Firewood drying/ transport ? an attempt at efficiency

Firewood drying/ transport – an attempt at efficiency

Ok we use ~ 10 cords/ year. We have a 12x12x8’ tall woodshed (covered on 3 sides) I built last year right next to the OWB. Not great for drying.

I’d like to have an efficient means to dry the wood; a kiln is not an option. I’ve read to stack rows North to South to get the AM and PM sunshine….ok but,

What about covering?
- If you cover, (ie: open on all 4 sides woodshed) you won’t get the sunshine. Would that still work? I don’t want to just lay say tin corrugated metal roofing on top of the row and be chasing is/ them across the yard/ neighbors field when the wind blows.

How much space between the rows?
- 3’? 5’? to maximize sunshine time you’d want to avoid shadows right? Am I thinking too much on this one?

Combining integrating palletizing and drying?
- I could use the forks on the tractor to transport each pallet to the woodshed.
A – Would the wood dry when stacked on a pallet? This contradicts the “single row” idea doesn’t it?
B - A 4x4 pallet stacked 4’ high would be 0.5 cord. That’s 20 pallets for 1 year worth. 40 total if I’m a year ahead, which is the goal. That’s a TON of pallet modifications so the wood will “stand” on the pallet and not topple over.

I’d like to have a transportation method and a structure (if needed) that;
1. Efficiently dries the wood
2. Is easily accessible with the tractor
3. Isn’t gaudy to look at when you come down the driveway
4. Doesn’t consume an acre of yard (i.e.: dedicated to wood drying)


Thoughts and ideas are greatly appreciated here.

Subscribing to watch these recomdations...as i am in process of plannign a wood shed this spring. Sorry no help from me! But i will say that i had all my wood for this winter cut and split at this time last year and stored in a lean-to type shed closed on 3 sides and a roof, and it all burnt fine this year. Maybe not perfect but it was ok. Only downfall is this shed is on the land i cut and is 10 mins from home and i couldnt get to it after we god dumped on for 3 straight weeks. Also why i dont have all my wood cut and split for next year yet!

Call a pallet mfgr, you can get some made just for you, its not that expensive. Having them all uniform is a wonderful thing.

What about opening up two of your sides after the spring rains are done, and before the autumn rains/wind startup. That should help with airflow considerably.

Look at some images of tobacco barns, its simple, effective, and cheap.

wdchuck said:

Call a pallet mfgr, you can get some made just for you, its not that expensive. Having them all uniform is a wonderful thing.

What about opening up two of your sides after the spring rains are done, and before the autumn rains/wind startup. That should help with airflow considerably.

Look at some images of tobacco barns, its simple, effective, and cheap.

Click to expand...

I could make the sides removable I guess - it'd take some doing as they're on there pretty good. It's metal siding (like a pole barn)...4 verticals per side and 4 or 5 rows of screws per side too

They're trimmed out too (to match the OWB - wifey mandate there).

Stack it in a place with all day sun, or as much as you can find.

Stack it on free pallets. Firewood doesn't care about fancy pallets.

Stack it two rows deep on the pallets, leave the bottom 6" apart, lean them into each other as you stack, with it touching at the top of the stack. Gravity holds the pile up. --> /--\

One long row (double stacked on a pallet) is better than short rows one in front of the other. More sun and wind gets to it.

Stack it with the ends (Face of the pile) pointing due south.

Cover the top with steel roofing, weigh it down with cinder-blocks. Keep rain off, let sun and wind in. NEVER tarp it.

Let it sit all summer and early fall.

Move it into the shed in the late fall.

Burn it, enjoy it.

Cut (and frame out to please wifeeee) a couple windows on each side or in back high

Add a couple of those cheapie but goodie roof vents and you will be fine

10 cords a year = a LOT of pallets. You can often get "broken" ones free form places like southern states. I can't imagine spending money to customize them.

I have a really hard time with 2 rows per pallet because I prefer 24" long (or longer) firewood for my OWB. The stacks end up a little unstable when I try it.

I just use 2-4" cedars for my "rails" and larger cedar logs for supports under those rails.

The best way is to have an "in" with a company that has crap loads of em. I get a bunch of "junk" ones from my brothers work and my dad happens to be a mechanic for a pallet company. So I come up with a few of em.
Otherwise put adds out on C-list and see what you get.
This is what I made for myself. I have 9 made and full now, and am going to make as many as I can. All I have into them is maybe 30-45 min and some deck screws and free ringshank nails from work.

My local home center sells used pallets (of various quality) for $1.00 each.
Any hardware store or "local" building center should have some.
If you start keeping your eye out, you'l be amazed at how many are around that you never noticed before..they are like coffee cups on the side of the road; everywhere.

headleyj said:

Ok we use ~ 10 cords/ year. We have a 12x12x8’ tall woodshed (covered on 3 sides) I built last year right next to the OWB. Not great for drying.

