Firewood Storage

US Constitution · #1 07/13/10, 08:55 PM

Hi Folks,

Can someone please recommend a good way to build a long term storage shelter for a quarter acre's worth of firewood? I have plenty of trees to build this with, but no sawmill.

Thanks

KeithBC · #2 07/14/10, 12:03 AM

I'm not sure how much wood you want to store. I built a woodshed that holds about 8 cords. Simple post-and-beam construction, with the posts sitting on concrete pier blocks. It consists of 3 bays, each about 8 feet wide. One post-and beam frame for the front, one for the back, connected by 2x6 rafters. I used metal roofing.

There are walls on the back and one side, oriented to protect it from the prevailing storm winds. The other side and the front are open. Walls are 1x10 cedar boards set vertically with 1" gaps between them for ventilation.

I used milled wood, but you could do the post-and-beam and the rafters with round poles. I'm not sure how you could do the walls without a sawmill. Maybe more poles, like a pallisade?

**clovis** · #3 07/14/10, 12:30 AM

KeithBC suggests the same thing I would.

It is pretty much the same thing that the pioneers did. I'd consider notching whatever joints you need with a chainsaw, and bolting it together.

FWIW, you could build an open sided lean to, with a metal roof. Then cord wood stack your firewood as your outside walls, and then fill the inside of the shed with wood.

Silvercreek Farmer · #4 07/14/10, 11:24 AM

Depending on what type of trees you have on your 1/4 acre, you could use them to build a simple log cabin style building...

RonM · #5 07/14/10, 01:18 PM

Several yyears ago I built a 12x12 with electric poles set in and frames with a shed roof, closed in 3 sides , left the front open. it was about 7 ft tall. worked for me while I burned wood....

US Constitution · #6 07/15/10, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Lindsay

Depending on what type of trees you have on your 1/4 acre, you could use them to build a simple log cabin style building...

Thanks for all of the helpful replies everyone. The types of trees I have are mostly oak. I will try to get an accurate inventory today. Would it be worth my investment to buy a small chainsaw mill ($145.00)? I hear they are time consuming to use. Which type trees should I not use when building a shelter?

Once again. thank you for the help. Have an awe-inspiring day.

Jim

ronbre · #7 07/15/10, 07:55 AM

well if you invest in a mill, then you will have it for future use..if you want to mill your own boards then you'll have them..for other building uses.

my son also got a nice ryobi planer for me that we used to plane rough milled boards for inside the house buildling use and it worked pretty slick..so you could actually be making your own floorboards or building boards with a mill and a planer..if you have the money go ahead and do that..also you will have a great deal of shavings and sawdust that you can use to build hugelkulture beds..

Beeman · #8 07/15/10, 08:15 AM

Do you have oaks big enough to be sawed for lumber? If so don't go cutting them for firewood. They should be cut for saw logs and sold to a mill. You could get enough money to heat your house for quite some time.