Score! well, maybe not: Wood shed

[kmmuellr]

I live in the 'burbs and I'm pretty limited in how much wood I can story (I've got a 12'x4.5' stack against my house, I may be able to put an 8'x4' stack in front of it). Because of this, I've been looking for a place to store a bit of wood, so I can get ahead. One of my son's classmate's parent's are involved w/ the Cub Scout pack with me, and live just down the street at an old farm house w/ 2 acres and a few out buildings. I knew that they didn't use all their space, so asked them if they'd mind if I could store some wood there. He burns an ambience fire, so I offered that I'd split and stack and give him a face cord or two. They offered up one of their outbuildings for me.

SCORE I just need to go clean it up, and its mine.

So yesterday I go over to see what I'm getting myself into and I've got a 15x15-ish building that's closed on 3 1/2 sides. Floor is dirt, and covered w/ "crap" firewood as he calls it. I figure I'll level the ground up, and stack it nice and see what I've got. Well, I've got a SOAKING wet dirt floor. Like in two spots I sunk down past my ankle into the mud! I set down two pallets that I had, and stacked on that to get started. My initial thought is to cover the ground w/ a double layer of pallets and fill it with wood. I figure that one of the layers will sink into the mud! I've asked if I can remove the plywood sides to get some ventilation, and have been told no, but we may be able to cut some windows or something in it for ventilation.

So, does anyone have some suggestions on how to make this building look nice, and still have good ventilation? Pictures? The lady of the house suggested slat sides spaced randomly, or cutting "windows" and framing them from the outside.

Assuming I can get some ventilation, any idea how long it will take for the wood to season w/ a roof over top and minimal sunlight being able to reach it? My goal is to be able to fill the thing up and get ahead! I'm told that the ground does dry up towards the end of May.

Thanks!
K

 

[firefighterjake]

Tough call . . . honestly I would not want to try to season my wood in a shed . . . even a shed with good ventilation like mine which is a board and batting shed minus the batting . . . but if space is truly this limited you've got to do what you've got to do . . . windows would help . . . but again . . . not the best storage solution since wood most definitely seasons slower when packed into a woodshed.

 

[pen]

Agreed, it may not be perfect but will be better than nothing at all.

pen

 

[Backwoods Savage]

The way you are explaining the situation, if it were me, I'd pass on the shed. No way would I attempt to stack wood in there and expect it to season.

Even though we can stack wood inside a shed we will never put freshly cut wood in there! To properly season wood, it need air; air circulation; lots of it. Stacking next to a building is also not a good way to season wood. It is best to stack it outdoors, up off the ground and stack it where it will get some wind. Sunshine is nice too but wind is the most important. If you can leave wood stacked outdoors in the wind for a full summer and fall, most of the wood can be burned the following winter. Note I said most. Not all wood will be ready because some wood takes much longer than a summer and fall to dry enough. This is why I always recommend being 2-3 years ahead on your wood supply as then you will take away almost all the problems that wood burners have because you will have good fuel. Burn poor fuel and you'll have poor results. Burn good fuel and you won't have to burn as much to get the needed heat.

Remember, to season wood you need to evaporate the moisture. How can you possibly do that in a shed with a wet floor and 3 sides closed? It just won't work. Oh you can do it, but you will not have good results next winter when you try to heat your home.

To get the fastest drying, split the wood and stack it from 4' to 4.5' high and 2" - 4" or more off the ground. Stack so the wind hits the sides of the stacks and stack in single rows. Leave enough distance between the rows so you can walk between them. Pray for a dry summer with lots of wind.

