How to keep the stacked wood straight?

[Soby1]

yea,I got a lumber tarp on 1 of my stacks too.Every year when Im put it on,I'm reminded of why I am a tankyanker instead of a flatbedder. Scott

I here ya. There a pain to put on, I'm not a trucker did some work on a friends rig he ran short on cash so I got the tarps. They sure beat the cheap ones with the wind we get in this area lucky to get 2 months out a blue one. With these I hardly have to tie them them down.

 

[H-Ranch]

Here's mine - can't compare to Hedgerow though! I keep the kids from going between mine at 6' high so they would have to stay much further away if they were stacked 14' high (and I probably would stay away too.)

 

[Chris-PA]

Here's mine - can't compare to Hedgerow though! I keep the kids from going between mine at 6' high so they would have to stay much further away if they were stacked 14' high (and I probably would stay away too.)

What, no elephant this time? I'm still laughing at that....:biggrin:

 

[SPDRMNKY]

@ the OP...practice and purty straight wood...otherwise it's practice and something to lean on at the ends...it helps to cut your pieces the same length

stacking wood is as close as I ever get to zen...after a couple layers I step to the side and sight for plumb...as it settles I readjust (with a sledge if needed)

I don't recommend two things...

1) putting all the small pieces on the bottom and the big pieces on top

2) stacking between young trees...wind can undo the most carefully stacked stack

...but who doesn't love a good challenge?

 

[H-Ranch]

What, no elephant this time? I'm still laughing at that....:biggrin:

No, but I did fail to show the OP how to make the wood stacked straight. I have a secret method though it does make it a bit spooky to fill the OWB after dark.

 

[Pintony]

I don't have any good advice on stacking, but me does think that garage is going to need a gallon of white paint real soon, if you don't want it to turn into firewood as well....

Hey doogiegh,
My garage has looked the same for 20 years..... I keep it that way so no one knows about the stack of gold bars I keep inside....
Believe it or not...? I have the dry-est garage in town. It dont look like much but I have 6 cars inside with about 100 packing blankets and 20 car covers. Oh and a few packs of mouse chow. U-know the ones in the cheeze shaped box.... :msp_sneaky:
A few stray cats around too....:cool2:

 

[Pintony]

I couldn't help wondering what that pile would be like if it should somehow catch fire. How long would it burn?

I was laughing at every post untill I got to this one....
That totally is NOT FUNNY.
In can't believe you typed this out loud.:msp_sneaky:

 

[Hedgerow]

I was laughing at every post untill I got to this one....
That totally is NOT FUNNY.
In can't believe you typed this out loud.:msp_sneaky:

Oohhhhhhh... Never thought of that... May be bad JuJu... But all these stacks rock!!!

 

[Chris-PA]

I was laughing at every post untill I got to this one....
That totally is NOT FUNNY.
In can't believe you typed this out loud.:msp_sneaky:

Oh, no malice was intended - it's just a heck of a lot of stored energy stacked there. Something like that has to equate to a pretty large fuel tank. But it's just wood. I guess the thought first came to me as I watched it because it's so darn big, and there appears to be no provisions for keeping parts of it separate. Any heat producing chemical processes going on deep inside there, like decomposition or fermentation, etc?

 

[Pintony]

Got it...

Nice!! That's a good jag of firewood!!

Yes!!!! Nice pile of toothpicks there!!!..... I think, when you get around to putting it all away... your going to discover THAT red wood-shed just is not going to do the job....:bang:

 

[Pintony]

I love wood stacks... Always have...

Let em' fly boys!!!