I’d like to have an efficient means to dry the wood; a kiln is not an option. I’ve read to stack rows North to South to get the AM and PM sunshine….ok but,

What about covering?
- If you cover, (ie: open on all 4 sides woodshed) you won’t get the sunshine. Would that still work? I don’t want to just lay say tin corrugated metal roofing on top of the row and be chasing is/ them across the yard/ neighbors field when the wind blows.

Click to expand...

My plan is to take an old tarp (I seem to have lots of them), slit down to the width of the stack, and nail it to the wood on the pile in enough spots to hold it, tarp on top only.

How much space between the rows?
- 3’? 5’? to maximize sunshine time you’d want to avoid shadows right? Am I thinking too much on this one?

Click to expand...

I have close to 12' between mine, which counters your not taking up too much space point below, but I did it that way to get machinery (tractor, 9' wide trailer, etc) between rows. I'd make yours far enough apart to get whatever you plan to haul to the shed with between rows, with a little extra space to move around.

Combining integrating palletizing and drying?
- I could use the forks on the tractor to transport each pallet to the woodshed.
A – Would the wood dry when stacked on a pallet? This contradicts the “single row” idea doesn’t it?
B - A 4x4 pallet stacked 4’ high would be 0.5 cord. That’s 20 pallets for 1 year worth. 40 total if I’m a year ahead, which is the goal. That’s a TON of pallet modifications so the wood will “stand” on the pallet and not topple over.

Click to expand...

If you're close to a metal fabrication shop, steel often comes on 4x8 or 4x10 skids, would save on the amount of modification needed, but you may be limited by what your loader can lift. Most standard pallets are actually 40x48, two rows the wide way at 24" or less will work, with a little overhang. I've decided two rows wide drys well "here", but if I go to three rows, the center row doesn't dry well. I think you'll be fine with double rows.

I’d like to have a transportation method and a structure (if needed) that;
1. Efficiently dries the wood
2. Is easily accessible with the tractor
3. Isn’t gaudy to look at when you come down the driveway
4. Doesn’t consume an acre of yard (i.e.: dedicated to wood drying)

Click to expand...

One of the other WI guys had some pics up of the metal racks he had built for carrying and storing firewood, if you want to invest some time, money, and effort, they look like they'd last a long dang time and meet all of your criteria. If you haven't seen this, let me know and I'll hunt the post down for ya.

Thoughts and ideas are greatly appreciated here.

Click to expand...

Hope this helped.

I've been thinking about retrofitting my wood shed with tobacco barn type "shutters" on the back to help with the air flow. I've got some rearranging to do before I can do that though.

Ian

flow through

some vents down low and ridge vents or a couple turbines can get quite a bit of air moving and still keep out rain

6 foot tall stacks means 3/4 as many pallets.

Shrink wrap the top 12" of the stacks and they don't topple over when the wood shrinks as it dries.

Your transportation issues have been answered pretty well. Pallets are definitely the way to go. Cover just the top and leave space between pallets for air flow. Don't stack wood on the pallets too tight or the center row may not dry well.

I wanted to chime in because you have another option with your shed. Instead of stacking with rows going across the shed, stack with rows coming out of the shed and leave a little space between each row. You loose some storage, but the wood can continue to dry in the shed. Add some vents to the back of the shed. Depending on the prevailing wind direction, you may get a breeze that blows through the shed. You can frame the vents in nicely so your shed still looks good. I would not want to take those sides off - they look too nice the way you sided it.

I like the shutter idea! I also like the "window" idea....I could trim them out to lease wifey. Either of those and a few roof vents would definetly help the airflow.

I like those ideas!

Fell, buck, split and stack ONCE.








Then transport:







I don't have the storage thing set up just yet, but I have the handling minimized.

Dieselpro, I have a similar setup with frames like that but mine are wooden, I'll take some pics this afternoon to upload. I stack them on the racks, move them out in the sun with the skidsteer, and cover them with tin. In the fall I move as much wood over to the shed by the Rowe an stack it there so I can start filling the frames again.

I think the palletizing is a go. - check

I can't nail down a covering/ uncovering method that appeases wifey, won't cost $2k (ie: permanent structure) and doesn't take up an acre.

Surprisingly the wife suggested a tarp for a roof tied to a couple trees in the woods. (if it's out of sight she doens't care about the looks). No sun that way though.

She then jokingly suggested a retractable awning. I thought hmmm, not too far off actually. Easy to cover/ uncover....accessable, if I could make it blend/ look good and long enough (good lord it'd need to be 90' long!) it may work, but a 90' awning? seriously? this is getting outta hand.

You'd be better off building a building than trying a retractable awning - Those suckers ain't cheap.

I stack wood in the woods - it dries - but you need to be a little more careful with it. I make sure I cover it when it rains and undercover it when it doesn't Does require more babysitting, but what do you have to do, right?

stint said:

Cut (and frame out to please wifeeee) a couple windows on each side or in back high

Add a couple of those cheapie but goodie roof vents and you will be fine

Click to expand...

:agree2: