DIY Easy Firewood Rack | How to Season Firewood
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- Опубликовано: 18 июн 2024
- EASY FIREWOOD RACK #firewood #firewoodrack
Today I make a wood rack for a load of firewood that needs to be seasoned. Wood needs to be" seasoned", which basically means sitting out in the elements for a season, several actually. Most hardwoods require 6 months to a year or more to really be seasoned. What this process really does is bring the woods moisture content down to 20% or less, which is needed for your standard fireplace or backyard barbecue pit or offset. Too much moisture will put off too much smoke and bitter flavors. Not to mention it will be hard to burn when its not seasoned. So, if you have a pile of wood or just took a delivery, build yourself a firewood rack. This one is easy to build and doesn't cost too much, well not as cheap as it once was, but what is.
Items purchased:
(2) 12' 2x4's [Treated]
(2) 10' 2x4's [Treated]
(3) Standard 8x8x16 Cinder Blocks
(1) box of 3" deck screws
Sizes cut:
I cut the two 12' pieces into 14" and 10'. The scrap from these pieces was used as a brace (seen at the end), I cut the two 10' pieces in half.
Happy Mothers day to your wife! Those little helpers are so precious.
I'm actually making a double-stack version right now. I found (made a bunch for a disabled vet friend like a decade ago) that double-stacking and using two triangles with 2x6's at the back makes for a much more stable platform. I also added two cross braces on essentially the same bottom stringer box, 1/3rd of the way across to take out the flex of the bottom box. Built him six of them in a day and he has them till the now. We picked up some 4ft x 12ft tarps at HF and they got bungied down over the side cross braces in the identical location to those you added.
If you find a permanent home for it, try a double-stacked version. You wont be disappointed. Not too much harder to load, air flow is still good enough, and those that I built have survived hits from a tractor. (student driver, his granddaughter.)
Love your little helpers. My little helpers have grown up and I miss them. Great video
Thnx!
Wow. You've made it short and sweet thank you
You're welcome 😊
Great video and great idea!. I might try and make one half this size due to limited space.
Great video as always. Keep em coming!
Thanks, bud!
Great video. I don't have cinder blocks but I do have leftover PT plus easily available pallets. Think I'll build the blocks and then I can attach them to pallets for a wide sturdy base
Hey man, this was very informational, not just on how to build, but why. Your kids are real cute too. Score on the wood.
Nice build brother! Short, sweet and to the point.
Thanks!
It has been a nice surprise stumbling across your channel. I’ve been binge watching all morning. Quick story: Three years ago I built my rack pretty much just like yours, except I used 2x6 treated SYP for the bottom rails. It worked great the first year… until my neighbor gifted me his fallen oak tree. After cutting and splitting, I stacked the GREEN wood not thinking of the weight of the added moisture. Four months later, one 2x6 broke and dumped everything. I rebuilt the rack with 2x10 treated SYP, and used four concrete blocks to support it. It has been rock stable since. The added cost of 2x10 or 2x12 up front is lots cheaper than building the rack twice… just my $0.02… 😉 I like your style, I just subbed… ya got lots of good stuff here! Cheers…🍻👍🍻
I use landscaping timber for my rails. Solid, especially when there's a cinder block (concrete) half way down the run.
Seeing all that wood had me like 😍
When I grow up, I want to have power tools and a tool belt.
Haha! I want a sweet offset and do brisket pop-ups! 😉
I've been stacking wood like this for decades. I use 4x4 on the bottom. Works fine.
that's a nice skilsaw ya got there!
Stainless steel! It’s an oldie and I love it
I just saw this video. Nice build. I build these for my firewood. I use landscaping timber for the bottom and 4 foot 2x4's for the ends.
A five foot end is a bit high and will make the rack a little wobbly. I've never had an issue with this racking system as long as people (your kids) aren't playing on them.
I just put the timbers on the bottom and stick the 2x4's in the ends. No screws or anything to hold it together. I actually just finished stacking two cord of Ash.
Nice!
I used your design as a reference. To fix the slanted sides I used a flat cement paver under the cinder block. That keeps those 2 x 4s vertical. I braced the 2 x 4 with a 1 foot 2 x 4 that joins the long 2 x 4s on the bottom. And to end off I added another cross 1 foot 2 x 4 at the top. That makes it slightly more stable than yours and looks better without adding any complexity. I used an 8 foot 2 x 4 on the bottom rather than a 10 foot. As far a stability when you rock the pile goes, any 1 foot wide pile higher than 3-4 feet is going to start to rock. So I came to the same conclusion you did. It's probably not stable enough to have unattended children playing around it on their own. Thanks for getting me going with your idea. ps. I also used pressure treated wood which ended up costing me about what an 8 foot metal rack sells for. I still like mine more.