 

[RNLA]

I would just work with what you have at your own place. I'm not saying it will happen to you but this is what happened to me. Sunday I get a phone call from a "friend" who I have been acquainted with for 3 years. I had 3 cords on his lot. He said there is not going to be a discussion or explanation but find another place to store wood PRONTO! I began to ask how much time I had to move it and he hung up on me. I went directly to his home and asked if he would talk to me about it? He repeated his command "Move the wood PRONTO!" So I took what I could, then arrived Monday morning and made 3 trips, He was no where to be seen but moved his stuff out of the way to make it easy to get to the stacks. I am not sure of what he was up to but be warned about putting your stuff on other peoples property. There had been no indication of any problem between us, no ill, no bad discussion, nothing! This was several acres of raw land and the wood had no affect on the space. I learned a hard lesson I will never "store" anything on someone elses property again. :shut:

 

[certified106]

I would just work with what you have at your own place. I'm not saying it will happen to you but this is what happened to me. Sunday I get a phone call from a "friend" who I have been acquainted with for 3 years. I had 3 cords on his lot. He said there is not going to be a discussion or explanation but find another place to store wood PRONTO! I began to ask how much time I had to move it and he hung up on me. I went directly to his home and asked if he would talk to me about it? He repeated his command "Move the wood PRONTO!" So I took what I could, then arrived Monday morning and made 3 trips, He was no where to be seen but moved his stuff out of the way to make it easy to get to the stacks. I am not sure of what he was up to but be warned about putting your stuff on other peoples property. There had been no indication of any problem between us, no ill, no bad discussion, nothing! This was several acres of raw land and the wood had no affect on the space. I learned a hard lesson I will never "store" anything on someone elses property again. :shut:

Doesn't sound like much of a friend to me. What are your enemies like ;-P

 

[mecreature]

I would just work with what you have at your own place. I'm not saying it will happen to you but this is what happened to me. Sunday I get a phone call from a "friend" who I have been acquainted with for 3 years. I had 3 cords on his lot. He said there is not going to be a discussion or explanation but find another place to store wood PRONTO! I began to ask how much time I had to move it and he hung up on me. I went directly to his home and asked if he would talk to me about it? He repeated his command "Move the wood PRONTO!" So I took what I could, then arrived Monday morning and made 3 trips, He was no where to be seen but moved his stuff out of the way to make it easy to get to the stacks. I am not sure of what he was up to but be warned about putting your stuff on other peoples property. There had been no indication of any problem between us, no ill, no bad discussion, nothing! This was several acres of raw land and the wood had no affect on the space. I learned a hard lesson I will never "store" anything on someone elses property again. :shut:

Good advice...

Things sure get weird sometimes.

 

[weatherguy]

This is why I decied on not building a shed. Why cant he store his wood there and then when he has room on his lot to transfer it over to let it season properly. Better than not having any wood at all, although Id be leery as others are of using someones else property.

 

[RNLA]

Yeah, I'm not a gloom-n-doom kinda guy but I just threw it out there because it is such a current event and I would hate to see it happen to someone else. No problem if he wants to do it but I'll never get caught in it again....

 

[Wood Duck]

I would also try to store on my own property, unless you really know the owners of the other place well. You say your wood is stacked only 4.5 ft high. Why not go higher? If you need to build a frame to allow wood to be stacked higher, that shouldn't cost too much and would save a lot of moving wood from the neighbor's house.

 

[kmmuellr]

I would also try to store on my own property, unless you really know the owners of the other place well. You say your wood is stacked only 4.5 ft high. Why not go higher? If you need to build a frame to allow wood to be stacked higher, that shouldn't cost too much and would save a lot of moving wood from the neighbor's house.

4 1/2 feet gets me about a half foot over the bottom of a window. Wife wouldn't want me to block the window!

I'm not so worried about the friend's making me move the wood, as long as I'm playing by their rules (ie, not taking down the walls of the shed.

K

 

[RNLA]

Only thing is sometimes even if you abide by the rules, wood or some other such "stored" items end up getting used by the "friend" or maybe even mysteriously vanishing. I really do not want to discourage you from doing this just be aware of getting too buddy-buddy with the people. You may end up putting some time and money into this shed not to mention the wood then you get feeling like you earned it, then they ask you to leave. :smirk: