Stacking firewood on guard rail

[kyle1!]

I stack my firewood via homemade metal racks and metals cages I grabbed from menards. It is just a hodge podge of a set up and I'm looking for something nicer. Tried pallets...plastic pallets too but was not much of a fan of them. I am looking at 12" wide guardrail in 26ft lengths. Anyone tried this? My wood is anywhere between 10in to 18in in length...I know but just can't cut nice even lengths. My stacks are on old concrete that is crumbly but still useable. YOu can see a rack behind the camper

 

[ElevatorGuy]

How much is said guard rail?

 

[kyle1!]

$98 a piece so not cheap. I have thought about using angle iron but after purchase/welding and making those long skinny rectangles I'm close to $80-100 for 20ft. Like everything else steel is not cheap.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

What would you use to support the ends? A t fence post? $98 doesn’t sound terrible for 26’.

 

[kyle1!]

5 to 10ft to the left of the camper is green grass so a fence post or weld a post to the end of the guard rail. Need to measure the area but that area is close to 50x50ft

 

[pdqdl]

CCA 4x4/s would be a lot cheaper. From there, make your own boards with an inexpensive Alaskan sawmill. Somr folks make their own with a few nuts & bolts and another straight board.

Advantages: you can build a very tall retaining barrier for your wood, and it will look natural, too. Cheaper by far, and it will hold the wood stack better, too.

Disadvantages: more work to make, and might not last over 20 years.

 

[Del_]

 

[Bubster]

If stacked outside, that channel in the guard rail would make a dang fine water run-off. Honestly, that guard rail would last forever and the price seems fair to me

 

[kyle1!]

Yes the guard rail is intriguing and it really looks like the solution for me. Walked off my area and it is 55ft from the grass to the pole shed. 2 pieces of guardrail and I have a nice row.

I just priced out 4x4 10ft timbers and to make 20ft the cost of the 4 timbers is $60. No mill or straight trees to make lumber here in the cornbelt. Del's concrete block would work but to move all that around and having the broken pieces etc really looks like work.

A 52ft long row stacked 5ft high 16in wood is 346 ft3 so 2 of those would be 5cord if I bought 4 pieces of guard rail. Do long rows of wood fall over easier than short ones? Even with the tornado coming through the property last December my wood stacks did not fall over. Lost trees, 30x30 corn crib and the roof to the pole shed that is in my pic but not the stacks.

 

[landfakers]

I would think multiple rows would be sturdier but cant say a single stack would be bad. I would stack it tighter rather than looser though if just doing 1 stack to "lock in" everything. I like your idea though

 

[fields_mj]

Lets take a step back for a minute. What are you expecting the guardrail to do exactly? What's it's purpose? If you're just trying to keep it off of the concrete so that the firewood on the bottom of your stack doesn't rot so fast, then why not just lay a pair of treated 2x4s on the ground? In the off season you can wipe them down with used motor oil before you stack on them again. If you need them farther off the ground then maybe consider used RR ties. I think those cost around $16 each at my local Rural King, but that is a 2018 price.

I store my firewood in the form of logs that are 7' to 8' long and I move them with my tractor (loader with forks). My forks are 4' apart, so each stack of logs sits on a pair of RR ties that are 6' apart. Plenty of room to easily get the forks under the logs so I can pick them up and take them up to the house where another pair of ties lays in wait next to my wood splitter.

 

[moresnow]

@kyle1! Do you have a link to this guardrail?

 

[kyle1!]

My sole purpose is to get my firewood off the ground and to have it look orderly. Right now I have a short stack here (6ft to 10ft row) and another over there some next to each other etc. The metal racks that I use now are actually too wide. I use longer pieces to hold the wood inside the metal rack. I want straight linear rows which should be better for space organization.

Yes 2x4 would work. My thinking is to buy something that is going to last me the last 25-30years of my life and not have to deal with pieces of lumber/screws or piece of concrete block. My firewood does not rot unless the wood is in contact with the ground. As you can see in the pic my stacks are not covered and it is a very windy/sunny location.