Thanks man. You have been very helpful!
Glad to help!
I have a request. I bet you could make a badass pizza oven.@Raleighsmoke
Did you consider attaching another couple of 2x4s at the top? That would make it more sturdy and also give you a platform to cover the rack.
I always cover my entire wood rack due to being in Florida where in summer ton of rain and humidity, wood the wood season better if I leave the sides open and only cover the top, the cover I have is like a grill cover material. Thanks
Made 2 of these and placed side by side....they support each other...no wobble
Good job enjoy that video New subscriber Have a good day
I have a store bought one from a while back that I was using for firewood and I never covered the wood properly and it got moldy. For smoking, I’m looking for a local provider to get some hickory and pecan. Right now just getting some from Lowes and Home Depot.
Great video :-) A "BIG" thumbs up :-) ROCK ON!!!!!!!
Hey!!! MegaFred!!! Rock on!!!! 🤘
Man you got some great skills I'm building myself that wood rack I have everything all ready except for my wood lol I only have about a 3rd of my cord left great video thank you
Cool! It’s really easy. Hardest part is stacking it.
@@RaleighSmoke 👍👍👍🍻🍻🍻
I built a very similar wood rack. I already had cinder blocks on-hand. I used 8 ft landscaping timbers as the bottom, but I didn’t screw them together. Thanks for that tip. I used a pair of 2x4s cut in half for the sides. I didn’t brace the sides either, so thanks again for that tip. Overall less volume, but my kiddos are teens, so I over fill it sometimes.
I have deck screws and a 2x4 scrap on-hand, so tomorrow’s project is set.
Thanks again… again.
I do what you do. No screws. Just more work for nothing
Love your videos! I suggest adding 2 more 2x4's vertically in the middle cinder block. The shorter distance between verticals will help to stabilize it. Gotta be as safe as possible with the children around.🙂
Also, tip for others trying to build this. You can save a step by having the big box stores cut the 2x4's for you.
Good advice and yes, you can get them to do it (no tools!)
Nice, I use an old gate. I can fit (3) 12' rows of 16" wood and If if round it up, I can get 2 cords on it. It sucks building the end stacks though.
Nice!
Wouldn’t of got it done w/o your helpers. I’m going to do this for my huge pile of fresh split oak n maple .
Nice!
🤣 "C'mon man"
I couldn’t help myself. 😆
What i don't like about a wooden rack is? Termites and Carpenter Ant will Eat it down. Plus it rots/ What i like about my system is? I use this to store up tee post, and concert blocks. I use the tee post for a rail, and the concert blocks for the base. To set the tee post on top and start stacking wood on it, and put a tee post on the ends to hold the logs in That way there used while in storage! > The plus is can go out as far as you want by staggering the tee post on the blocks > The block system start out with 3 blocks, then 2 blocks as each tee post being laid down 1in the middle and 1 on the end
You ever heard of pressure treated lumber?
@@declineofthewest. It don't make any difference to termites and carpenter ants
It's beautiful information. But can you also add an image with the dimensions of the metric system so people from around the globe can do this too? It will increase your views.
Thank you! Do you end up seeing insect living within the wood rack? that's my only concern. I don't want to get full of bugs on the wood that I'm trying to season.
Nope! Seasoned the rack in 6-7 months!
@@RaleighSmoke thank you!
I did one of these. I used some old cinder blocks (MISTAKE) they broke apart under the weight. So pay the $6 for the new cinder block. Otherwise it is a good design
did you do anything to fix the wobble?
I built a sturdier rack, with a roof, at the edge of my yard.
How do you keep the racks from leaning?
Shorten the length
Stacking wood bark side up keeps it drier from precipitation
Good advice
It's wobbly because of how it was hastily stacked. The better you stack your firewood, the less wobble you'll have.
🤷♂️ 🤔
I would think that it's more from the frame being long and not very deep, so it's more inclined to almost twist if not braced enough, causing it to wobble. As one of the viewers suggested above, placing additional 2x4s vertically in the middle block would help with stabilization. If that wasn't enough, then I would try cross bracing it on the back. Still, @RaleighSmoke requires portability, so that would require more dissembling, or having extra hands when moving it. It's all about trial and error, and what works best for the individual. I think it's a great, simple design that definitely gets the job done. Thanks @RaleighSmoke! I'm looking forward to building my rack next week. 🙂
@RaleighSmoke Are you using 16” splits? I can’t find anyone willing to sell me shorter in bulk
Yeah, that’s the average length. I’ll have to break them down w/ a chop saw when they’re ready for the offset.
Amazon now sells metal 8' wood racks for $60.🤷♂️ It's hard to beat that
🇨🇳
@@RaleighSmoke "I have to have my China"
And the rain?
Meh…. It’s was seasoned in less than 7 months
What about snow?