Ideas on how to keep rows from tipping over

[ChoppyChoppy]

Bundled campfire wood we stack in a set of racks under a porch area. Total it holds around 1400 bundles... roughly 13 cords. My aviatord? pic is the bundles from this summer actually.

Stack to about 7ft tall (about the tallest can get without having to use a ladder).

Try to stack it straight as an arrow, I've even brought out my 8ft level so my guys have something to go off by.

There's about 4" between stacks for air flow. The first rendition didn't have that and the wood in the middle got pretty funky and didn't dry well.

No matter what, seems that one stack ends up leaning and it dominoes the whole works. All was fine with the left side till we had that earthquake. Haven't decided if I'm going to restack or not... probably a 10-12 man hours.

Any ideas on what I could use to brace them up? Needs to be something easy and quick to put in place and take down.

 

[Little Al]

We use a similar stacking method If you have some 6/8ft long 3/4inch or so dia straight rounds place at right angles to to the logs as required to tilt up the next above row of splits on the outer face insert in between the rows as required to tilt the outer edge of the splits up (we have used smaller section milled waste outers ) 4" wide 1,1/2 "high Bit suck it & see in requirements of tilting pieces sizes Sort of buttress wall method with internal buttress

 

[sirbuildalot]

What if you placed a longer log every couple of feet vertically so it caught two rows (including spanning the 4” airspace). It would in a way “lock” 2 rows together. If you did it throughout, all the rows would essentially be locked together

 

[homemade]

Add more vertical bracing from porch roof to floor. I see in your avatar you have one now. Split it into 4 compartment. You’ll have a better chance on staying vertical. And if one compartment starts to fall, then it wont take so much out with it.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Add more vertical bracing from porch roof to floor. I see in your avatar you have one now. Split it into 4 compartment. You’ll have a better chance on staying vertical. And if one compartment starts to fall, then it wont take so much out with it.

Used to be just all the way across actually.

I split it half so it'd allow a chance to fill with fresh ones while dry ones were sold.

Pics might be making it look bigger, but they are only about 10ft wide.

 

[Bobby Kirbos]

What if you placed a longer log every couple of feet vertically so it caught two rows (including spanning the 4” airspace). It would in a way “lock” 2 rows together. If you did it throughout, all the rows would essentially be locked together

I think this is a good idea. The only down side is that you would have the support logs sticking out of the face of the rear stack until that stack is used and the support log can be removed.

 

[Trapper_Pete]

if your bundles are 16 and you leave a 4 inch air gap 16 +4+16= 36 if you cut some 36 or 38 inch lengths of 2x4 or strait fire wood about as big around as your wrist and when your stacking you every 2 layers of bundles lay some of these in it will hold your piles apart , gravity will hold them in place and they will act as a gauge for your air gap.

the same thing works when stacking regular piles and not bundles a collection of poles about 36 inches long used to tie the 3 rows in a pile together with a bit of air gap in between

it might work easier if your bundles were turned the other direction , then the poles could go all the way across and the ends might get more even air flow even if you didn't get quite as much wood in

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Not sure how I'd be able to stack the bundles in another direction? Getting as many as possible in the space is the goal.

if your bundles are 16 and you leave a 4 inch air gap 16 +4+16= 36 if you cut some 36 or 38 inch lengths of 2x4 or strait fire wood about as big around as your wrist and when your stacking you every 2 layers of bundles lay some of these in it will hold your piles apart , gravity will hold them in place and they will act as a gauge for your air gap.

the same thing works when stacking regular piles and not bundles a collection of poles about 36 inches long used to tie the 3 rows in a pile together with a bit of air gap in between

it might work easier if your bundles were turned the other direction , then the poles could go all the way across and the ends might get more even air flow even if you didn't get quite as much wood in

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I'm not following what you are trying to explain.

The stacks aren't leaning when they are stacked. They do so after the wood starts to dry, things settle, the shop knomes show up (who the heck knows!). Although in this case, it was from a 7.0 earthquake.

We stack in the area of 400 cords a year, so have pretty decent experience in stacking.

We use a similar stacking method If you have some 6/8ft long 3/4inch or so dia straight rounds place at right angles to to the logs as required to tilt up the next above row of splits on the outer face insert in between the rows as required to tilt the outer edge of the splits up (we have used smaller section milled waste outers ) 4" wide 1,1/2 "high Bit suck it & see in requirements of tilting pieces sizes Sort of buttress wall method with internal buttress

 

[Trapper_Pete]

my other idea is to make 2x4s cut with hooks or blocks at each end to hang over your horizontal boards and add 2 more horizontal boards to the left side
like load lockers in a semi trailer , but in your case load spacers.

 

[sb47]

You might want to rethink stacking so high and letting strangers come in and get there own wood. Could be a liability suit someday. Make sure your place is posted properly with signs and your insurance is good. People like to sue for anything these days.

 

[homemade]

We stack in the area of 400 cords a year, so have pretty decent experience in stacking.

Then why does it keep tipping over?

All kidding aside. The reason why I suggested more vertical end walls, is because you never see a pile tip over at the end with the middle still standing. The middle is relying on balance which changes over time as wood dries and shrinks. And it relies on the support the neighboring piece of wood has.
If you think in extremes like I do. Imagine a wall of split wood stacked 20 feet tall and 100 feet long. You could probably walk up to the middle and easily push that wall back and forth with little effort. Now if you were to stack this same amount of firewood in-between a 2x4 stud wall where the studs are spaced 16” on center. The same piece of firewood would be much harder to push over. granted this stud wall is anchored on top and bottom. This is the same logic as adding a few more vertical dividers in your stack rows.
And lastly. If you chop up the rows into smaller cells, when it does fall over, there is less to pick up.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

You might want to rethink stacking so high and letting strangers come in and get there own wood. Could be a liability suit someday. Make sure your place is posted properly with signs and your insurance is good. People like to sue for anything these days.

I pull the next row down when the row in front of it gets down low enough.

I'm actually surprised it didnt all come down from the earthquake. It emptied shelves in the shop.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

my other idea is to make 2x4s cut with hooks or blocks at each end to hang over your horizontal boards and add 2 more horizontal boards to the left side
like load lockers in a semi trailer , but in your case load spacers.

View attachment 689916

That might work. Have a sawmill so can make whatever.

 

[12vdzl]

Use ratchet straps and long heavy duty springs. Attach the spring to an anchor point on the left wall. Put the ratchet straps over top of the row. Attach to the spring and the other end attach to an anchor on the right wall.

The spring is there to keep the strap tight during shrinkage.

 

[Husky Man]

I think this is a good idea. The only down side is that you would have the support logs sticking out of the face of the rear stack until that stack is used and the support log can be removed.

What, ya ain't got a Chainsaw?


Doug