wind direction , and wood sheds

[thinktwicez71]

i want to build an open type woodshed , with a metal roof.

my question is , is there a specific way i should build it in relation to which way the wind blows ? should i have the side i get my wood from face the wind ? or should the back of it face the wind ? or should the sides face the wind ?

thing is i see alot of people on here with some open type woodsheds and there is snow all over the ground and none on the wood , so i wasn't sure if there was a certain way to keep it like that without putting doors on it and closeing them.

 

[Wood Duck]

I'd make sure the sides are open to allow good airflow, then face the front toward the direction of the house so you can see the firewood. Don't worry about wind direction unless you get drifting snow, in which case face the opening away from the wind to avoid a big drift in front of the shed when you want the wood (winter).

 

[fossil]

Maybe twice is one too many times to think about it. Orient the shed such that it works the best for what you want it do for you (personally, that would be with the side I access facing away from the prevailing wind). Do whatever you can to let the floor and the sides flow air freely through. Then stop thinking about it, and go think twice about something else...like filling it up. :lol: Rick

 

[jdinspector]

Fully agree about over thinking. My shed is not situated in an ideal area, but it works like a wood kiln! Open floor is important... Also, get it of of the ground, if possible. (10-12" should be fine) you want air flow on all sides, if possible.

 

[LLigetfa]

If you have prevailing winds that drift snow, you would want the back to face it. I oriented mine for sun exposure since where the shed is built, it is fairly well sheltered from the wind. My outdoor stacks however, I place for max wind exposure as they are placed close to the road and my neighbour's hay field. I get a lot of snow drifting out there but don't need access to those stacks for at least a year or two and then I move them to the shed.

 

[SolarAndWood]

The shed on the windward side of my house is open East, West and South. We average about 10' of snow here. As long as you stack it tight and to the ceiling, you get very little snow in the shed.

 

[peakbagger]

My house has prevailing westerly winds and when it snows I can a lot of snow blowing sidewards. I wanted to keep the maximum amount of the side open for most of the year, so I have the "skinny" end facing west with a tarp permanent installed to block the wind with the back side (north) and the other end (east) open year round. I leave the front open until snow season and then I have a hanging tarp that covers it held closed with bungy cords. If I know theres going to be a heavy storm, I sometimes secrued west end the tarp to the frame priot ot the storm. The only time I have gotten snow in the shed to eny extent has been in blizzard conditions (24" storm), and it was minimal. My biggest problem is to avoid blowing snow in from my snowblower chute.

 

[Pat53]

I built mine connected with the boiler building. I can access the wood from a door facing the inside of the wood shed. This shed holds 14 full cords. It faces south and west, where we get most of our winds from, except winter, which is mainly north and west.

Pat

 

[firefighterjake]

I never figured out the wind direction . . . I just built it on the footers from the large swingset that I tore down . . . although I did use board and batting siding on three of the sides (well boards . . . minus the batting . . . just left the gap open . . . no problem with snow penetration.

 

[bogydave]

I don't get a drift on the front, windy side of mine, the back side gets the snow drift.
I positioned it so it fit best on my property, & didn't worry about the prevailing wind, My wind goes opposite directions; from the N in winter,, from S in summer.
Wind doesn't blow the rain & snow inside of it that much, (I thought it would) a high pressure area or vortex, is created when the wind blows against the wood face & it stays reasonable dry under the roof.
If that concerned, use a tarp like a shower curtain on a long rod.
Build the shed so it fits your property & is easy access, "user friendly" , let Mother Nature worry about the wind.