Stacking with no end posts aka= show me your stack!

So I am beginning to stack the wood I have been working on over the last week or so. I decided that I would forego the snow fence end post and try to stack the ends in the opposing direction method that I see in alot of pics here. The question is, do you need to tie in the end stack to the main pile in order to get the structural support to thwart the stack's sideways pressure? I just can't see how free floating these end stacks will stop the pile from settling and pushing them away. My thought is to add some opposing direction logs into the regularly stacked area to tie them together.

No, not if you have the end stacks balanced well enough... and they aren't too tall. I have trouble getting the end stacks balanced well enough. I'd stack it with posts held straight up by a rope through the stack on the bottom and one through the stack near the top. The weight of the wood on the rope will keep the posts from moving.

Matt

freefloat works fine. The sideways presure is nominal if you stack it properly. Some people run a twine through thier stacks but I have never done that.

If you go only 4 feet high, you shouldn't have any problem. No need for additional sideways splits. But if it makes you feel better... It's your woodpile.
)

The trick is to make sure your end stacks are as stable as possible...no wobble as you go up. I even try to stack the end stacks with a slight inward vertical line instead of perfectly vertical. It doesn't look quite as good but I have found it remains much more stable. Lastly, as you stack splits next to the end stacks be careful to not jam splits up against them....rather they should be just kind of sitting there not putting any pressure on the end stacks. Others have great ideas too, just what I have learned after 30 years plus stacking. Here is a picture of my stacks....and just for info, stacking 3 and 4 splits wide like I do is not the best for drying, but I have a space problem and don't have much choice....just have to leave it there a little longer.

Make your ends two split lengths thick, not just one and you'll be fine.

As folks said . . . it's all about stability . . . I tend to use half splits and "rectangles" for use on the ends . . . stack them up . . . making sure they are level and stable with little to no rocking. As long as you don't go too high and stack the wood in the "middle" so it isn't all resting on the ends you'll do fine.

I also look for the square pieces and set them aside to use as cribbing on the ends. Alternate the directions and make sure it's level going up. No wobble is key - but nothing else is needed to tie it in to the regular stack.

I went as high as five feet last year - but I use pallets as a base and have two rows with loose uglies in between. So the extra foot in height was no issue at all.

Some species of wood splits into board like pieces really easily - like poplar and oak. When my stacks are going up - I will keep an eye out for square splits and set them aside for the end crib brace. It works well. No posts needed.

I just started cross stacking my ends this year like Dennis. I do it like TFDCheif but I am stacking 6' high and was surprised it was more stable than the T posts I was using before.

Billy

Box stack the ends as tfdchief shows in his pics, and don't let them splay out as you go up. Box stack 2 deep at each end if worried. If going- say- 4' high, should not be a problem. I have had piles go over because I went 5.5-6' high, but be reasonable and it will work.

It's a little skill to learn- save the straightest, flattest pieces for the ends and throw the uglies in the middle.

This is a good point - totally agree with you! This makes the ends of the stack to push against the middle of the pile helping to negate sideways pressure.

yes, as others have said - use square pieces for the cribbing at the ends.

I intentionally split my wood in a way that makes the most square pieces, here I'll try to draw something really quick.

split a round in half

then on a half round - cut each end off so you are left with a square - then half the square and then half each half.

this works especially awesome with red oak - which has to be the absolute best splitting wood on earth.

And I thought I was the only one that did that ;-P

Here is what I ended up with- Piles are about 5 1/2 foot tall

Looks fine to me. And t-posts too, should hold up just fine.

Looks great. You won't have any trouble with those stacks.

oh yeah, looks good

if you were worried about those ends leaning out - i bet you could run a thin rope around the top of the metal post - to the metal post on the other end of the stack - that might keep it from leaning out more over time and spreading apart.

My pics and description are not clear, based on the comments. The stack closest is the only stack that I used the wood end post to support the ends. The other 6 stacks have the metal post, which I don't want to use if possible. Frozen ground and overall appearance has me trying this other method. The only other support on the new stack is the stone I rolled up to the downhill side of the stack. There is no stack that uses both methods of end support. The stck is on galvanized pipe and treated lumber to elevate it. The pitch is 1/15 at worst so I figured it may help steady the stack if sliding was an issue.

I got it, your "stacked ends stack" is the new one and it looks great. You can always re-do the others this summer and then they will all be uniform. I see you stacked the ends up a little "inward" from vertical. That will help keep it stable.

Stacked in April 2009.



Stacked in April 2010.



Stacked in April 2002.


Stacked in between shooting dinosaurs.


This one wasn't so solid so I had to lean against it to hold it up.

Dennis, I love it :exclaim: I want some of that dinosaur era wood....got to be good stuff :cheese: I wish I had the room you have to be that far ahead. I am pretty far ahead and my wife reminds me every summer as we sit in our back yard :-S

That dinosaur wood is pretty much all gone now and we're into the fresher stuff.

Stack from the middle out so all the force is inward. There will only be a few pieces that want to go outward.

Some beautiful stacks of wood. Learned some good tricks for the next lot I stack.

I sometimes use squared off splits for the end cribbing but most often use half rounds. Don't use quarters!