Product idea for covering cords of wood.

[gzecc]

I’m considering packaging a wood stack, roofing system available for sale.
Below is a partial picture of two.
The concept is being able to connect as many of these 3’wide 45” deep panels together forming a roof.
The package of 8 ea panels would cover two cords of wood double row stacked 24 feet in length.
The roof panels would only be necessary to be installed a couple or three months prior, to the burning of these cords of stacked wood.
The benefits to the user would be;
-clean, dry wood for the burning season.
-less labor (not having to move all cords of wood into a woodshed)
-easy accessibility to the wood with a self supporting roof structure
-easily and neatly stacked together for storage in the off season.
-readily available structural parts from home stores.
-scalable from 1 to infinity cords.
-structurally supported to withstand a considerable snow and wind load.
The package costs would be;
-an 8 panel package (covering 2ea cords) retail cost would be approx $300 plus $100 shipping.
-package includes 8 panels and adequate female t-connectors to construct frame work.
-10’ lengths of EMT would have to be bought from a home store (cost figured in)
-pick up in north central NJ would be available (no shipping cost).
I’ve had many years of trying to keep my wood clean, dry and accessible. This to me seems like the best solution. Initially there is a considerable investment. This should be a one time cost.
Do you guys think this is something people would buy?
Thanks for your feedback.

 

[Babaganoosh]

Dumpster lids?

 

[gzecc]

Dumpster lids?

Lids for many industrial uses

 

[CountryBoy19]

I will give my input:

I burn 22-23" length wood, these panels (at 45" width) won't completely cover my stacks unless I single row stack, greatly reducing the economic feasibility for a 3 yr X 4 cords/yr wood supply...

That being said, I wouldn't pay for it anyways. I think a vast majority of wood burners are, by their very nature, frugal. Why pay that much money when tarps, tin roofing etc are all MUCH cheaper options?

 

[rideau]

If one wanted to spend that kind of money, there are some very well made wood racks that come with long lasting covers, that once put together need no further care at all for decades. They run around $350 a cord with shipping, if I remember correctly. I have one, which is now at least 5 years old and as good as new. It not only requires no labor or storage, which you would have with your design, but it makes for incredibly easy and quick stacking. It's cover is well designed and does not blow off in the strongest winds. So, so far mine has cost me $70 to $80 a year. Has saved me many hours of labor otherwise involved in stacking and top covering. They look nice to. If you have the money to spend, pretty hard to beat them.

That said, I have seen some pretty fine looking stacks that cost little if anything to stack and top cover. Just more work involved.

In my experience, heavy duty rubber pond liner makes a fine top cover that is long lasting, weatherproof, and heavy enough to stay in place with only a few
rounds or a few rock on a 16 foot length. They fold easily and take little storage space when not in use. I actually use mine as weed suppressors between my rows of vegetables during the late spring and summer. Does a fantastic job at both tasks. You'd be better off getting it, and selling it in usable widths (30 inches is a decent width, and not too heavy to handle) and lengths. I think there'd be a real market for that. Especially if you figured a way to fold the ends and sides and fasten them at the corners, which would negate the need for any weight on top of them. You'd have to figure a way to reinforce where the edges would be joined to make the corner.

 

[Babaganoosh]

If one wanted to spend that kind of money, there are some very well made wood racks that come with long lasting covers, that once put together need no further care at all for decades. They run around $350 a cord with shipping, if I remember correctly. I have one, which is now at least 5 years old and as good as new. It not only requires no labor or storage, which you would have with your design, but it makes for incredibly easy and quick stacking. It's cover is well designed and does not blow off in the strongest winds. So, so far mine has cost me $70 to $80 a year. Has saved me many hours of labor otherwise involved in stacking and top covering. They look nice to. If you have the money to spend, pretty hard to beat them.

That said, I have seen some pretty fine looking stacks that cost little if anything to stack and top cover. Just more work involved.

In my experience, heavy duty rubber pond liner makes a fine top cover that is long lasting, weatherproof, and heavy enough to stay in place with only a few
rounds or a few rock on a 16 foot length. They fold easily and take little storage space when not in use. I actually use mine as weed suppressors between my rows of vegetables during the late spring and summer. Does a fantastic job at both tasks. You'd be better off getting it, and selling it in usable widths (30 inches is a decent width, and not too heavy to handle) and lengths. I think there'd be a real market for that. Especially if you figured a way to fold the ends and sides and fasten them at the corners, which would negate the need for any weight on top of them. You'd have to figure a way to reinforce where the edges would be joined to make the corner.

