Question about stacking on pallets

[PapaDave]

Went to the lumber yard with my brother today, and was talking to the warehouse guy about what they do with their pallets.
He'll save however many I need, so I say cool, since I plan to build a shed in the spring and will use them to stack the wood on.
His response was " well, don't want to tell you how to do yours, but if it was mine, I wouldn't use pallets". Evidently, he seems to think possum and other critters will use them as sanctuary, and claim squatters rights.
The question, then, is whether anyone here has had that problem in their shed, and is it really a problem.

 

[LLigetfa]

Ja, the critters do love to make a home under them. Keeps my dog entertained.

I only use pallets for my outdoor stacks well away from any buildings. I have a concrete slab floor in the woodshed. Only the small critters move into the woodshed and provide steady entertainment for my cat.

 

[devinsdad]

I've got a square of 6 pallets long by 5 pallets deep and the only 'critters' I see are snakes basking in the heat when I lift up the tarp. They like wood piles

 

[devinsdad]

oh yeah I forgot we have several 'hunter' pets as well. They have gotten fat since we moved here.

 

[sksmass]

Possum gotta live somewhere

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I stack mine on a 12 foot long 2x4 frame supported by 3 concrete blocks. I've never had anything move in other than spiders.

Matt

 

[Highbeam]

I have been using pallets the last few years and while I am sure that something has used the area under the woodpile as a home or as a passageway I don't think that it would be any different if I used any other form of blocking to keep the wood up off the ground. I don't have any problem with critters living under or in my woodpile. Who cares? I worry more about bee hives and anything poisonous which arond here is only one certain type of large spider.

Once the wood comes in from the pallet stack there is nothing alive.

 

[bogydave]

Some 1/2" screen around the bottom.
Still good air & less access for critters

 

[PapaDave]

Sounds like this guy had a singular bad experience or something, and now EVERYONE will have the same problem. He was still willing to save some for me though, so maybe I'll take him a box of donuts or something.

 

[savageactor7]

Papadave Evidently, he seems to think possum and other critters will use them as sanctuary, and claim squatters rights.

meh...don't worry about it and use the pallets. Critters will always find a way no matter what you do ... if you see any use these.

 

[craigs]

I remember a loooooooooong time ago we had a opossum in our woodpile. Dad was irritated that he had to stop running the saw (we used to bring home logs because it saved time in the woods) so he walked over, grabbed the insanely pissed critter by the tail, and carried him to the edge of the yard. I couldn't believe that dad he actually picked up the "monster" who was hissing, growling, and basically telling dad he was going to die. *Apparently* they don't have enough strength in their tails to lift themselfs up. When the little guy hit the ground he was gone with no forwarding address. I didn't inherit that kind of ballsy attitude, btw, that was just plain nuts.

 

[billb3]

I can't leave mine directly on the ground - the termites eat them and red and black ants seem to like making huge nests through them. Don't think I've seen anything bigger than mouse evidence.

 

[Flatbedford]

All my wood is on pallets. There may be critters, but if they weren't under the wood, they would be somewhere else. Better in the wood than in the house. I get all the pallets I want from my local nursery. He will load as many as I want onto the flatbed with his forklift. Every time I see him, he asks me to take more.

 

[ansehnlich1]

I use pallets here, or 2x4's.

Only thing in my woodpile thus far was a squirrel carcass, little sucka got tangled up and couldn't back his way out.

Hmmm, there was a bat carcass in there just today.

And, the occaisonal snake skin

Oh, sometimes I run into a bee's nest.

Wait, there's the chipmunks, they love it there

Yeah, rabbits, I forgot, I've seen rabbits run in under there too!

I think that's about it for me.

 

[maplewood]

I have seen a few mice nests, one hive and a few snakes. No large critters.
Love pallets - I use them all the time.
Enjoy yours, and happy burning.

 

[leaddog]

groundhogs but a trap takes care of them. they will find another place if you don't use pallets and pallets make it easy to trap them. They are hard on floors and foundations if you don't get rid of them. Plus the wife hates to have them as they will pick her garden just before she picks that ripe veg. They will leave every thing untill JUST before it's ripe then take a bite out of every one.
leaddog

 

[flhpi]

I remember a loooooooooong time ago we had a opossum in our woodpile. Dad was irritated that he had to stop running the saw (we used to bring home logs because it saved time in the woods) so he walked over, grabbed the insanely pissed critter by the tail, and carried him to the edge of the yard. I couldn't believe that dad he actually picked up the "monster" who was hissing, growling, and basically telling dad he was going to die. *Apparently* they don't have enough strength in their tails to lift themselfs up. When the little guy hit the ground he was gone with no forwarding address. I didn't inherit that kind of ballsy attitude, btw, that was just plain nuts.

My dad walked out on the side porch and a possum had opened a container of cat food. The back half of the critter was sticking out and dad just grabbed the tail and hurled it back into the tree line. I thought it was pretty funny. Dad never ceases to provide me with entertainment. Now that I know I can do it I might. Before watching dad do it I would have taken care of it another way.

 

[basswidow]

I had a whole family of ground hogs in mine. I thought once I relocated the wood and removed the pallets - I would find alot of holes - but I didn't find a single one. They used the space within the pallets and didn't cause any problems. We also had mice, chipmunks, and snakes. Lots of snakes. I don't mind the critters either. It keeps the dog entertained.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Once in a while we'll get a woodchuck. Every year the squirrels build nests for their young. A couple days ago I saw a rabbit run over to the woodpile. He's got a hole to go in too.

 

[Gator eye]

Meanest critters to ever move into my wood pile that was on pallets was a hole mess of ground bee's with no sence of humor.

I got a good work out though, they came after me everytime I even thought about moving a piece of wood. Once we got our 1st frost, I got the last laugh. :cheese:

 

[drdoct]

To avoid all this I have a rule....

DON'T SCREW WITH THE WOOD PILE IN THE SUMMER!

I quit cutting and stacking once it hits spring and don't mess with it until it gets cold enough to frost. I've got lots of wasp nests and other things in my pile (seeing evidence now as I go through it). Not much critter wise though.

 

[BucksCoBernie]

I have woodchuck and rabbits under mine. i dont think it matters what you build it out of because as long as its off the ground something will find its way under it.