Stacking wood on 2x12's & 2x8's etc..instead of pallets

[leftyscott]

Most of you guys stack on pallets it seems. There are some fine looking woodpiles pictured here.

The last several years I have been stupidly stacking wood directly on the ground. I know I'm losing at least 1/2 of every piece that's on the ground. I'm starting to get a little smarter, now.

My pile is on a slight hill. (unavoidable). Don't think pallets would work, although I've never tried, yet.
I do have a great amount of scrap wood at my disposal.

Just found a 10' 2x12 that I've just stacked about 5 feet high. Seems to work well. Seems high enough to keep the bottom wood dry even after 4 days of rain.

My stacked rows are 15-18 feet long 5 feet tall 1.5 wide; a cord more or less. Is that too long for ideal seasoning? I get plenty of breeze but little sun. (My 50 acres of woods come right up to the house)

Anybody use similar methods?

Thanks,

PS: Too embarassed to post pics of my pile.

 

[LLigetfa]

If you have access to free junk wood like Poplar or Willow, just lay it down as your first course. Before I had my woodshed, I would build a base out of 5 foot long Poplar logs laid down like a corduroy road.

 

[fossil]

Pretty much any "sacrificial" material will do to keep the firewood from direct ground contact. I don't use pallets. I stack in the shed, or I stack on concrete under roof, or I use PT (or not) 2x4's on gravel or on the dirt. Just so long as your "good" wood isn't touching the ground and the area is graded or whatever to prevent water puddling up to the level of the firewood, you're good. Rick

 

[Brian VT]

I don't have any level ground either. I terrace/step the pallets by setting the downhill edge of one pallet on top of the edge of the next pallet. If the slope is steep enough that the pallet still isn't level put a 2x4, or something, between the two. You may need to support the span of the pallet (now in the air), if it's a long one, by shimming with rocks or something. I'll try to get some pics of mine up tonight.

 

[Justin M]

I use 16' PT2x4's with metal ends from Home Depot. It only take a few minute to set up, and it very stable. I shimmed them up with scrap 2X4's where the ground is uneven. They hold 2/3 cord eack stack.

 

[Brian VT]

Here's the stepping I mentioned:

 

[Brian VT]

If you have access to cheap/free lumber you could make something like this with longer legs on the downhill end:

 

[pinewoodburner]

You can use treated 2X4s and save some $. I use the treated landscape timbers from HD that cost $2 each for an 8' length and set that up on 3 cider block. I have a rune that is 24' long and I use 1 block where the 2 pieces butt together. The cinder block raises the wood up en ought to keep it dry and to allow air to flow under it.

 

[MGC67]

same here ......3 cinder block with landscape timber.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Under each row are two 8' poles. Each stack (cut at 16") is 3 rows of wood stacked 4' high and 8' long so that each cord of wood has 6 little saplings under them to keep the wood off the ground.

Not sure how much more low cost one could get for stacking wood off the ground and I feel it looks even better than using pallets. If I ever get done stacking last winter's cutting I'll post it but most of you have seen a lot of it already in some of my earlier posts.

 

[Hiram Maxim]

Under each row are two 8' poles. Each stack (cut at 16") is 3 rows of wood stacked 4' high and 8' long so that each cord of wood has 6 little saplings under them to keep the wood off the ground.

Not sure how much more low cost one could get for stacking wood off the ground and I feel it looks even better than using pallets. If I ever get done stacking last winter's cutting I'll post it but most of you have seen a lot of it already in some of my earlier posts.

Dennis,

what size are your splits?

From the pic they look like 6"x6"

I just got a ton of free wood from a tree company & most is already cut in 16" and 32" lengths!

After its cut and split....I think I will be about 4 years ahead.

Cheers, Hiram

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hiram, 6" is probably the largest and 2-3" is about the smallest. I used to make the splits even larger for the old stove but the smaller ones fit better in the Fireview.

4 years ahead Keep it up Hiram and you'll pass me! Although you do have a ways to go yet to do that. lol

 

[burntime]

Wow, do you guys measure each cut or something? My piles are not nearly as uniform in length! Looks great!

 

[iceman]

Wow, do you guys measure each cut or something? My piles are not nearly as uniform in length! Looks great!

dont worry mine is like yours i look at this stuff and just think "maybe if i could get my stacks as pretty as theirs my neighbors wouldnt c groan as much"
but i cant i can only keep trying... oh well maybe next year

 

[burntime]

But I bet you get that warm fuzzy feeling around Oct 1st :lol: I have 3 rows of pallets of double 18 inch stacks 16 foot long and working on a forth. They are 5.5 ft so I should be set as long as all is dry... Heck, I jsut restack it near the house anyway

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Nice stacks guys, my stack was built out of scrap wood about 7 years ago (cost me 10 bucks for lag bolts) It's still holding together for now.
Hey Lefty, If your split/stacked off the ground and a year ahead all is good.

WoodButcher

 

[Hiram Maxim]

Hiram, 6" is probably the largest and 2-3" is about the smallest. I used to make the splits even larger for the old stove but the smaller ones fit better in the Fireview.

4 years ahead Keep it up Hiram and you'll pass me! Although you do have a ways to go yet to do that. lol

Dennis,

Thanks for the info.

My next stove will be a Fireview, so I'm trying to prepare for the future!

Its safe to say......"I have run out of room" after this pile is done. 8-/ LOL

Thanks for the info!

Hiram

 

[Hiram Maxim]

Nice stacks guys, my stack was built out of scrap wood about 7 years ago (cost me 10 bucks for lag bolts) It's still holding together for now.
Hey Lefty, If your split/stacked off the ground and a year ahead all is good.

WoodButcher

That's a really nice pile...................well done!