while I know this can be a subject of debate Midwinter mentioned my basement wood storage in another thread. I put a winters worth of wood in my basement in fall so I don’t have to go out in the bad weather to get my fuel. I had been carrying the wood by hand down the stairs until I got all redneck and threw together a slide. I don’t have any issues with insects or I should say I haven’t had any issues... Here is the stacking area, bare! I need to get on this. I have seen a few post of chutes being built and have played with the idea I really like bogydave set up.
I am going to install my chute this weekend.A buddy does construction and got me a nice 5’ section of 12” pvc pipe.I would prefer 16” but I’ll take what I can get.I went down to the local plumbing supply and picked up a pvc cap for the pipe.Pics to come.Good luck with your installation
I utilize a coal door that was already installed in my foundation. I build about a 3/4 cord bin in my root cellar( used to be coal bin I guess). I back my tractor cart up to the door, and chuck it in. Every load I go in and stack. This year I got the ant and insect granules that you sprinkle around your house, I put some about every foot of my wood stack.
Walk out basement here. So a barrel on a hand truck is used to bring in 1-2 cords at a time which makes it pretty easy. Here’s what I brought in a few weeks ago. Red maple, Ash and Black Birch. Should get us started for the season... there is a piece of T-111 between the window and the stack to prevent an accident. Kind of like an indoor headache rack...
Here is my ghetto set up. Scabed together with stuff that was at the house. I now skip the wheelbarrow. While some sort of hatch or chute would be nice I don’t see myself cutting a big hole in the cement foundation.
I'm almost done, one more rack left outside to get in, hopefully before the rain. I work best under pressure! Weird camera angle because there is a bunch of crap in front of the pile, my next task is to donate/get rid of all that.
We keep a cord in the basement that we carry in by the armload with another 2 1/2 cord 25 feet away from the door behind the garage. Once filled in the fall I like to keep topping off the inside rack whenever the weather is nice. This is a debated subject but I find with dry wood and keeping the stack area clean we don’t have any issues with bugs.
I got a bunch of crap in my basement too. Soon to be more, lawn furniture toys and other summer stuff.
My unfinished basement would be ideal to store my seasoned firewood and keep it out of the elements. Warner that is a slick setup with the slide! However am very nervous to bring it inside after seeing what I've seen in my stacks, just takes one termite!!!
I move a little over 2 cord into my basement come burn time. Sometimes we will randomly spray bug killer around the stacks. Most all my splits have been seasoned for at least 3 years, so I don't get much more than spiders and some flies that hatch out with the heat. We tend to keep an eye out for any unusual insects and if seen, the spray comes out. I have zero signs of any termite damage or wood eating bugs down there. This is the back porch/well area where the splits get tossed into. And one row beside the steps.
I dont bring wood into the basement, but last winter I tried to keep about a half cord on my enclosed porch. Well it started as a half cord, then got less and less over time lol. By the end of winter it was about a days worth at a time still in the wheelbarrow that I pulled up the two steps through the slider.
If you have an access window, check this out. I saw it a couple years ago and have been watching for a free-bee treadmill to have a go.
My stove is in the basement feet from the stack, I think I would rather carry it up the stairs than Cary it it frozen.
I store an entire heating seasons worth of wood in my basement. My sister and mother also. I can say this, the dryer the wood the less bugs you’ll see. Any bugs that do come in either die or find another nook in the wood to crawl into and go to sleep and eventually incinerated. Never had a problem in either of the three houses with them migrating elsewhere. Bilco door with concrete steps. Built that way for just that purpose. It’s quite easy really. Even though I’m a mason and could form the entire step and get a truck to pour it I saw no reason to go through that expense. Poured one step a day mixing by hand with fieldstone fill to take up most of the space. Move the form up, add more stone and mix a little more Crete. Just toss the wood down off the dump truck or trailer. I stack two L shaped walls between the lolly columns with the foundation making the third to create a crib. Then just toss the center full. Family’s done it that way since I was a kid. Can’t imagine wanting to get dressed up and going outside to keep warm LOL
Here is this seasons heat. It will all be going for a ride on the slide! Please excuse the tarps it’s what I got for now. Anybody have s source for epdm roofing? I got those pieces from a dude that said he would get me more but he passed away.
Read your signature. A more efficient stove and you would already be on the three year plan That’s a lot of wood there. I have a wood furnace in the basement. Haven’t used it in five years now. Man did that thing chew up woodpiles.
