# Building a platform to stack wood on



## joefrompa (Aug 2, 2011)

Alright fellas, this is gonna be super easy. I'm tired of stacking on pallets. I want to build a platform that will run ~50 feet and on which I can stack wood with book-ends to allow the wood to build up. I just want to be able to lay pieces in one direction and stack em up about 5 feet high.

The ground has a distinct slope downwards. It's a gentle slope, but across 50 feet we're probably looking at a drop of 4-5 feet.

My thought was to simply get PT 4x4's and lay them 12" away from one another. I'd maybe add a 2x4 cross-brace at the ends of every piece to keep them evenly spaced. 

On the "book ends", I'd simply do PT 2x4's about 5' high, screwed into the 4x4's at the base, and maybe with a 45 degree angled 2x4 cut and screwed about 2.5' high on the 2x4 and 2.5' inwards on the 4x4 for structural support. 

I'm just looking to stack my wood straight across and in front of a fence in my backyard, and the fence runs across a hill. Will this work? Do I need the structural supports? Should I maybe only do 8 foot lengths and repeat it ~5 times?

Joe


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## golfandwoodnut (Aug 2, 2011)

if you are just going to lay the 4X4s on the ground I do not see the advantage over laying pallets down as they are already prebuilt structures and free.  If you want to keep it level and put 4X4's in the ground and build a deck like structure that would be a different matter.  There are many people who just lay saplings down, or landscape timbers if you just want to keep the wood off the ground.  I have used 2X4 pressure treated lumber also as they are pretty cheap.  I do not believe 4X4's would be worth the money for what it sounds like you are trying to do.


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## blujacket (Aug 2, 2011)

I use pt landscaping timbers. They only cost $1.97 each @ Lowes


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## Danno77 (Aug 2, 2011)

2x4s should work just fine. We are talking one row deep, right? If slope is great enough, then a 2x6 on the front instead, to compensate?


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## amateur cutter (Aug 3, 2011)

I use anything from 4" pine logs to 4X4 cants cause it's all free. Dig a 3' deep post hole on either end just inside the ends, bury the post & cap the end with scrap lumber screwed to the stringers & posts & stack away. Most of my stacks run downhill as well, so I just try to stay about 5' from ground level. Works well, & costs nothing except a few 3" screws. A C


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## Wood Duck (Aug 3, 2011)

I'd put some cross pieces beneath the timbers to lift the wood higher off the ground. The more space beneath the stacks, the better the bottom wood will season.


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 3, 2011)

Saplings under the wood. 








Stacked in barn.







Nothing on the ends except cross stacking. 

On uneven ground some posts on the low end would definitely help or else just do a double cross on the ends. 

Total cost is only the little time and gas it takes to cut down a few saplings. They will last several years even without treating. When they get punky, just go cut a few more.


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## Wood Heat Stoves (Aug 3, 2011)

I personally think pallets are the perfect platform. They are free, get air circulation under the wood and have enough slats so that I don't have to worry about any small or short pieces resting on the ground. If this is going to be a permanent storage area, I would put 2 pressure treated 4 x 4s in the ground in concrete on end for support.


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## skyline (Aug 3, 2011)

Joe,

I use PT 4x4's and they work well but they were all free from a dismantled fence project. For a run of 50', I would also suggest a few pairs of T-posts between the ends to give you sections to empty and fill as you use up your wood. They will also isolate sections just in case the row decides to fall/blow over. And if you pound them down to your stacking height, you can see their tops expose as your wood dries and settles.

Send pics when done.


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## joefrompa (Aug 3, 2011)

I have a ton of pallets now. I stack the wood criss-cross and have 5 pallets so far stacked about 4.5" high. But it looks like crap across the hill because:

1. My wood criss crosses are not nice even splits like the nuts on here (See backwoods savage picture above)

2. The pallets introduce a distinct rise next to each other and to keep them even I'd have to have decreasing height as it goes across. Either way, it doesn't look like.

So my desire is to simply put the wood parallel to one another in a nice long stack so that it "flows" and looks nice and natural running across the back of my yard. 

I want it to look more like this across 50' of my backyard:

http://ana-3.lcs.mit.edu/~jnc/jpg/isabel/WoodPile_75-30.jpg

And less like this:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__N5eiHZF0Fg/SrAG_r-p48I/AAAAAAAAA9Y/6BFGqFGTYl8/s1600-h/wood+pile.JPG

Hope that makes sense.

I like the idea of digging some post holes and putting down PT 2x4's as end-rails, and then laying $1.97 landscaping timbers down to lift it off the ground.


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## Blue Vomit (Aug 3, 2011)

Wood Heat Stoves said:
			
		

> I personally think pallets are the perfect platform. They are free, get air circulation under the wood and have enough slats so that I don't have to worry about any small or short pieces resting on the ground. If this is going to be a permanent storage area, I would put 2 pressure treated 4 x 4s in the ground in concrete on end for support.



+1   Look at you Joe gettin all fancy! Next thing you know you'll be searching here for woodshed plans! ;-P 

for the record, I slum it with pallets.


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## mywaynow (Aug 4, 2011)

These pallets are the best, if you can find them.  They are about 5 inches tall and have plenty of air space.  And they won't rot.


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## Backwoods Savage (Aug 4, 2011)

joefrompa said:
			
		

> I have a ton of pallets now. I stack the wood criss-cross and have 5 pallets so far stacked about 4.5" high. But it looks like crap across the hill because:
> 
> *1. My wood criss crosses are not nice even splits like the nuts on here (See backwoods savage picture above)*
> 
> 2. The pallets introduce a distinct rise next to each other and to keep them even I'd have to have decreasing height as it goes across. Either way, it doesn't look like.




 :lol:  :lol:  :lol: 

Thanks Joe! Even made my wife laugh.


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