stacking wood on pallets

mjs97 · Apr 2, 2007

will rodents and animals use the pallets for their home? i would like to stack wood on something other than the ground but dont want rodent problems either. i have rocked the area where wood will be stacked just trying to decide if pallets are worth it or not.

thanks,
matt

ericjeeper · Apr 2, 2007

Dad used to always stack onto pallets

I hated em.. Boards would break. You would step through. You could not replace the pallet easily unless all the wood was used off of it.
I prefer to just stack on the ground. That way as the season progresses I am walking not on busted or rotted pallets, but on the ground. I just knock the pieces loose with a maul that might be frozen to the ground. But that is just me.

Shipper50 · Apr 2, 2007

mjs97 said:
will rodents and animals use the pallets for their home? i would like to stack wood on something other than the ground but dont want rodent problems either. i have rocked the area where wood will be stacked just trying to decide if pallets are worth it or not.

thanks,
matt

I use pallets all the time if I can get them. They keep the wood off the ground and helps keep the wood clean. I dont find any critters keeping house in mine, but the birds seem to like the wood stacked.

Also, not everyone has a wood boiler as others on here and who wants dirty frozen muddy wood in their house?

Shipper

Sprig · Apr 2, 2007

I used to use pallets all the time, ditto for keeping the wood clean, I found less problems with rodents than I did without them, less bug infestations too. Now I have a 2x4 frame for stacking on and once a year I'll lift it and rake up the bark etc and thrown it on the fire pit, this also helps keep critters out of it imo esp. with a light sprinkle of borax (we live in carpenter ant country, they and termites are not my favorite things

bleh!). But then each to their own, hm should mention I'm stacking (well usually) in a shed with a dirt floor. I like the cement block idea too treeCo!

:cheers:

Serge

wdchuck · Apr 2, 2007

Did the ground stack twice and had mice, possums, woodchucks, and the wood was wicking the moisture up into the stack, or so it seemed. While some was ground stacked the majority was on pallets and under a tin roof, three sides open, all the wood remained clean, dry, and mouse free. Once in a while a thinner board will break, I just slide in a replacement until the wood is gone, then replace any weak boards from other pallets, they are easy to get around here, some places pay to have them taken away.

sredlin · Apr 2, 2007

I use some pallets to stack firewood. Rodents don't seem to like the pallets to make a nest--they just go up into the wood stack and build.

olyman · Apr 2, 2007

if you know someone that ever takes down a cement stave silo--those make excellent pieces to lay on the ground and stack wood on---or a bunch of red brick from a chimney or torn down house---

Gologit · Apr 2, 2007

I use pallets. Also cement blocks, limbs, old lumber, bricks, anything I can find to keep it off the ground. A certain amount of critters are going to find their way into your woodpile no matter what you do. Just keep it off of the ground. Even a gravel base won't completely prevent moisture from wicking into the bottom layer. You work hard for your wood...might as well protect it.

bigair · Apr 2, 2007

I use a couple of wolmanized landscaping timbers and four studded t-posts.

ktm250rider · Apr 2, 2007

I use small pine logs that i take down. I Never stack on the gound.

Basso · Apr 3, 2007

Long lasting firewood rack

Hello,
I use (2) 10' pressure treated 2x4s, laid flat. Then I screw (3) 17" pressure treated 2x4's across...one on each end and one in the middle. I cut my wood at about 18" long so this width works good. Then I set this rack up on (3) 8"x16" concrete blocks..one on each end and one in the middle. This gets the wood about 9 1/2" above the ground. Drive a piece of 6' pipe into the ground at each end (connect them with a cable or rope) and you will have a long lasting place to stack firewood, year after year.

SmokinDodge · Apr 3, 2007

I'm currently using old tin from buildings that we have town down on the property and it is working out pretty good. It keeps it from sinking out of site not the prettiest but the price was right.

Woodsrover · Apr 3, 2007

All I use are pallets. All my wood is under and open-sided barn on pallets that I get for free from the hardware store, roofers, etc. If they get crummy, chuck 'em and grab a new one. If you look around you can find all the free ones you can ever use. There's even a welding shop in town that heats the shop with pallets they get free by the tractor-trailer load. But I digress.

