wood stacking with pallets + roof

[iron]

i was originally going to build some sheds near the house for wood drying/storage, but have since changed my mind. instead, because of the shape of our yard, we have a lot of fenceline that i'm thinking i should just stack the wood along.

i 'think' i'd like to use pallets, since they're free, but also want to have a roof since here in the pacific NW, it rains for 6 months straight during the season you need dry firewood.

does anyone have pics or ideas of how to best install a roof over pallets that run along 100ft of fenceline? i cannot attach to the fence as it is not ours and is in horrible shape anyway.

thanks

 

[maple1]

I would put the pallets up on concrete blocks (can get them cheap here from the reject yard at the concrete place), stack, then top cover with a tarp the same width as the pallets then put another layer of wood on top to hold the tarp in place. That's what I do. Easy & cheap. If possible, situate so prevailing wind blows into the end of the row - as opposed to into the face of the row or ends of the wood.

 

[blacktail]

Some plastic roofing panels, plus some scrap 2x4s and a little creativity. I added a sheet of plastic this year because I stacked 2 rows deep and the plastic roofing comes up a little short on 2 rows.

 

[Poindexter]

Just as an experiment for your microclimate, for a small area, say 3 or 4 adjacent pallets, try putting an impermeable plastic sheet right on the pallet, then wood and roof as usual to see if that wood gets enough drier to be worth the extra trouble.

 

[iron]

Just as an experiment for your microclimate, for a small area, say 3 or 4 adjacent pallets, try putting an impermeable plastic sheet right on the pallet, then wood and roof as usual to see if that wood gets enough drier to be worth the extra trouble.

problem is that in the winter, when needing to use the wood, if it's not covered, it'll be soaked from 4-6 months of a steady rain. i had been moving wood from the "drying stacks" to the "close to the door" stack which is covered, but i would like to avoid the duplicate efforts. i realize i will need to walk further now to get the wood, but i don't mind that.

at present, i just have some 6 mil plastic on top of the stacks (not draped over). works semi-okay, but certainly some pieces get plenty wet and it makes a huge difference.

 

[Poindexter]

@iron , i meant put some plastic down as a floor under part of your green stack, but still roof the whole thing.

My stacks dry better with a vapor barrier under them, a co worker who lives less than a mile from me had to drill through 150 feet of gravel getting his well dug. His lawn drains good enough that a vapor tight floor doesnt help him. No point in guessing at it, just try it with a small section and see if you can tell the difference.

 

[iron]

ah, good point. i'm sure i could use the VB. most of my yard is a sponge in the winter. squish squish squish. the area where the wood is, however, is mulchy and soft, so probably a bit better.