This is my first post but I have been reading the forum for a couple months. We have a wood fireplace and recently took down a large southern red oak in our yard. We kept a small portion of the wood and I designed these firewood racks for it. Since I don't have much experience with this I'd like some opinions on whether this pile will be stable and last for a few years (i.e. not topple over). I have a poll going but I'd also like your comments. Basically it is 8 foot 6x6's with 5 foot 2x4's nailed to them (4" nails). Reinforced at the top by 5/8" nylon ropes with stopper knots. Let me know if you need any more details. Thanks!
I think it's fine for what you have there, rather see the use of screws personally. Your oak will season much quicker if you'd split it before stacking too. Welcome to the club Rothk
Yes by all means get it split so it will season. The wood racks look like they will work fine and if not just modify accordingly.
Welcome I agree with the guys above. I prefer screws also. With nails I'd go bigger than 4" especially since they're going into the end grain of the 6x6. Also big hot dipped galvanized will hold better than common nails.. My big question is about the wood. I split a lot of red oak and none of it looks like what you have pictured. The bark looks different and it looks red with a thin layer of white softwood under the bark! Maybe it's just the tint of the picture. Nice stacks of btu's though.
Welcome to the forum Rothk Those racks might outlast you! You did fine and even top covered them. We can't tell how the tarp is fastened between the racks but hopefully they are not just folded down so that they will gather water, which would really be bad. Also, I would again urge you to get that wood split so it can dry. In the rounds like that they do very little drying or dry very slow. Personally, I've never used racks for stacking wood as I've just thought it to be another unnecessary cost and for me it just does not help much. I simply cut some saplings or use limbs to lay down on the ground and stack wood on top of them. No cost that way and when the wood is gone, no empty racks to look at. Here are a few of our stacks and all just have 2 saplings under them with the wood stacked on top of them. And here is some reading you might find interesting: Primer on Woodburning by Backwoods Savage
Backwoods Savage- I like the "end pieces" of your stacks in the pictures. I'm going to steal that idea when I srart splitting again here in the spring. Whatever doesn't go in the wood shed that is...
Some seem to have a problem building them but they are usually the same ones that have a problem just building a decent looking stack. It really is quite simple to build. To make it simpler, you can also split your wood so you end up with rectangle or square pieces and that will make the ends even more solid. Notice too that many times I stack kindling pieces in the cribbed ends.
I'd only go 4 feet or so high, I'm not worried about them coming down. And yes, I saw your kindling stashes. Good plan.
Welcome Rothk, ditto on screws instead on nails and getting wood split so it will dry. Other than that your good.
Welcome to FHC Rothk! I'm splitting hairs a little, but beyond using screws, placing the 2x4's in the "strong dimension", that is screwed to the face rather than the end of those 6x6's would resist the pile's outward forces better.
Thanks for the replies! I will drive some wood screws in there if i start to see signs of trouble. Unfortunately it was basically impossible to split the wood as the tree cutters were sectioning it. I think what I will do is split the wood in the tops of the piles and use that first. That will give the bottom wood more time to season and I can split that once I have access to it. Fairfax County You probably have the northern variety up in NY.
Not familiar with that type of oak but most oak takes years to dry once split. You got a little over a cord. Open fireplace, keep hoarding.
Welcome Rothk - You're gonna like it here, I guarantee it. We like pics, dogs, beer and spending your money on accoutrements to support your addiction, er,,,I meant hoard. With that in mind, ditto all above and sir, "Just split it"! It will literally never season worth squat in that state. Rent a splitter for a day if you dont have one. If you're serious about becoming a hoarder, you just gotta. Again welcome, lots of great people here and all questions are welcome. Nice to meet ya!
Welcome to the forum. Ask away............we have all dun good and dun bad...............We are the best forum
