Before I do something stupid...

[n1st]

I'm considering drying cut and split wood in an enclosed screened-in porch which has a cement floor. I've stcked cinder blocks up about 4 ft high at each and to contain the pile. I've left enough room around the stack to walk (and check for ants) Will the wood stain the cement... should I put down a tarp first? Any reason I shouldn't do this? Thanks in advance.

 

[senorFrog]

Is the screened in porch attached to your house? If so, I wouldn't do it.

They way I understand it, the wood needs to SUN and the WIND to dry properly.

Just put a tarp on top of it in the fall to keep the snow and rain off.

PS - I always find snake skins in my woodpile. I assume they like the rodents that must make their home there.

PPS - Welcome to hearth.com. Where are you located? Can you give us some background re your home, lot, etc.

 

[restorer]

Drying wood can be a smelly and buggy proposition. Are there reasons for bringing it inside? Personally I would rather have it removed from the house.

 

[Harley]

I'd probably put the main wood pile a little bit away from the house, in a sunny location. As far as the screened-in porch, maybe make a nice wood-rack, to bring in some wood, so you have easy access to it. That way you could have use of the porch during the summer, let the bugs and stuff stay outdoors, and then have a nice stack of wood handy to burn during the winter (and replenish it on nice days during the winter).

 

[n1st]

Yes the porch is attached. The goals:
1) give the wood a place out of the rain to dry without having to fuss with tarps
2) be convienient to get to in the winter (can even get wood in slippers!)
3) prevent having to stack the wood twice

There are no windows in the porch, only screens (on 3 sides), so there's plenty of fresh air but it's not going to get much sun. Bugs, yes I can see bringing in lots of spiders.

 

[Gooserider]

A wood pile exerts a pretty significant amount of side force, stacking cinder blocks isn't going to do much to contain it. I'd build a wood rack out of 2x4's, or possibly purchase one of the metal racks instead.

Unless you have a really huge porch, or are only burning occasionally, you are unlikely to get a seasons worth of wood onto the porch, and if putting green wood on the porch you are likley to get bug problems. What I would do is build a woodshed away from the house and do my drying there, and then restack a few days worth of DRY wood on the porch - dry wood is less attractive to critters. I'd get a wood cart (Like the one from Harbor Freight) that can bring in a good supply of wood at a trip, and use that to get most of your day to day needs from the main woodshed, and use the wood on the porch as a "backup" for those times when the weather is really bad, you forgot to get a fresh supply, etc.

Gooserider

 

[n1st]

Thanks for the tip on the cinderblocks. I've used 2 6ft T posts (outside) at the end of the stack and they do a great job when you don't have a tree available. Please explain how to build a rack out of 2 X 4's.

 

[Gooserider]

This is basically the same way that I build my woodsheds, and can pretty much be extended as wide as you want...

1. For each row, the base needs two 2x4's the length of the desired row, If in contact with the ground, they should be pressure treated. Lay them out parallel on the ground, spaced so that the pair under each row is about 2/3 the nominal split length apart, and so each pair is far enough apart so the rows touch - i.e. for use w/ 18" nominal splits, the boards should be spaced 12" apart under the rows, and 6" between the pairs.

2. Fasten a cross member to the ends of each 2x4 to fasten all them in place

3. Depending on how many rows you are making, you need to either put a vertical 2x4 at each corner with something to bridge the space and make a wall, or at each board on the floor. When making my shed, which is a nominal 8X16, I used a vertical 2x4 at each corner, and a 6x8 prefab section of stockade fence with the pickets on the inside and the crossmembers outside, to form the end walls. If you are building an outside shed, make the verticals different lengths to define the pitch of your roof.

4. Put another 2 crossmembers at the top to tie the vertical 2x4's together.

5. Tie the vertical end walls together at the top with at least one 2x4, if building an outside shed, I'd use at least one for every 4' of width to support the roof as well as tying everything together - on my shed I have three.

6. Again, if putting a roof on it, consider adding additional center supports as needed. I put a center support in mine at 8'

7. Put the roof on it if needed - I used the clear corrugated plastic roof sheets you will sometimes see on deck roofs, light weight, and relatively low cost, FAR cheaper than ply and shingles.

Note - plan the joints so that stresses are ACROSS the fasteners rather than pulling on them!

Gooserider

 

[Eric Johnson]

Just to be contrary.....

Exposure to the sun is nice, but not essential for drying wood. Temps above freezing and good airflow is about all you need.

I think the screened porch is a good place to dry and store wood. It won't have any impact on the concrete floor and (in my experience) bugs shouldn't be a problem, either. You'll get some bugs, but they won't hurt your house (again, in my experience).

 

[BrotherBart]

Just to be contrary.....

Exposure to the sun is nice, but not essential for drying wood. Temps above freezing and good airflow is about all you need.

I think the screened porch is a good place to dry and store wood. It won't have any impact on the concrete floor and (in my experience) bugs shouldn't be a problem, either. You'll get some bugs, but they won't hurt your house (again, in my experience).

Oh Eric, what would you know about drying firewood?

(Trolling for a current picture of the wood stash.) :cheese:

 

[n1st]

Thanks Goose. Inside or out, your frame sounds like the way to go for me.

 

[kellog]

N1ST,

for wood racks check this link
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/7608/
Mine (not necessarily the best) are on post #22 in the above thread.

 

[senorFrog]

Just to be contrary.....

Exposure to the sun is nice, but not essential for drying wood. Temps above freezing and good airflow is about all you need.

I think the screened porch is a good place to dry and store wood. It won't have any impact on the concrete floor and (in my experience) bugs shouldn't be a problem, either. You'll get some bugs, but they won't hurt your house (again, in my experience).

Oh Eric, what would you know about drying firewood?

(Trolling for a current picture of the wood stash.) :cheese:

LOL!

I love this thread...

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/8000/