I do not heat with wood right now, only firepit, and I have 1 firewood customer. I keep 2 to 4 cords of wood on hand. I enjoy making firewood even though it is hard work. Someday I will have a wood burner. I have 20 to 25 ash trees that need to come down next year. I have a small bobcat for my wood moving needs.

Link to guardrail
https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...wse_serp:fb81bf0f-f5a9-46c5-b132-599a1b8aca28

 

[sean donato]

I'd use it.

 

[jolj]

$98 a piece so not cheap. I have thought about using angle iron but after purchase/welding and making those long skinny rectangles I'm close to $80-100 for 20ft. Like everything else steel is not cheap.

I agree, I have 3" X 1/4 angle that is painted orange, so I will use that, but it was free, so no cost.

Lets take a step back for a minute. What are you expecting the guardrail to do exactly? What's it's purpose? If you're just trying to keep it off of the concrete so that the firewood on the bottom of your stack doesn't rot so fast, then why not just lay a pair of treated 2x4s on the ground? In the off season you can wipe them down with used motor oil before you stack on them again. If you need them farther off the ground then maybe consider used RR ties. I think those cost around $16 each at my local Rural King, but that is a 2018 price.

I store my firewood in the form of logs that are 7' to 8' long and I move them with my tractor (loader with forks). My forks are 4' apart, so each stack of logs sits on a pair of RR ties that are 6' apart. Plenty of room to easily get the forks under the logs so I can pick them up and take them up to the house where another pair of ties lays in wait next to my wood splitter.

I use RR ties on my Conex foundation, got them at Lowes, we do not have Rural King.
RR ties should last a long time, I have some that are 45 years as post & still strong.

 

[Del_]

My sole purpose is to get my firewood off the ground and to have it look orderly. Right now I have a short stack here (6ft to 10ft row) and another over there some next to each other etc. The metal racks that I use now are actually too wide. I use longer pieces to hold the wood inside the metal rack. I want straight linear rows which should be better for space organization.

Yes 2x4 would work. My thinking is to buy something that is going to last me the last 25-30years of my life and not have to deal with pieces of lumber/screws or piece of concrete block. My firewood does not rot unless the wood is in contact with the ground. As you can see in the pic my stacks are not covered and it is a very windy/sunny location.

I do not heat with wood right now, only firepit, and I have 1 firewood customer. I keep 2 to 4 cords of wood on hand. I enjoy making firewood even though it is hard work. Someday I will have a wood burner. I have 20 to 25 ash trees that need to come down next year. I have a small bobcat for my wood moving needs.

Link to guardrail
https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...wse_serp:fb81bf0f-f5a9-46c5-b132-599a1b8aca28

I've been collecting used cement blocks for 40 years or more and have lost very few over the years to breakage. I must have about 400 or so at this point, most in 3 stacks in various places on the property.

They hold up extremely well in contact with the soil and provide for good air circulation under the stack.

Yes, I am a fan of using recycled cement blocks for stacking firewood. They are really not that difficult to move and I do move a few out of the way for stacking in the back of the woodshed. The dimension of my wood shed doesn't allow for much of a gap left at the end of the blocks but easily a couple of inches can be gained by leaving a gap between blocks. I also like that the 8 inch width of the blocks can support the ends of two rows of firewood. I make sure of course that the bottom of the rows of firewood that the wood is long enough to span the gap between rows of blocks but once the base is started shorter pieces can be easily stacked and 'odd chunks' can be dropped between rows and do not find their way to the ground.

I'm like a preacher that won't shut up about blocks for stacking firewood!

Sorry about that, and the bragging.

A couple of more photos. Each of the 8ft X 8ft bays hold about 3 plus cords stacking to over 6ft high sometimes.

Stack of extra blocks.


Blocks moved for stacking in the rear of the woodshed:


Woodshed from a distance:

 

[cantoo]

I set my skids on crooked 2x6x whatever length I can find. Crates were made from scrap wood from work and some have brick skids for bases. I'm feeding an OWB so these are 32" long splits of ash.

