Wood sheds on the cheap?

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skinnykid

New Member
Hearth Supporter
May 6, 2008
655
Next to a lake in NH
So with this 2 feet of snow and this heavy wind driven rain today, my fire wood is getting very wet.
That makes me very mad!! I have been planning on a wood shed this spring anyway.
I was thinking of one of those moveable car port type things but the affordable ones get bad reviews
and the expensive ones are expensive. I would build on but really don't know how well that will turn out!
So, how do you protect your fire wood from the elements? I could really use some ideas!
Thanks from the soggy North East
 
thinking the same thing - windy and wet as hell down here today as well

i'm betting all my rubber roofing covers blew away :(
 
Do a search for woodshed/pallets, there is a post about a wood shed made out of pallets. Goodluck
 
The hoop style roundtop shelters can take more snow. They take the wind better too.
 
skinnykid said:
So with this 2 feet of snow and this heavy wind driven rain today, my fire wood is getting very wet.
That makes me very mad!! I have been planning on a wood shed this spring anyway.
I was thinking of one of those moveable car port type things but the affordable ones get bad reviews
and the expensive ones are expensive. I would build on but really don't know how well that will turn out!
So, how do you protect your fire wood from the elements? I could really use some ideas!
Thanks from the soggy North East

I cover my stacks with sheets of PT plywood and also thru some cheap tarps on top of the plywood. The plywood overhangs the stacks about 8 inches on all sides to keep out driving rains. It works great except you have to shovel off snow. It Keeps the wood bone dry and is much more reliable than just tarps. Cheaper than a shed but not as convenient.
 
skinnykid said:
So with this 2 feet of snow and this heavy wind driven rain today, my fire wood is getting very wet.
That makes me very mad!! I have been planning on a wood shed this spring anyway.
I was thinking of one of those moveable car port type things but the affordable ones get bad reviews
and the expensive ones are expensive. I would build on but really don't know how well that will turn out!
So, how do you protect your fire wood from the elements? I could really use some ideas!
Thanks from the soggy North East

Check with your local utility. Around here it's possible to get retired/replaced power poles for free. These make excellent materials for a post and beam type shed.
 
I am thinking of one of those put together yer self Metal sheds, But I am afraid that it would not have enough air flow to season the wood. Even with the doors left open. Unless I modify it with some venting. But do I really want to do that?
 
A lean-to off the garage gives a lot of bang for the buck. Wood is covered, exposed to wind on 3 sides something to think about.
 
skinnykid said:
I am thinking of one of those put together yer self Metal sheds, But I am afraid that it would not have enough air flow to season the wood. Even with the doors left open. Unless I modify it with some venting. But do I really want to do that?

If you're going to do that why not just drop the cabbage for one of the metal car port deals? A smaller one goes for about $600 and would hold 4-5 cord pretty easy.
 
Until you get your shed built, just get some 4 mil 3'x50' roll of plastic at depot and staple it over the edges. Sides still get wind exposure and tops stay dry, snow blows off or falls off the second it starts to melt. As an added benefit you can stack right where the tree lies. eliminating a few times you have to handle to wood. Works great for me! Kinda forgot about building a shed or shelter, although it would be nice to store next months draw, completely out of the weather, my porch only holds about 1/3 cord.
 
I built one out of free pallets. It cost me like $10 for screws. I put a new metal roof on a few weeks ago.
 

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Bigg_Redd said:
skinnykid said:
I am thinking of one of those put together yer self Metal sheds, But I am afraid that it would not have enough air flow to season the wood. Even with the doors left open. Unless I modify it with some venting. But do I really want to do that?

If you're going to do that why not just drop the cabbage for one of the metal car port deals? A smaller one goes for about $600 and would hold 4-5 cord pretty easy.

I looked, can't find one that cheap that the reviews didn't say that they are crap!!!!!
 
My stacks are on pallets, tops covered, works for me. I use plywood on top and go over that with rubber roofing material, works like a charm. The stuff that's seasoning a year or two more I don't really care about, cover the tops with plywood or whatever and forgetaboutit. When it comes to the season I'll be burnin' it, I cover it with rubber roofing and that works just fine.

I'd still like to have a big freakin' woodshed though, haha!
 
I set up my wood manger ever year right off the back porch, then take down and store in the barn during the non burning months.
I raised the height a couple more feet this year.
Its made out of pallets & 2/4's I had laying around. The roof is press board that was laying around, with a heavy tarp over the roof held in place with bungee cords.
I out the smaller wood rack in front of it and all together holds about 1-1/3 cords. Lasts about 5 or 6 weeks.
It is as cheap as they come buy, and disassembles easily for spring/summer storage in the barn. It sure ain't the prettiest one around, but works just as good.
 

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I have been trying to reply but the web site is having some issues it seems. I want something that will contain the fire wood. I can get one of those metal sheds, I would have to modify it to get air flow. I can't find a "car port" for decent money that people don't seem to think it is suckish. Maybe I will just try to build one.
 
BucksCoBernie said:
I built one out of free pallets. It cost me like $10 for screws. I put a new metal roof on a few weeks ago.
That is a fantasic idea. Your shed is low cost and looks great. You should patend it.
 
I wonder if something like this would work?

(broken link removed to http://www.abristempo.com/en/Produit_simple.asp)
 
bigdaddybry said:
I wonder if something like this would work?

(broken link removed to http://www.abristempo.com/en/Produit_simple.asp)

I looked and the cheaper priced ones get horrid reviews and the expensive ones are expensive. If you look earlier in this thread a guy from Maine had one and it sagged under the snow and to me was pretty much useless.

Thanks for your input anyways.
 
skinnykid said:
bigdaddybry said:
I wonder if something like this would work?

(broken link removed to http://www.abristempo.com/en/Produit_simple.asp)

I looked and the cheaper priced ones get horrid reviews and the expensive ones are expensive. If you look earlier in this thread a guy from Maine had one and it sagged under the snow and to me was pretty much useless.

Thanks for your input anyways.

I've heard that the one from harbor freight is pretty good for the price.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=42211

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzbmpn5CWmA
 
Before we got our house built we used Sam's Club Carports for a variety of farm storage needs. (In our county you can't build a shed without a permit and you can't get a permit for a shed unless your house is at least 50% complete, you also cannot have your livestock not have shelter. Catch 22). They work OK but they don't last long in windy conditions. The first two years the shelters were literally surrounded by trees, worked out OK. After we cleared for the house the shelters took a beating. We also got "better" shelters from Tractor Supply but they ending up being 2X the cost, 4X the hassle to setup, and lasted 1/2 as long. For the price the Sam's Club ones work out of the wind. You can increase the snow load by tying some rope under the covering to lessen the span between the rafters.

I am think of using my old frames (now that the canopies are shredded) with metal roof panels for wood storage. Simple frame and easy to attach some purlins for the roofing. Semi-Portable too.
 
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