Stack wood in barn hay loft?

[Catfish Hunter]

Anyone use an old barn hay loft to stack firewood to dry? I've got a huge old barn with plenty of room but didn't know if ants or bugs or other problems could happen if I start drying firewood in the barn.


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[Gotrek]

I'd stack outdoors then move it in the barn before winter.

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[Lloyd the redneck]

I feel like it would speed up the drying process. I have thought about that many times.

 

[Gotrek]

As long as your barn has good airflow I guess. If not your just creating a big moist environment. Hay doesn't go into the loft until its seasoned. Wood probably shouldn't either you'll rot the building

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[Woody5506]

keep it outside all year in my opinion. I have a bunch stacked inside my shed and all it does is take up room and hold up the seasoning process. The other 95% of the wood stacked outside does much better. As others have said, it needs airflow and sunlight and perhaps a tarp or some other type of roof.

 

[maple1]

That sounds like a lot of work.

Agreed on going in dry. Or partly dry at least.

 

[Jeffm1]

Won't that be a lot of extra work hauling it up into and then again down out of the loft when it comes time to burn it?

 

[Woody5506]

Unless you stacked on pallets and had a forklift. Which I must admit would be pretty cool.

 

[Gotrek]

Pallets + fork lift + loft lift + other fork lift in the loft... many barns have an exterior pulley beam/lift

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[Lloyd the redneck]

2 bale elevators. One to get it up the other to pile it

 

[WoodyIsGoody]

Won't that be a lot of extra work hauling it up into and then again down out of the loft when it comes time to burn it?

The bigger problem with putting wood in the hay loft is that it makes the loft less suitable for an impromptu romp in the hay!

 

[Catfish Hunter]

I have a big door at ground level so not much additional work. The siding is slotted boards so good air flow. I think I may try the outside holzhausen instead.


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[Bad LP]

What is the floor rated for?

 

[Catfish Hunter]

What is the floor rated for?

No idea. Seems to handle a load pretty well. I'm drying lumber in there now stacked 6' high and it didn't cause any issue or beam sagging at all below. But good thought. I don't even know how to find out


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[xman23]

I can't imagine any issue. I would split it. By doing that I'm able to find any ants. Now bug free stack the green wood in the hot loft. It's going to dry the wood real quick. Not the same bailing wet hay.

 

[Hogwildz]

I have mine in my barn on pallets on the lower level. Plenty of air flow, works very well. I would be very weary of putting it in the loft. That is a lot of weight, especially if its oak or one of the heavier woods.

 

[BrotherBart]

I have mine in my barn on pallets on the lower level. Plenty of air flow, works very well. I would be very weary of putting it in the loft. That is a lot of weight, especially if its oak or one of the heavier woods.

My first thought when I saw the post. I have fallen through a loft or too in my time.

 

[Catfish Hunter]

My first thought when I saw the post. I have fallen through a loft or too in my time.

It's a pretty sturdy floor with two layers of rough sawn oak on hewn beams from the 20s. However you guys are right that I should be leery of floor weight. I think I will try some wood up there and see how it goes. I do stack lumber in there to dry and it didn't even move that floor at all it was all oak and maple freshly sawed stacked up 6'.


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[Sodbuster]

We've had 12+ tons of hay in our loft with no problem, all depends on the construction.