Suggestions On Stacking Wood in Piles

[KB1GCB]

Hi,

Just finished filling my 9 racks with splits for next winter. Today, saw the state workers cutting wood along a nearby road. Filled my f150 today and will go back tomorrow. I don't really want to build more racks if I don't need to--any suggestions for just piling the splits on the ground? I thought maybe a tarp on the ground and then pile it up--any other thoughts, don't want to take the free wood, but don't want to waste it either?

Thanks,

John

 

[Wood Duck]

I stack in round 'holz hausens.' I keep my wood in a sunny, windy, open area and don't have racks, plus I think the round stacks look nice. Haven't had one collapse yet, but i have only built two and the older one is only about 6 months old. So far so good.

 

[CowboyAndy]

I would NOT put a tarp down. The water will collect and pool on it and not drain. just find some scrap 2x4's and make some stacks out of them, thats what i do.

 

[mcote]

I usually put old 2x4s or whatever I have laying around down first. Some people use pallets. I cross-stack the ends and load up the middle. If I am making a long stack, 30+ feet, I will make a cross-stack in the middle too for extra support. I wouldn't recommend putting a tarp down first.

 

[savageactor7]

Wood touching the ground will rot...cause it's always wicking up moisture. Tarp on the ground isn't a bad idea if your on a slope that way water trickles threw the wood, hits the tarp and flushes down slope. You might be better off making more racks. We pile our wood on beds of gravel with no worries of rot and our piles get 12-14' high or so.

 

[KB1GCB]

Thanks for all the suggestions--I will give them a try.

John

 

[smokinj]

dont tarp it put gravel or just pile it then stack it this fall it will be ok

 

[Backwoods Savage]

You can stack the wood in many ways. I've seen guys get landscape timbers to stack wood on. Old 4 x 4's, 2 x 4's, railroad ties, etc. Here is a picture to show what we do. We simply go into the woods and cut saplings. Lay down two per row. You could also just lay down some small rounds that you will be burning later. Lay them in two rows and stack the rest on top. As you can see, there are many ways.

 

[skinnykid]

I am doing the same exact thing. I have 8 racks that are 8 feet long and 4 feet high, single row deep. Today so far I have spent piling the rest of the wood. I don't want to build more racks. When the cold weather comes, when I empty a rack I will just refill it from the pile to get it off the ground faster.

I didn't put anything under the pile. Seems like I don't pick up much moisture that way, just lots of slugs and worms.

 

[LLigetfa]

I used to stack my wood similar to the way Dennis has his in rows of three, with long stringers underneath. The difference was that I wound lay down a bed of five footers perpendicular to and on top of the stringers. That tied all three rows together and kept the frost from heaving them. I also used some five footers on the cross-pile ends.

 

[savageactor7]

Damn LLigetfa wish I could visualize what you did to prevent frost heaving. Back in the day we use to C&S;in the woods and used Savages's method of saplings....but some stacks would always frost heave.

That was a more productive way to work for me because I used way more of the tree and had stacks all over the place...and my backyard didn't look like it was victim of an air strike either. Now that I'm more than a couple years ahead I wouldn't mind going back and stacking in the woods. Eventually I could just FEL the seasoned wood into piles closer to the house when needed.

I got reasons for never dicking with pallets again so they're out.

 

[Highbeam]

I'll ask, why no pallets? I still use them since they're free. Do the nails bother you? Twist an ankle? I'm willing to consider other things too. I have a thrown pile of 4 cords on the ground right now and I know that the bottom will be unsuitable if left be.

 

[Wet1]

I'm not a big fan of using skids either. Between the nails, the relatively short longevity, and the hassle of getting rid of them when their time has come, I just find them to be more hassle than they're worth. Never mind the occasional twisted ankle.

While not free, I've found using 4x8x16 cement blocks and PT landscaping timbers seems to be the best method I've found. Using three bocks under two 8' parallel timbers (or 4 blocks under 12 footers), this system works excellent for stacking wood on. Yes, my timbers and blocks cost me about $200 (from HD), but it was a one time investment and should last a VERY long time. Since you're not placing the timbers directly on dirt, even non-PT wood should hold up well. When the firewood is gone, this system is easy to cleanup and store.

Regarding throwing wood directly on the ground, placing stone down first works great, but not everyone wants to do this. I've also thrown down branches, which is often enough to get the majority of the bottom layer of the pile off the ground. If the wood will not be on the ground any more than a season, don't work about it... it will take longer than that for it to rot, assuming it's green wood.

 

[savageactor7]

I'll ask, why no pallets? I still use them since they're free. Do the nails bother you? Twist an ankle? I'm willing to consider other things too. I have a thrown pile of 4 cords on the ground right now and I know that the bottom will be unsuitable if left be.

You nailed it brother. F pallets never again.