Every spring, the empty spaces where stacks of this or that once stood start working on my brain. It's the perfect time of year to fill them up again and for me right now, consolidate. I need to work on my organization this year, and try to better utilize the limited space I have. If I can manage to make my stacks less of an eyesore as well, that would be a bonus too. So I started today with this: Last year I had about 1/3 cord of red oak here, and about the same of Black Cherry. In January I processed a pile of spruce and had single row stacked it in 3 different spots, because it was convenient at the time with all the snow on the ground. I think this looks better having it all in one spot. Having a bazillion knots, trying to crib the ends of the stack wasn’t happening so I just drove a couple posts into the ground. Good enough. I’m hoping to burn all this spruce by the middle of next winter.
My house is on a 0.33 acre lot which is narrow but deep. As it is I have about 10 cords, and may go up to as much as 15 at some point... The biggest thing for me is to have it all in one designated spot rather than a little here, a little there etc. If I can consolidate it all to one side of the yard, in more or less two continuous rows I'd be happy enough. I'd like my kids to have enough room out back to do their thing while still sitting comfortably on plenty of inventory.
I hear you. I have been granted permission to utilize more property here by the boss. Keeping it all close together is key right now as well.
Looking very nice there Eric. Keeping wood organized can be a PITA with limited room. The wind either got rid of or added to the leaves today. Pretty windy March day. It was great to be outside.
I literally have a mountain of wood to stack, it's all split and ready to go. Black locust, hickory, white oak, red oak, and sugar maple, probably around 6 cord... I only saved the premium stuff that we cut this fall/winter, I'm gonna replenish the stacks as soon as I get some more skids, and end up building a holz hausen or two this summer with more locust and oak as it comes in....
Eric, with your limited space I am surprised you still stack on pallets. I think if you started just laying down some runners (I usually just cut some saplings or small trees) to stack wood on. You can then put your rows together to better fill in the space you have. Having the rows like this also makes the stack stronger. For those worrying about the wood drying, I have never had that problem. I remember a couple years when struggling and cut a lot of soft maple and cherry during the month of March. By mid April it was all split and stacked like in the picture and we started burning that wood in October. Yes, it was dry and burned very well.
More rearranging in the woodyard and so far I like the look of it. Re-stacked a couple cords of red oak that’s been CSS’d since August, as well as about a cord of Ash. Two of the stacks of oak in the last picture are 2 pallets long, while the third one right next to the shed is 3 pallets long. In the gaps between the rows I plan on tossing plenty of shorties/uglies, taking up most of the space available like you see in the middle picture with the pile of Ash wood. Slowly but surely the organization is taking hold out back. I claim progress, not perfection
Looks like you try to split the wood into square logs as opposed trapezoids and triangles etc., so that you can stack jenga-style.
Yes, that's been my goal since buying my splitter last August. Get as many square or rectangular pieces as I can for end cribbing, which is easy dealing with larger rounds. They stack well and just have a nice look to them IMO. When working with smaller trunks or limbs, I get whatever I get.
Looking good my friend. Make sure you leave plenty of room for BL! If you take a week or two off from work you can organize my hoard! Guessing i have 8-10 cords of splits to stack. Another three to split!
Back at the reorganization today. Moved my crude pallet shed to this side of the yard and tossed all my red oak shorties/uglies inside. I had some 8’ lengths of black locust that I was using as sleepers. I decided they contained too many BTUs to use for holding up lesser wood so they ended up cut and stacked in a new dead/barkless black locust pile, which I’ll add to as time goes on.
You guys have really good looking stacks. Honestly, I am just happy if it is split, in a pile and off the ground. I guess my "cowboy" method of eye-balling measurements probably doesn't help. My wife sees nice stacks of wood in Martha Stewart magazine and she thinks I should make our house look like a catalog. I am less enthusiastic.
A thing of beauty. Do you catch yourself looking out the window admiring it? Heck, i would! That dead BL is a beautiful thing!
I gotta say- the sell for buying a splitter was a whole lot easier than I had expected. I said, "this will help me split the logs like in the Martha catalogs". Done! ... now I just have to keep the arranging time to a minimum. Ps, you can find purple and pink chainsaws, maybe even that sweet teal color. Just don't bring it to your buddy's house!