 

[bmurf01]

I stack my firewood via homemade metal racks and metals cages I grabbed from menards. It is just a hodge podge of a set up and I'm looking for something nicer. Tried pallets...plastic pallets too but was not much of a fan of them. I am looking at 12" wide guardrail in 26ft lengths. Anyone tried this? My wood is anywhere between 10in to 18in in length...I know but just can't cut nice even lengths. My stacks are on old concrete that is crumbly but still useable. YOu can see a rack behind the camper

Years ago I'd get bent up stop sign posts at the junk yard for a few bucks each. Blow torch helps with the straightening process. You can bolt them end to end for various lengths/runs.

 

[fields_mj]

My sole purpose is to get my firewood off the ground and to have it look orderly. Right now I have a short stack here (6ft to 10ft row) and another over there some next to each other etc. The metal racks that I use now are actually too wide. I use longer pieces to hold the wood inside the metal rack. I want straight linear rows which should be better for space organization.

Yes 2x4 would work. My thinking is to buy something that is going to last me the last 25-30years of my life and not have to deal with pieces of lumber/screws or piece of concrete block. My firewood does not rot unless the wood is in contact with the ground. As you can see in the pic my stacks are not covered and it is a very windy/sunny location.

I do not heat with wood right now, only firepit, and I have 1 firewood customer. I keep 2 to 4 cords of wood on hand. I enjoy making firewood even though it is hard work. Someday I will have a wood burner. I have 20 to 25 ash trees that need to come down next year. I have a small bobcat for my wood moving needs.

Link to guardrail
https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...wse_serp:fb81bf0f-f5a9-46c5-b132-599a1b8aca28

If you have a bobcat, and it can access the areas where you will store your firewood, I would highly recommend keeping them in log lengths once you get your own wood burner. Like you, I enjoy the work but I cut most of mine about 45 miles from home (near my parents), so its time away from my family. Since that woods is loaded with hickory trees, and I deer hunt there anyway, it makes it worth my while so long as I can bring back more than a cord at a time. I have a heavy duty equipment trailer with tandem 5400 lb axles, and a 1 ton 4x4 with a 15K hitch, so I bring back close to 2 cords every trip. Keeping everything in log form allows me to cut and load 2 cords in about 6 to 8 hrs without wearing myself out in the process. Once its back at the house, I can work on it as my schedule permits, or as I need it. Either way, it really cuts down on how many times I have to touch it.

Another option is to get the wood to your storage area and then cut and stack it on/in something you can move with your bobcat. The wood will season a lot faster that way, and it still remains organized. Either way, if you have equipment, figure out an efficient way to let the equipment do the bulk of the work. I enjoy cutting firewood, but the older I get, the harder it is on my body. A couple hundred dollars per cord to build containers that you can move with the bobcat will be MUCH cheaper than the eventual surgery you will need if you stick to doing it by hand. No need to go all in at once either. Figure something out, get input on the idea, then build ONE and try it. Adjust the idea based on how it does or doesn't work, and go from there.

 

[stillusingstihl]

I stack my firewood via homemade metal racks and metals cages I grabbed from menards. It is just a hodge podge of a set up and I'm looking for something nicer. Tried pallets...plastic pallets too but was not much of a fan of them. I am looking at 12" wide guardrail in 26ft lengths. Anyone tried this? My wood is anywhere between 10in to 18in in length...I know but just can't cut nice even lengths. My stacks are on old concrete that is crumbly but still useable. YOu can see a rack behind the camper

Buckin' Billy just uses the boot on his foot as a rough guide when cutting up firewood (around 12"). I've started doing the same as it's a bit more accurate than eyeballing the log. As for stacking timber I just lay down a bed of sticks on the ground to keep the firewood dry; works for me. Guardrail is a good alternative though; never would have thought of that. A friend of mine just uses old corrugated roofing iron sliced up the middle with an angle grinder. Each to his own!