Uhm. Pics man.... Pics

 

[gzecc]

If one wanted to spend that kind of money, there are some very well made wood racks that come with long lasting covers, that once put together need no further care at all for decades. They run around $350 a cord with shipping, if I remember correctly. I have one, which is now at least 5 years old and as good as new. It not only requires no labor or storage, which you would have with your design, but it makes for incredibly easy and quick stacking. It's cover is well designed and does not blow off in the strongest winds. So, so far mine has cost me $70 to $80 a year. Has saved me many hours of labor otherwise involved in stacking and top covering. They look nice to. If you have the money to spend, pretty hard to beat them.

That said, I have seen some pretty fine looking stacks that cost little if anything to stack and top cover. Just more work involved.

In my experience, heavy duty rubber pond liner makes a fine top cover that is long lasting, weatherproof, and heavy enough to stay in place with only a few
rounds or a few rock on a 16 foot length. They fold easily and take little storage space when not in use. I actually use mine as weed suppressors between my rows of vegetables during the late spring and summer. Does a fantastic job at both tasks. You'd be better off getting it, and selling it in usable widths (30 inches is a decent width, and not too heavy to handle) and lengths. I think there'd be a real market for that. Especially if you figured a way to fold the ends and sides and fasten them at the corners, which would negate the need for any weight on top of them. You'd have to figure a way to reinforce where the edges would be joined to make the corner.

I couldn't find anything like your referring. Please send pic or link.

 

[jeffesonm]

They look like a great way to cover your stacks, but I think you would have a hard time selling them. No offense, but they are kind of ghetto looking. No worse (in fact better) than any of my stacks covered in poly tarps, lumber tarps, scraps of rubber roofing, etc... but I paid ghetto prices for all that stuff... maybe $100 total spread out over a few years to cover 10+ cords. Granted your system probably works better than all my various attempts, but if I am going to sink $300-400 into covering my stacks, I'm starting to think about building a wood shed.

 

[rideau]

They are Woodhaven racks, made by Alexander Manufacturing in the USA. Been in business since the 1920's. Full lifetime structural warrantee. They also sell firewood rack covers separately. Either seasoning covers, or full covers. Cover comes with the rack, included in price. Mine has survived 5 winters and is like new. Cover is heavy waterproof canvas. I have the 16 foot rack, which has four foot supports but can easily be stacked to over 5 feet, which I do (with the company's blessing). At four feet, the rack cover has openings that slip over the end pieces. Once you go higher, the shape alone keeps the cover on very satisfactorily. Can be ordered directly from the company (I did), or from Woodland Direct or Northline Express. Same price all three places: $334 with free shipping. The rack is VERY HEAVY. I needed help getting the pieces out of the box. Too heavy for me. These racks are solid. A friend helped me put mine together. He was pessimistic until he saw the rack. Said he'd never seen one before that was worth getting. I have NO hesitation in recommending these. I think their site is woodrack.com. The company says to place the rack on a cement base, if I remember correctly. We simply leveled the area and put down 24 inch cement pavers. Has worked fine.

 

[gzecc]

They are Woodhaven racks, made by Alexander Manufacturing in the USA. Been in business since the 1920's. Full lifetime structural warrantee. They also sell firewood rack covers separately. Either seasoning covers, or full covers. Cover comes with the rack, included in price. Mine has survived 5 winters and is like new. Cover is heavy waterproof canvas. I have the 16 foot rack, which has four foot supports but can easily be stacked to over 5 feet, which I do (with the company's blessing). At four feet, the rack cover has openings that slip over the end pieces. Once you go higher, the shape alone keeps the cover on very satisfactorily. Can be ordered directly from the company (I did), or from Woodland Direct or Northline Express. Same price all three places: $334 with free shipping. The rack is VERY HEAVY. I needed help getting the pieces out of the box. Too heavy for me. These racks are solid. A friend helped me put mine together. He was pessimistic until he saw the rack. Said he'd never seen one before that was worth getting. I have NO hesitation in recommending these. I think their site is woodrack.com. The company says to place the rack on a cement base, if I remember correctly. We simply leveled the area and put down 24 inch cement pavers. Has worked fine.

Totally different concept. My concept is for the multiple cord burner that is looking for a ridgid roofing system. Getting the wood off the ground is the easy part. Keeping snow and rain off of it while your pulling from it is a whole different story.
With my system wood sheds aren't eliminated however, maybe two cords don't have to go into the shed, saving time and hassle. They can sit where they were originally stacked, increasing efficiency.
When the wood below the roof is used up it (the roof) can be moved to another stack and the process begins again.