Vented soffit for wood shed walls?

[Longknife]

This spring (was supposed to happen last fall) I'll be tackling a new wood shed. It will be approx. 12'x24'.

I've decided against my original plan of placing it in a great location for both sun and breeze, having compromised and putting in a location where it will get moderate sun and breeze, but will be much more convenient.

I'd much prefer to have it fully enclosed to keep the blowing snow out and to help with the critters, plus aesthetics.

The front (long side) will be overhead doors which I will keep open when possible and the sides will be rough cut 1x12" board (likely with no battens). I'm considering doing the back side (which will also be the low side of the 1 slope roof) with vented soffit, either aluminum or vinyl. Do you think this will provide decent ventilation?

I'm concerned my wood isn't going to season well in here, as I'm spoiled with my current method of using covered haywagons perched on top of a windswept hill that gets full sun all day. I can easily season most of my wood in one year this way, but I'm figuring the shed will be a minimum of two years. However, now I will have the capacity to get 2 years ahead and I've got a good stockpile bucked up from this winter.

 

[kennyp2339]

I would think critters would love if you put up walls to keep the blowing snow out, go with open sides and a generous overhang. I have not had any major issues with blowing snow getting into my shed. The walls (vented or not) will impede drying.

 

[peakbagger]

I built a shed and put in vented soffits mostly to keep it cooler in the summer. I just cut out trap doors with a jigsaw from the soffit board and then put in hinges and catches so I could close it. I also backed it up with screen and hardware cloth to keep the critters out. Made it a lot easier to heat in the winter if I needed to and kept it cooler and ventilated in the summer.

 

[Longknife]

To clarify, what I'm talking about is building the actual walls out of vented soffit material (as per below):

I realize no walls at all will breathe better, but I'm just not certain I can live with open walls, both aesthetically and from a "tidiness" aspect. This shed will be one of the first things you see pulling into my driveway, so if I can close everything up when I need to, it would be much preferred. I do plan on decent overhangs, but I don't want even a dusting of snow on my wood when I bring it in... just adds to the mess. Once it's built, it should be fairly critter proof other than the fact I will have the doors open a lot of the time. Given the amount of them I find living in my open air wood piles, I'm not certain how much more walls will encourage them to get comfortable, but I guess we'll see. May be time for a cat....

 

[Bad LP]

Nothing is critter proof. I wouldn't build it capable of being closed up. Plenty of ways to have something look good and still have a purpose.

 

[JimBear]

Then you will have cat urine scented wood. My neighbor has that problem. There will be those that have cats that do not have this problem or are nose blind to it. You should be able to just throw some rat bait on top of the piles or in some holes in the piles. Seems like there was a thread about critters. I will have to go back & look.

 

[Longknife]

Nothing is critter proof. I wouldn't build it capable of being closed up. Plenty of ways to have something look good and still have a purpose.

Oh believe me, I know. But I will be taking steps to limit their options anyway.

As far as aesthetics, open walls aren't really an option in my mind. Regardless that I normally have an open air wood pile in this vicinity in the summer, I don't want this shed to be open. It will likely be big enough that I may be storing other odds and ends in their from time to time, and I just can picture an open shed here. Now, if that means my walls are planks with 1-2" gaps in them or deck lattice sheets, that's one thing, but I want some kind of walls.

 

[Longknife]

Then you will have cat urine scented wood. My neighbor has that problem. There will be those that have cats that do not have this problem or are nose blind to it. You should be able to just throw some rat bait on top of the piles or in some holes in the piles. Seems like there was a thread about critters. I will have to go back & look.

I started a thread a few motnhs ago re. critter control.

I actually don't see (or smell) much evidence of mice or rats in my current shed (which this one is replacing in the same location), but I do find plenty of evidence of the squirrels, who inhabit the trees surrounding it, in there.

 

[Longknife]

This is the current shed it will be replacing.

The new shed (something approximately like below), will be pushed to the left somewhat to make room for the new shed behind it, and also be re-oriented and squared up to face a little more east, than the south-east it is now. Again, this is a comprise between aesthetics, performance, and convenience.

 

[JimBear]

I started a thread a few motnhs ago re. critter control.

I actually don't see (or smell) much evidence of mice or rats in my current shed (which this one is replacing in the same location), but I do find plenty of evidence of the squirrels, who inhabit the trees surrounding it, in there.

You mean “tree rats”, unless you are particularly attached to them the rodent bait will stop them as well. I love seeing them out in the timber unless they are sitting above me chattering away & dropping food crumbs on me while in the tree stand. I just don’t like seeing them were they aren’t welcome because they are & can be very destructive.

 

[Longknife]

You mean “tree rats”, unless you are particularly attached to them the rodent bait will stop them as well. I love seeing them out in the timber unless they are sitting above me chattering away & dropping food crumbs on me while in the tree stand. I just don’t like seeing them were they aren’t welcome because they are & can be very destructive.

when I was between dogs a little while back, I definitely did not appreciate the squirrels (and chipmunks) and was using a combination of traps and .22LR to keep them at bay as they were causing all sorts of trouble around the house.

