Stacking firewood on pallets outside

[memory]

For those of you that stack firewood on pallets, how long do the pallets last before they start to rot or breakdown? And how do the pallets handle the weight of the wood? Do you have to reinforce them? I normally do not stack wood outside but we have a little extra wood this year and it needs some time to dry. I have 5 pallets placed in a row with t-posts on the ends to help keep it from falling over. There is enough room to be able to stack 2 rows. How long would be too long without any support on the back side of the stack?

Where I am using the pallets, they are sitting directly on the ground, no rock.

 

[LT100]

All my wood is stacked on pallets outside. If a pallet gets rotted or breaks apart, it gets cut up and goes into the fire pit. I scrounge them up pretty easily so I have never given much thought to how long they last in terms of years. I keep 2 years worth of wood put up so they are probably good for around 4 years if I had to guess. After that, I wouldn't waste too much time worrying about them. They can hold an enormous amount of weight. I stack 3 rows across then pallet and put 2 or three of them in a row. I get the flat black tarps from the lumber yard to cover the top and a little of the sides then staple the heck out of it. I build the middle row a bit higher than the end ones so it forms a sloped roof to shed rain and snow. Keeps every thing neat and tidy.

 

[ss~zoso~ss]

if you get good pallets, cuz there are alot of lousy pine ones that are thinner, we get about 2-3 years or so out of them.

if you have them just on the ground, take an old tarp and cut it to fit underneath as a moisture barrier to help with drying, would probably make the pallets last longer also since they won't be in contact with the ground.

we've never collapsed a pallet because of the weight.

Longest we've stacked on them without support was prob 4-5 pallets, all depends on how well you can stack and how the wood is split!

hope this helps!

 

[WesternSaw]

Photos

Any of you fine wood stackers care to show off how you would stack a single pallet of fire wood.
Thanks
Lawrence

 

[memory]

if you get good pallets, cuz there are alot of lousy pine ones that are thinner, we get about 2-3 years or so out of them.

if you have them just on the ground, take an old tarp and cut it to fit underneath as a moisture barrier to help with drying, would probably make the pallets last longer also since they won't be in contact with the ground.

we've never collapsed a pallet because of the weight.

Longest we've stacked on them without support was prob 4-5 pallets, all depends on how well you can stack and how the wood is split!

hope this helps!

I figured putting a tarp underneath the pallets would be worse since the water could get trapped on the tarp and not run off. It's too late to do that now since I already have the wood stacked on the pallets.

Pete, I have thought about that since we have a set of pallet forks for our tractor but I would imagine it would be a pain. You would either have to criss cross every row and ratchet it down or wrap it.

 

[ss~zoso~ss]

View attachment 217830

 

[Somesawguy]

I find that they last a couple of years before rotting to the point that they aren't much good. I tend to ruin more by walking on them and breaking the small boards.

I make a end using splits, but sometimes it takes awhile to pick through to get enough good ones. Once I have the ends, I need, I just make a long row of pallets.

Hopefully that made sense.

 

[H-Ranch]

I'm on the third season for some of my pallets - I don't think I've had to send any to the burn pile yet just sitting on the ground. No reinforcement and I even have a few that have one or two broken pieces. They don't match, but were all free. Most of my stacks are 25' long and 6' high in double rows. So far I haven't had any fall over - maybe I've just been lucky. :msp_wink:

 

[greengiant]

My pallets are all on top of crushed #1's. Have been there for 6 years so far with no signs of rotting. I used some extremely heavy, hardwood pallets for the floor and they never bow or break. I also use pallets on the sides and top. There are various reasons for this. I used 7' locust posts and a few 8' t-posts on the ends. It's a good idea to give them a bit of a lean inwards towards the pile. If they get tipping the other way, it gets ugly, especially on a 7' tall stack.

If you go higher than 4', I'd recommend adding some stabilizer boards across the stack about 2/3 of the way up to laterally stabilize the pile (see the red circles in the last pic). This was just in a post recently. I use scrap plywood 6"x 36" or longer.