Can you say JENGA??? how the heck??? What??? That is just NVTS Romans did not have a U

 

[Hedgerow]

Can you say JENGA??? how the heck??? What??? That is just NVTS Romans did not have a U

They didn't have a pissed off 372 and a speeco either!!! Like I said, when you need to squirrel away 40 cords, ya gotta go vertical... :msp_sneaky:

 

[Pintony]

is that push mower used to chip your wood trash into mulch??:hmm3grin2orange:just kiddin'. i used to struggle with my wood piles leaning to and fro. falling over and all that. I guess stacking your wood proper comes from practice. you might try some wood racks made from 2x4 or something. good luck

Hello greendohn,
Alittle off topic, ALOT off group subjects but NO! That is the one that I loan the neighbor.
Here is a piccy of my new weed whacker....

 

[Pintony]

WOW! It looks like most here have a serious case of "PILES"....
I have learned much....
I have much to learn from the master stackers!!!
How many hours? How sore the muscles? How calloused the hands and feet???
I do not think that I would like to shake hands with you guys if we should meet.
The crushing power would be unbearable.
Your stacks make the guys on that logging show look like little kittys
You Guys are the YODA of firewood.....
Thanks to all who showed off their stacks!
Keep them coming this is GREAT!!!!

 

[greengiant]

This is what I use for keeping multiple stacks from toppling over on me when I am stacking or burning. The red circles indicate scrap pieces of plywood, 2x6,8,10, or slabwood that connect two rows together. The scrap pieces are roughly 36" long and stabilize the stack greatly (tallest point in this stack is 7'-8'. I find the scrap plywood works best and is free. I cut it about 6" wide. I randomly place these throughout the stacks (this one is about 7 rows deep), and I've never had either end fall over during its 18month drying cycle. One of the ones in the first pic is a bit high to make a difference. Usually you want to have at least 2' of stack on top of the 'sticker' to have enough weight to hold the rows together.

Also, note the far left 2x10 that sticks out a few inches. It makes a nice beverage holder that is at the right height to keep the sawdust (mostly) out of your bee...uhmmm, beverage while working on the wood pile.

 

[Pintony]

This is what I use for keeping multiple stacks from toppling over on me when I am stacking or burning. The red circles indicate scrap pieces of plywood, 2x6,8,10, or slabwood that connect two rows together. The scrap pieces are roughly 36" long and stabilize the stack greatly (tallest point in this stack is 7'-8'. I find the scrap plywood works best and is free. I cut it about 6" wide. I randomly place these throughout the stacks (this one is about 7 rows deep), and I've never had either end fall over during its 18month drying cycle. One of the ones in the first pic is a bit high to make a difference. Usually you want to have at least 2' of stack on top of the 'sticker' to have enough weight to hold the rows together.

Also, note the far left 2x10 that sticks out a few inches. It makes a nice beverage holder that is at the right height to keep the sawdust (mostly) out of your bee...uhmmm, beverage while working on the wood pile.

Hey greengiant,
That is a GREAT idea!!!!
Hopefully your wood stacks are straighter than your wood shed???
Gives a hole new perspective on lean to.....
Rib Rib

 

[turnkey4099]

I like something to stack against on the ends. Crisscrossing takes too long. For outdoor/dirt floor stackers, steel T posts work good. They don't drive into concrete well though Cheap firewood brackets and 2x4s do work though, make your own brackets if you're handy.

Or make some bookends:

These are version two held together with bolts. Version one used drywall screws and they didn't last. These are on at least year 5 and two were outside holding stacks up for 2 years.

No, the porch does not slope like that but my camera does

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

Most of my stacks dry more on one side and will srink faster and lean that direction. Wedge and install small cookies cut in various thickness as needed.

Yep, any green wood stacked "perfectly" won't be in a year or two.

Harry K

 

[Steve NW WI]

Yep, any green wood stacked "perfectly" won't be in a year or two.

Harry K

Stacking North to South will minimize this, but not cure it, because the afternoon sun will get a little more dry and lean to the west a bit, but better than an E-W stack does.

I had one stack that was shade on one side, full sun on the other, talk about the leaning tower of Pisa. I don't stack there anymore!

I gotta figure out how to make a slideshow of all these stacks and use it for a screensaver!

 

[tomtrees58]

stacking is and art but simple keep your wood level