Nowadays, my hound seems to keep them away from the house and the only issues I have are walnut husks and nest littler in my current woodshed. Nothing that has driven me to wage war them. Besides, they keep the dog entertained on a nearly full-time basis.

 

[JimBear]

As far as the vented soffit material for walls, as long as you are ahead on dry wood, I like the idea. My corn crib has 1” - 1-1/2” spaces between the siding boards & lets lots of air through but lets a moderate amount of wind blown snow in.

 

[MissMac]

This spring (was supposed to happen last fall) I'll be tackling a new wood shed. It will be approx. 12'x24'.

I've decided against my original plan of placing it in a great location for both sun and breeze, having compromised and putting in a location where it will get moderate sun and breeze, but will be much more convenient.

I'd much prefer to have it fully enclosed to keep the blowing snow out and to help with the critters, plus aesthetics.

The front (long side) will be overhead doors which I will keep open when possible and the sides will be rough cut 1x12" board (likely with no battens). I'm considering doing the back side (which will also be the low side of the 1 slope roof) with vented soffit, either aluminum or vinyl. Do you think this will provide decent ventilation?

I'm concerned my wood isn't going to season well in here, as I'm spoiled with my current method of using covered haywagons perched on top of a windswept hill that gets full sun all day. I can easily season most of my wood in one year this way, but I'm figuring the shed will be a minimum of two years. However, now I will have the capacity to get 2 years ahead and I've got a good stockpile bucked up from this winter.

This is the shed i built fall before last - it's 8'x24', and even though it only gets the morning sun, the vented nature of the structure has produced great results for me - my wood goes straight into the shed once it's split, and it's coming out ready to burn. The back and sides are rough cut 2'x6', and the front is wide open - i've draped a tarp over the front for the winter to keep the blowing snow out. Anyway, even with it being mostly in the shade, I think as long as you don't build it too tight you should have some success! I've also put in floors made of the leftover 2x6, with adequate spaces for venting.

 

[JimBear]

This is the shed i built fall before last - it's 8'x24', and even though it only gets the morning sun, the vented nature of the structure has produced great results for me - my wood goes straight into the shed once it's split, and it's coming out ready to burn. The back and sides are rough cut 2'x6', and the front is wide open - i've draped a tarp over the front for the winter to keep the blowing snow out. Anyway, even with it being mostly in the shade, I think as long as you don't build it too tight you should have some success! I've also put in floors made of the leftover 2x6, with adequate spaces for venting.View attachment 224269 View attachment 224270 View attachment 224271

Construction looks similar to mine from the back only significantly nicer all of the way around. There are several of these old cribs around, some are still amazingly solid. This one is still pretty solid. Back is west facing & the whole thing gets full sun all day, plus serves as a nice windbreak from northwest winds when splitting wood.

 

[Longknife]

Construction looks similar to mine from the back only significantly nicer all of the way around. There are several of these old cribs around, some are still amazingly solid. This one is still pretty solid. Back is west facing & the whole thing gets full sun all day, plus serves as a nice windbreak from northwest winds when splitting wood.

That looks great (and ideal for wood).

I was picturing what corn cribs typically look like around here (although I can't think of any that are still standing off of the top of my head).

 

[JimBear]

That looks great (and ideal for wood).

I was picturing what corn cribs typically look like around here (although I can't think of any that are still standing off of the top of my head).
View attachment 224291

I don’t believe I have ever seen anything like that, I would consider that a wire crib & all the wire cribs around here are round with steel tops. I’ll see if I can find one while out on the road this week. They would work great for a a holzhouzen. A lot of people have started putting them in their yards & treating them like Gazebos.

 

[Longknife]

I don’t believe I have ever seen anything like that, I would consider that a wire crib & all the wire cribs around here are round with steel tops. I’ll see if I can find one while out on the road this week. They would work great for a a holzhouzen. A lot of people have started putting them in their yards & treating them like Gazebos.

Growing up, I never remember them being called anything but a "corn crib" and they were on most farms. Our neighbor used to store corn on the cob in his as recently as 15-20 years ago.

As I say though, I can't think of ANY farms where there's one still standing, but there may be and I just don't notice them anymore.

 

[Longknife]

Funny enough, I just thought of one I pass daily. Covered in vines and not in use anymore, although it is still a working dairy farm.

From Google Maps:

 

[JimBear]

Here’s the wire cribs that were prominent around these parts for years. They would work for the holzhouzen type pile method. People take off the wire, shorten the legs & put them in their yards for picnic areas.

 

[Simonkenton]

You are on the right track, you said the sides would be 1x12. Make the entire shed with 1x12 like I did and keep the door closed. Needs maximum sunshine. Your wood will dry in 7 months.
Water vapor passes right through bare wooden walls.

 

[Quad4012]

I built a 20 x 24' woodshed. For the siding I ended up using texture 111 and using a circular saw ripped it down the grooves. Use 2x4's to create an inch and a half gap. Been on there for nine years now. No deterioration. I was able to stain with the same color as our cabin

 

[maple1]

I can't see soffit on woodshed walls lasting very long. There will be contact with wood no matter how much you try to avoid it, I think. Also doesn't sound very aesthetically appealing either - but that's in the eyes of the beholder. I think a naked woodpile can look pretty darn good.