 

[7hpjim]

I'm on the third season for some of my pallets - I don't think I've had to send any to the burn pile yet just sitting on the ground. No reinforcement and I even have a few that have one or two broken pieces. They don't match, but were all free. Most of my stacks are 25' long and 6' high in double rows. So far I haven't had any fall over - maybe I've just been lucky. :msp_wink:

Do I win a prize for finding McWaldo??

 

[H-Ranch]

Do I win a prize for finding McWaldo??

Yes, here it is: :clover: Sorry it's no pot of gold (only because I didn't find that smilie.)

 

[Bushmans]

I also like to use pallets on the ends with the T posts. Gives you some extra support when things settle. I have pallets at my disposal from work so I only bring home the nice heavy oak ones. It's hard not to bust em all up and burn them. (some I do)
View attachment 217868

View attachment 217869

I will go higher on the stack and build it higher in the middle like stated before my reply. I also get these little pices of 1/4 inch cdx plywood from work for free that I like to use for a "lid"

 

[greengiant]

Bushmans, I think I have that exact wheelbarrow-heavy metal bucket with solid handles, and blue. I found mine in someones garbage with a flat tire Was using plastic wheelbarrows before that which would crack after two years of abuse with wood. Been using the metal one for about 3 years now with no signs of stopping.

BTW, I also use junk cdx/sheathing for the roof, usually on top of pallets. The pallets on top let more air move for my humid climate,and the sheathing keeps the plastic on top nice and flat to allow all the water to run off ( less standing water and breeding grounds for bugs the better)

 

[7hpjim]

Yes, here it is: :clover: Sorry it's no pot of gold (only because I didn't find that smilie.)

Thanks man!!, that will come in handy on St Patty's day. BTW what is that avatar you got?, lools like you built a fire in a front load washer.

 

[Bushmans]

Bushmans, I think I have that exact wheelbarrow-heavy metal bucket with solid handles, and blue. I found mine in someones garbage with a flat tire Was using plastic wheelbarrows before that which would crack after two years of abuse with wood. Been using the metal one for about 3 years now with no signs of stopping.

BTW, I also use junk cdx/sheathing for the roof, usually on top of pallets. The pallets on top let more air move for my humid climate,and the sheathing keeps the plastic on top nice and flat to allow all the water to run off ( less standing water and breeding grounds for bugs the better)

She had been a faithful friend for a long time. Unfortunatley it is almost time to do an overhaul.
I lay my cdx on top and when the weather is nice take it off. I just put it back on today, weather is turnin!

 

[genesis5521]

H-Ranch, You've got the patience of a saint to stack wood like that. I'd give ya the "BEST STACKER" award !

I make firewood racks from treated 2 X 4's and they last forever. It takes 4 and a half 2 X 4's to make one rack and cost me around $10. I use 3" deck screws. Each rack holds a face cord. I had built a couple of sheds to hold my firewood, but stacking it 8 feet high required a ladder and was to much trouble. I can stack these racks in a jiffy. And I can move them when their empty. I have 30 or 40 of these built and I'm always making more. Most of them just sit on the ground.

These sheds were to much trouble to use so I took them apart and built the above racks.

Don <><

 

[H-Ranch]

Thanks man!!, that will come in handy on St Patty's day. BTW what is that avatar you got?, lools like you built a fire in a front load washer.

BWAHAHAHA!!! I guess I have a "front load OWB"!

Here's my build thread from a while ago.
http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/143845.htm

 

[H-Ranch]

H-Ranch, You've got the patience of a saint to stack wood like that. I'd give ya the "BEST STACKER" award !

Oh no - that goes to Whitespider or several others who have stacks neater than mine. A fair amount of mine is free so it's not as uniform as those cutting everything by themselves. The longest time is spent making the ends and even that just takes a minute. If it's not a straight piece it gets stacked between the ends. If it's really bad then it gets set aside to go on the top row. I do have an OCD thing about everything being square though - if it's not a right angle it's a wrong angle!

 

[shelbythedog]

I stack on pallets as well. Each row is 4'x40'x16". Two rows/pallet.

 

[rmount]

My pallets seem to last 5 or 6 years, some longer, some less. I usually seem to break the slats by stepping on them before they rot out. Given that they are often well used with some cracked slats when I get them its not too bad for free. You should be able to stack any length rows you want. My longest has been 16 skids long (held about 7 cord)