In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Simple pallet firewood rack

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by Rowerwet, Nov 29, 2017.

  1. Rowerwet

    Rowerwet

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    I had a pallet rack idea I never finished for the pallet challenge this past summer.
    It is still awkward to work with, so I kept letting the idea turn over in my mind.
    I think this is the final version.
    20171129_155945.jpg
    I get a bit more than a cord in each stack by laying three standard pallets in a row.
    I put bricks or stones under the front and rear edges of the pallets. 20171129_161228.jpg
    A vertical pallet sits on top of the end
    20171129_161408.jpg
    A short board is screwed to the bottom pallet securely.
    Then one screw is put into each vertical pallet near the bottom, allowing it to move .
     
  2. Rowerwet

    Rowerwet

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    20171129_161628.jpg
    But another vertical pallet against the middle of the end pallet. Make the end pallet match the edge of this pallet.
    20171129_161707.jpg
    Drive screws through the side of the divider pallet into the vertical center member of the end pallet.
    Three screws minimum, mostly near the top.
    20171129_161945.jpg
    Drive diagonal screws through the bottom of each vertical member of the divider pallet down into the center member of the base pallet.
     
  3. Rowerwet

    Rowerwet

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    20171129_162718.jpg
    This may not be a great idea, I got these 4x4 timbers free, so I attached it to the vertical members of the divider pallets, and hung the middle divider pallet from the 4x4.
    20171129_175747.jpg
    Drive a few more screws through the short boards and the end pallet
    My son and I made the rack and filled it in about 3 hours.
    The center of each pallet sags and counter acts the way a stack tends to shrink on the outside first.
    The divider pallets keep the stack locked in as it shrinks from seasoning
     
  4. MikeyB

    MikeyB

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    Very cool, I have the same Makita Impact, great machine
     
  5. amateur cutter

    amateur cutter

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    That looks like it works just fine. Nicely done.
     
  6. billb3

    billb3

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    For really heavy green wood I put support under the middle rail too.
    I'm not too picky (any more) about all 9 supports touching - just there close enough if things start sagging.

    My next set up I'll try pressure treated ground contact 2x4 or 1x4 under the skid rails instead of bricks/blocks.


    LOL, I've leveled 4x4 on top of concrete blocks for skids but that's a lot of effort for off the ground. Overkill. Solid though. :D


    The wall down the center might help hold "roofs" in place when taking splits out during the Winter. I'm always wedging skids in after I take part of a row of splits out. Fun with a foot of wet slushy snow on top.
     
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  7. 460magpro

    460magpro

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  8. NH mountain man

    NH mountain man

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    That should work for you Rowerwet , fun with pallets. I screwed everything on my pallet racks as well for easy replacement of " tired " pallets.
     
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  9. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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    My very first wood rack was just like that! :cool: It worked well. Only downfall was the "termites" ate it apart in two years! :eek::picard: I see it's up on bricks and that may help, termites are ferocious little buggers down here! Nice job! :)
     
  10. Rowerwet

    Rowerwet

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    These are mostly pallets I used for stacking before, termites aren't a real problem around here.
    I'm going to add steel roofing and make them a sort of wood shed
     
  11. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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    Very Lucky! I live in a relativley sandy soil area near the shore, and any wood that lays on the ground for a period of time will get consumed "fast" by those B@ST@RD's. :headbang:
     
  12. weatherguy

    weatherguy

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    Looks like my racks, they lasted 5-6 years before the bottom rotted, now I'm rethinking the idea. May do pallets again but I may make a PT bottom, with pallets on the sides.
     
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  13. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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    That works well, But I would do what you said and put 4" x 4" pressure treated down first, then them ont top. That would last a while! :cool: I like the whole pallet idea for air and circulation, not to mention they are free most of the time! :D
    All my wood is sitting on "plastic" pallets! It took me a few years to scrounge up them.
     
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  14. Lucy

    Lucy

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    Thank you:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs: Great idea. That way you can stack on both sides. I know what my next one will look like:D
     
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  15. Lucy

    Lucy

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    Same here in Arkansas. I've sprayed termiticide under it. We'll see if that helps any.
     
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  16. BigPapi

    BigPapi

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    Nice rack! I use pallet racks also, but with diagonal supports. My floor pallets are the big oak monstrosities, two or three years on most and no sign of decay yet. Knock wood. Having terrible uploading a better picture, maybe try tomorrow.
     

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  17. Rowerwet

    Rowerwet

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    I tried diagonal supports, but found that they get in the way.
    There really isn't much force on the end pallet pushing out, unless you have mostly rounds instead of splits.
    Only the last foot or so of the stack.
     
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  18. Rowerwet

    Rowerwet

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    I had wood on 4x4s directly, the frost shifted them and my stacks fell over more than once.
    Putting pallets on 4x4s makes the stack too tall for my son to grab the top
     
  19. Rowerwet

    Rowerwet

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    20171219_161918.jpg
    Added 4x4s to the ends to attach the roof to
    20171219_163332.jpg
    Self tapping screws for steel roofing to anchor the ends.
    Each end has a lip to keep the water from running down the end pallets.
    20171219_164715.jpg
    I ran the dimensions through a cord calculator, each rack is 1.1 cords
     
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  20. BigPapi

    BigPapi

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    Or if it's 8' deep and stacked to 7' high. :)
     
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