Enclosed shed for wood storage?

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Carstonio

Member
Feb 4, 2009
12
Maryland
I have a large wooden Amish-built shed that I was considering for firewood storage. The shed has two windows in front with screens. Our wood is seasoned, but we just need to keep it dry, and the tarps we use seem unreliable. Will the wood take longer to dry when enclosed like this? We have plenty of land so I could build an open lean-to type of shed, except this wouldn't protect from blowing wind and snow. After the winter we've had in the mid-Atlantic, I'm grateful that we made a point of getting our stove back in August.
 
We used to store a month's worth of seasoned firewood and kindling in a old no longer used chicken coop.


If it's already seasoned why are you worried about it drying, did it fall into a lake ?
 
I would cut and split, then let it sit outside for a year or two depending on species, then put in shed for storage.
 
let it season outdoors -wait till the first snow (usually late October) -then load it into that shed
 
Carstonio with the high humidity levels down there I'd only put well seasoned wood in an enclosed shed like that.
 
My father used to store his wood in a closed-in tool shed. It was digusting with the stench of mold. Black mold and white fungus growing everywhere. All Winter long there was hoar frost on everything, rusting the tools. Drippy sweat in mild weather. DISGUSTING!
 
Carstonio said:
I have a large wooden Amish-built shed that I was considering for firewood storage. The shed has two windows in front with screens. Our wood is seasoned, but we just need to keep it dry, and the tarps we use seem unreliable. Will the wood take longer to dry when enclosed like this? We have plenty of land so I could build an open lean-to type of shed, except this wouldn't protect from blowing wind and snow. After the winter we've had in the mid-Atlantic, I'm grateful that we made a point of getting our stove back in August.

My main concern would be the size of the shed and how rugged the floor is . . . many sheds that I've seen built do not have rugged floors . . . the flooring is built more to support light-weight equipment and items (i.e. pool supplies, lawn mower, etc.) . . . wood can weigh quite a bit.

If the flooring is adequate and it's large enough and your wood is already seasoned . . . sure . . . you could use the shed and the wood may well continue to season more . . . but not as much or as quickly compared to having it stacked outside and only top covered or put into a shed that either is open on the sides or has slats to allow good air flow.

If you opt to build a purpose-built woodshed don't worry about wind-blown snow . . . it's a non-issue . . . worse case = you have no sides and snow blows up against the outside tier and when you get to that point you have to knock the snow off the wood before bringing it inside the house . . . best case = you build the woodshed with slatted sides (think board and batten . . . minus the batting in between which will allow air flow) -- air moves through . . . some snow moves through . . . but overall most of the snow builds up against the outside walls.
 
Carstonio, If this shed is acceptable except for the airflow you could put a few opening in for air flow. Take the doors off, add some large grates for cross ventilation etc.
 
Agree with importance of vents

Open windows and doors and add a couple of those small roof vents, or go first class and cut in ridge vent

Seems to me....Lots easier to stack your wood ONCE... inside

Older I get, the more important efficient application of my efforts becomes
 
Wood sheds need more than vents. If it is post and beam, remove the walls.
 
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