You can't stack like that!

I got some chuckles when I shared photos of this +/-8 cord pile in the fall of 2022. I'm happy to report that it hasn't fallen on top of me (yet) -- contrary to what a few people predicted.



I've recently taken things to the next level with an 18-20 cord stack. All free tree service logs: red oak, white oak, red pine, red maple, sugar maple, norway maple, elm, cherry, mulberry, and boxelder.

Note the IBC cage in the second photo for scale.



Why so big?

1. I have 50+ cords in the hoard. Stacked "normally" this would take up a lot of space.

2. I like to keep my wood as close to my stoves as possible.

3. Huge stacks season fine if you give them enough time (4+ years in my case). Rain doesn't really penetrate more than a few feet into the pile, so most of the wood remains very dry and clean.

4. I like the view from my house.



5. Good home for snakes.

6. It's fun.

 

That's nuts!

How do you get the splits placed that high? Elevator?

 

I've had big piles but wouldn't take the time to stack!

 

The same way the ancient egyptians built the pyramids, except I'm both the engineer and the slave labor.

But seriously... I use the wood piles as scaffolding as I go. The first row of pallets get stacked about 7-8' high. Then I lay down a second row of pallets next to them, stack them 3-4 feet high, and stand on top of those to add another few feet to the first row of pallets. Then a third row of pallets to top off the second row, etc,... I split wood right into my tractor's bucket, and raise the bucket up high to right where I'm stacking. So no -- I'm not climbing up and down the piles with wood in my hand. It's pretty efficient.

Sometimes I raise the bucket as high as it will go, about 1o feet, and I stand inside the bucket and stack from there. A 100% OSHA approved technique.

 

I've got to look at it for 4-5 years, and an unstacked mound of wood drives me nuts!

 

I tell ya, it's got to make those who can't stack wood 5' tall w/o it toppling over in a year wonder WTF they are doing wrong.

 

Looking good.

Go big or go home, they say.

 

That's the fun part. Engineering the pile as I go like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

 

Mine goes as high as I can chuck or loader can lift

the lean to fill up day 4/20 is when I find out what has made a home in there. Mainly squirrels, too cold for snakes I think between now and then

 

I don't know where the snakes go in the winter. I see lots of them in my piles in the summer, but obviously not in the winter. I always find mice nests, and groundhogs like to burrow under the piles. Birds sit on top, and some peck around loose bark for bugs. For better or worse, wood piles attract a lot of wildlife.

 

All I wanna know is where you get your T-posts! Did ironman make them?

 

There's a bit of an optical illusion. The posts were already in the ground and I didn't feel like moving them. They're not supporting the stack, which is self-supporting without the posts. They do offer a little insurance, I suppose.

 

Very nice
I however did have on of my 5 foot stacks fall over
It was more I rushed to stack it late last year and now I have to restack it

 

So you signalled the aliens to help, like they did with the pyramids?

 

Everyone on this site always says what to do when running out of room.....GO HIGHER!!!!!


Good job John!

 

How about if it works, until it doesn't...was it a good idea, then changed to a bad one?!

 

That's deep.

The way I look at it: if the stack collapses on top of me and kills me, that would be an epic way to die. If is merely maims me, it was a bad idea.

 

I thought the same. Kinda feel bad for them.

 

Impressive stack. We need a pic of you on top.

The kid in me wants to play king of the mountain...FHC style.