Holz Hausen Down!

[JV_Thimble]

Yes, will post some pics when I get the chance. But this is definitely not good. Made a gravel base, made it level. Put a ring of bricks on the outside to tip the first row in. Used a level to get the first 6 feet to be straight up (after I had noticed it was starting to go out - then used the level and a mallet to get things back in shape). Filled the middle with whatever (chunks, uglies, etc.). And it's been standing like that for a couple of weeks until today. Maybe the cold weather caused some frost heave. No idea yet. Just Ugh!

 

[adrpga498]

Bummer, Just wondering if you went 6" high PRIOR to filling in the center. If so, Bingo that was most likely the issue.

 

[JV_Thimble]

Bummer, Just wondering if you went 6" high PRIOR to filling in the center. If so, Bingo that was most likely the issue.

More than that, please explain. Fill the middle as you go?

 

[adrpga498]

Oh yes . Most definitely fill in the center as you go vertical in stages. I start the outer ring as you indicated then I stand splits up vertical moving from the center of the circle towards the outer edge . Then you will see that you need to go around the outer edge a few times (horizontal) so the edge is as high or a bit higher then your 1st level of vertical splits. I hope I didn't confuse you too much. Repeat the process as you move up. Don't feel as though you have to keep the HH in a cyclindar shape. Mine tend to taper to a narrower top after about 5' Kinda like a beehive cone shape

 

[JV_Thimble]

Ok, I made the outside and then filled the inside by just tossing stuff in. Sounds like there's a horizontal strip around the HH at about the height of a typical split, if I understand right. If I've got it right, it sounds like all of the wood needs to be of similar length. But that can't quite be, as variable lengths, chunks, and the like are commonplace.

 

[adrpga498]

Any wood that I find kinda short 12" or less I put in to the center as well as any irregular type chunks. These would be "tossed" not stack into the center at the 4' foot and higher mark sorta speak. Hence giving me the taper cone shape towards the top. The vertical splits should all lean a bit towards the center "pole" . Actually I don't even use a center pole any longer.2 layers of 18* splits gets me to roughly 3 feet. After that I'm not worried about stacking slits vertically anymore, I tend to get into the heave hoo throw it in mode. The inward lean of the first 2 levels real makes the HH solid .

 

[JV_Thimble]

Ok, thanks. I've got another base pretty much set (just needs the bricks). I may re-stack the fallen one there.

 

[adrpga498]

Ok, thanks. I've got another base pretty much set (just needs the bricks). I may re-stack the fallen one there.

Cool Cool , Best of luck

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Or keep it simple and stack in single rows. Stack it no more than 4 to 4 1/2' high and it should never tip over. It will also dry much faster.

 

[JV_Thimble]

Now that we're thawed out a bit, I'm getting ready to attempt a reconstruction. To increase the chances of success, I'm thinking a vertical pole which starts out as an 8' grounding rod driven in 4-6', with some sort of pipe or rod affixed to it above that. Anyone else do it this way, or have thoughts on it?

 

[firefighterjake]

The holz mietes I've built have all been on four pallets arranged in a square/rectangle. Have never had one fall down or collapse . . . until I've taken it down. I've also never used a level, mallet, etc. to build it . . . just my own two hands and the wood. And yeah, throw the chunks and uglies into the middle as you go up as it will help support the stack . . . and it provides a nice storage space for these odd ball pieces.

 

[CTFIRE]

Wow 6 ft high (how high were you going for?) I have never had one tip, I did have one tilting a little, but the ground wasn't level (live and learn). Definate on filling as you go. I actually build up the back faster than the front almost a cresent shape. Allows me to get the center filled up a bit before I close it in. As the circle is completed, I keep adding to the middle as the outer edge gets to the right height. Mine have a 10 foot diamter and I generally go to around 5 ft. (3.14 x 25x 5 /128 = 3 cords). Going any higher than 5 ft for me also makes it harder to disassemble. I have seen the pictures of the ones in Germany that they use a ladder to get onto. I have little kids and I don't want anything too high. Also never used a mallet or level. When the splits are almost level add a horizontal row and start ptching them back towards the center. Good luck. Holz's are the best imo

 

[Jags]

Heapenhausen - much more stable and never falls down.

 

[bassJAM]

Now that we're thawed out a bit, I'm getting ready to attempt a reconstruction. To increase the chances of success, I'm thinking a vertical pole which starts out as an 8' grounding rod driven in 4-6', with some sort of pipe or rod affixed to it above that. Anyone else do it this way, or have thoughts on it?

I go out and cut the straightest maple tree of about 3" dia I can find to about 8.5-9', and drive it in the center of where my stack will be, with about 7' sticking out of the ground and use a level to make sure she's good and straight. Then I cut another limb with a "Y" to whatever my radius of the stack will be. I use this for my gauge to know how far from the center each log is placed.

I've been using splits to make my outer ring, but bricks will work fine too.

