside after building the outside, and before putting the roof on. I agree to keep the wood sloped inwards for strength, but I see not benefit from tapering the whole stack. None the less good job.