I've had a couple mouse houses but only up in the wood itself. Never anything living under the pallets. I like them because they allow air-flow under the wood. Helps season it and keep it dry.

jim

woodsroad · Apr 28, 2007

I stack wood on plastic pallets. You can usually find them for free, but they are almost always available at pallet recyclers for $8 and under. They provide a moisture barrier, they're easy to stack on and they last forever. Wood pallets just disappear into the ground around here.

Ductape · Apr 28, 2007

I use hardwood pallets. I haven't found any critters living under my wood pile... but my dog would differ ! He is constantly sticking his nose under the woodpile and snorting. It seems to do a fair job of keeping the wood up and out of the moisture.

infomet · Apr 28, 2007

I stack on pallets and then carry them to the front porch with the carryall on my tractor. I have some pallets that rock came on. They have the round fence enclosure, so the wood doesn't need to be stacked...just thrown in. You can find them at construction sites where rock work is beng done.

kellog · Apr 29, 2007

I don’t like pallets myself. They break up and become unsafe. I use 4x4 pressure treated set up something like Basso does. If you have pallet handling equipment then I guess it makes sense to use pallets. Personally I would burn the pallets in the late fall and early spring. Below is a copy of a post relative to my wood rack which may or may not be relevant here.

I keep 4 cords in my wood shed and a cord and a half in racks near the basement door (see links to photos below). I like these racks because they keep the rain and snow off the wood yet expose it to sun and wind. The rack is made from:
2 pcs 4” X 4” x 10' for the bottom
2 pcs 2” x 4” x 10’ (cut in half) for the uprights
1 pcs 2” x 4” x 10’ for the roof ridge
2 pcs of 10’ electrical conduit
1 pcs 2 x 4 x 8’ cut up for the small pieces

The roof is one piece of 10’ X 8’ plastic tarp cut in half (10’ x 4’). One side of the roof is folded over and sewn along the 10 foot length (thanks to the Mrs.) to make a loop for the electrical conduit. The other side (with the grommets) is just draped over the other electrical conduit and weighted using small splits with hooks screwed into them. The weighting keeps it from getting blown around and sagging from snow.

The rack is 13” wide at the bottom (make it whatever you want) and 30 inches wide at the top and holds a 10’ x 5’ rick. You either have to keep a small amount of wood in them at all times or tie them down somehow. I prefer keeping wood in them.

This is neither the cheapest nor the most elegant but it works for me.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u230/kelsmi/IMG_0894.jpg
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u230/kelsmi/IMG_0893.jpg

Firewood Guy USA · Apr 29, 2007

We use a concrete floor. That seems to work the best for us.

Basso · Apr 29, 2007

Hey Kellog.........I like the rack.....very nice job !!!!!!!!!

Basso

Al Smith · Apr 29, 2007

I've used pallets for years,with pretty good luck.An oak pallet will last for years.I get the pallets delivered to the house for nothing,so I have nothing in them.At last count I have about 50 of them and 9 or so cords split and stacked.

I have around 4 or 5 cords of oak in my never ending pile to be split and stacked.That wood pile is magic or some thing because about the time I get most cleaned up,more appears [tree trimmers] Then also I have a magic refridgerater because about the time the brew gets low,more shows up[wife]

Now,having said all that,if I could just figure out how to wave a magic wand and have the wood split and stacked,I would have it made.

stacking wood on pallets

Help Support Arborist Forum:

ArboristSite Member

Addicted to ArboristSite

ArboristSite Operative

Addicted to ArboristSite

Addicted to ArboristSite

ArboristSite Operative

Tree Freak

Completely retired...life is good.

ArboristSite Member

ArboristSite Operative

ArboristSite Operative

Powered by Cummins

ArboristSite Operative

ArboristSite Member

Addicted to ArboristSite

ArboristSite Operative

ArboristSite Operative

ArboristSite Operative

ArboristSite Operative

Addicted to ArboristSite

Similar threads