After I'm a couple passes high on the outer ring, I start tossing rounds and crotches in the center. Be careful around the center pole though, it's easy to knock it off being plumb.

Once I'm just past the half-way point, I go and cut a couple more straight saplings to the diameter of the stack, and place them cross-ways creating an "X". The weight of the wood on top of this should help the stack from bulging.

I'll take the sides up to about 1.5' lower than the height of the pole, and then toss rounds and splits just in the center to build a peak. I then "roofed" it with splits of bark. I'm not sure how well this will protect it from the elements, I'm debating throwing a tarp over it all around next November just to make sure it stays dry.

Disclaimer: This is only my second holz hausen, and my first one has only been standing about 9 months, so I'm far from an expert. But the first one is solid enough that I can stand on it, and I even forgot to add in the cross beams. Before I built the first one I looked at as many different holz hausen designs as I could and took all the ideas that I like and used them.

 

[Jags]

I go out and cut the straightest maple tree of about 3" dia I can find to about 8.5-9', and drive it in the center of where my stack will be, with about 7' sticking out of the ground and use a level to make sure she's good and straight. Then I cut another limb with a "Y" to whatever my radius of the stack will be. I use this for my gauge to know how far from the center each log is placed.

Now THAT is some fancy think'in. I like it. Kudos for thinking outside the box.

 

[JV_Thimble]

Yes, my ground isn't level. So, a compacted limestone base. Fair bit of cost and effort, especially once you have your first go collapse. But I do enjoy the challenge.

 

[Woodfarmer1]

What is the purpose of building one of these? It looks to take a lot longer to stack than piling in rows

 

[firefighterjake]

What is the purpose of building one of these? It looks to take a lot longer to stack than piling in rows

Aesthetics ... you can also in theory get more wood into a smaller foot print by going up higher as a properly built holz miete is more stable than straight stacks ... although in reality you will reach a point where it becomes a pain to stack too high as I find going too high requires the use of a small step ladder. Another benefit is that chunks and uglies can be tossed into the middle as you stack. However, I find their unique look being the neatest thing about them.

For quite some time many folks thought the holz miete also sped up the drying process ...consensus here and in my own experience is that they do not ... and in fact the wood in the middle may not dry as quickly as a traditional straight stack.

As for the time to stack ... the first one or two takes longer to build ... but once you get the hang of it building one takes about the same time ... maybe a dite more time ... than a traditional stack.

 

[Hills Hoard]

im not brave enough to try one of these yet although i'd love to......dont think we get enough straight grained wood here in OZ to do these well. Would love to be proved wrong by any fellow australians!!

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

I was planning on trying one this summer. Instead of all the loose stuff in the middle i was going to have 2 or 3 more circular stacks or rings on the inside and a smaller "hole".
I have no idea if it will work but thats what im envisioning at this point. I think it'd hold more wood that way.
Your end result looks quite nice and eye pleasing.

 

[bassJAM]

I was planning on trying one this summer. Instead of all the loose stuff in the middle i was going to have 2 or 3 more circular stacks or rings on the inside and a smaller "hole".
I have no idea if it will work but thats what im envisioning at this point. I think it'd hold more wood that way.
Your end result looks quite nice and eye pleasing.

It probably would hold more wood that way, but it'll take a lot longer to build. It might cause some headache too if your logs aren't all the exact same length. It's very important with one of these that the outside of of the ring is as perfect as possible. If some of your logs are 18", and some are 16", you'll have to make sure your rings are each 18" apart to account for those longer logs.

 

[bassJAM]

Aesthetics ... you can also in theory get more wood into a smaller foot print by going up higher as a properly built holz miete is more stable than straight stacks ... although in reality you will reach a point where it becomes a pain to stack too high as I find going too high requires the use of a small step ladder. Another benefit is that chunks and uglies can be tossed into the middle as you stack. However, I find their unique look being the neatest thing about them.

For quite some time many folks thought the holz miete also sped up the drying process ...consensus here and in my own experience is that they do not ... and in fact the wood in the middle may not dry as quickly as a traditional straight stack.

As for the time to stack ... the first one or two takes longer to build ... but once you get the hang of it building one takes about the same time ... maybe a dite more time ... than a traditional stack.

I'll echo this response. I really like that I can get more wood on the same footprint, and it's way more stable. After putting my stacks in rows, with just criss-crossed stacks at the ends, I had a feeling it would fall over pretty easily. I watched my Golden Retriever chase my cat up the stack one day, and as the dog jumped up at the cat and put if front legs on the stack it started to wobble some. So the next day I began researching how to build a Holz Hausen.

Really it does go pretty quick, the time you lose by making sure the outside is straight, you make up by just tossing pieces that don't stack well in the center. I can go up to around 6' high without an issue (and I'm only 5'-8", and then climb up top and have my fiance hand me wood to finish the peak and roof it. Otherwise I was limited to about 4' high when I stacked in rows since I didn't have anything solid to stack against. And I'm almost certain either the dog or some of the strong wind storms we've had within the past couple years would have knocked them over.