Planning a new firewood shed

[jwamps]

I am in the process on planning/designing/pricing a new fire wood shed. I want 2 separate storage areas side by side having the capacity to store aprox 3.75 cords. Both sections have an inside space of 8x8x8 to fit 5 rows of wood with wall thickness and leaving 2" space between rows (or length difference of logs) I am ending up with a 9 x 16'-6 floor space. I've looked at doing a wooden floor to get air up under logs due to the weight, this poses engineering calcs, which I am capable of...but by no means licensed to do so, but its a personal wood pile, I will not sue myself if it fails. I laid out my idea of a wooden floor system in CAD and estimated the cost of just the floor...price is high. I then called my local metered concrete supplier, and the cost was significantly lower to pour a 4" thick slab.

I think this is the route I will go then build my vented walls and roof from the slab. Is there any added benefit to having a floor that is elevated where air can flow from underneath the wood stacks verses a pad? I would think the only concern would be having the bottom layer off the moist dirt? Stacks will be under roof and have vented sides allowing moister to stay off and air to flow.

 

[Auzzie Gumtree]

i am doing something similar - but i was just going to use pallets for the base - allows air flow and are cheaply replaced.

 

[jwamps]

i am doing something similar - but i was just going to use pallets for the base - allows air flow and are cheaply replaced.

I had thought about just using pallets but I would need to cement 6 post into the ground, with a slab I can use tapcon screws and attach the 6 4x4 post to the slab.

 

[Slow1]

Might there be a benefit to having air between the slab and the wood pile in any case? I'm thinking of moisture from either condensation against the concrete or just moisture through the concrete being directly against the wood. So I picture having pallets on the concrete floor?

 

[bobdog2o02]

I would use something more substantial than TapCons. The roof on that thing is going to turn into a wing as soon as there is a little airspace underneath it. Also make sure to implement hurricane tires.....

 

[jwamps]

Might there be a benefit to having air between the slab and the wood pile in any case? I'm thinking of moisture from either condensation against the concrete or just moisture through the concrete being directly against the wood. So I picture having pallets on the concrete floor?

I thought about putting skids in there, cheap (free) and they can be pulled so I can run the leaf blower to get left over wood dirt out. I haven't completely thought about how I am attaching the wood posts yet...running through different ideas...I assumed TapCon made concrete anchors. That is ultimately what I think I will do is get post bases and anchor those into the slab.

 

[bobdog2o02]

Tapcons thread the concrete. Something like a redhead that uses an expanding wedge would be better.

 

[bobdog2o02]

Also with the concrete pad you may need a permit depending where you live and how they determine a permanent structure.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I am in the process on planning/designing/pricing a new fire wood shed. I want 2 separate storage areas side by side having the capacity to store aprox 3.75 cords. Both sections have an inside space of 8x8x8 to fit 5 rows of wood with wall thickness and leaving 2" space between rows (or length difference of logs) I am ending up with a 9 x 16'-6 floor space. I've looked at doing a wooden floor to get air up under logs due to the weight, this poses engineering calcs, which I am capable of...but by no means licensed to do so, but its a personal wood pile, I will not sue myself if it fails. I laid out my idea of a wooden floor system in CAD and estimated the cost of just the floor...price is high. I then called my local metered concrete supplier, and the cost was significantly lower to pour a 4" thick slab.

I think this is the route I will go then build my vented walls and roof from the slab. Is there any added benefit to having a floor that is elevated where air can flow from underneath the wood stacks verses a pad? I would think the only concern would be having the bottom layer off the moist dirt? Stacks will be under roof and have vented sides allowing moister to stay off and air to flow.

Welcome to the forum jwamps.

A wood shed can be a nice thing for sure. However, be aware that a wood shed is a very poor place to dry wood. Most folks will dry the wood outdoors and then put it into the shed. Air circulation is the biggest key to drying wood and that is why we stack in the wind. Sunshine is nice too but wind is the most important because it gives the air circulation that you need.

For sure if you cut wood in spring or summer and then place it inside a shed, do not plan on it being very dry come fall. This is the reason we promote the 3 year plan. That is, be 3 years ahead on your wood at all times and then you have no worries about if the wood is dry enough or not. Besides, you will find that you actually will burn less wood by having it that dry. Less wood, more heat and a cleaner chimney. Hard to go wrong with these benefits.

 

[begreen]

I had thought about just using pallets but I would need to cement 6 post into the ground, with a slab I can use tapcon screws and attach the 6 4x4 post to the slab.

You can just use cement pier blocks. This is what I did. So far it's working well.

 

[jwamps]

Welcome to the forum jwamps.

A wood shed can be a nice thing for sure. However, be aware that a wood shed is a very poor place to dry wood. Most folks will dry the wood outdoors and then put it into the shed. Air circulation is the biggest key to drying wood and that is why we stack in the wind. Sunshine is nice too but wind is the most important because it gives the air circulation that you need.

Thanks for the welcome!

When I think of a fire wood shed, it has a roof and open walls. I realize the wood needs to dry and need the air, but with open walls the wood will get the air circulation; won't it? Naturally a shed is a closed structure, but my plan is a pole shed with open walls to allow air in. I essentially want a roof build over my wood stacks so I don't need to deal with tarps, or any other type of coverings. I will use some type of lattice as the walls, but I want them open. I may not have explained myself correctly.

 

[jwamps]

You can just use cement pier blocks. This is what I did. So far it's working well.

View attachment 132176

That there my friend is along the exact lines of what I am thinking about doing