# 10 Cord Wood Shed Finished!



## jwoair23 (Nov 28, 2021)

This week my wife and I had the week off for work, and took on this project. Each bay technically holds 5.75 cords of wood at 8' tall, so I figure I'll stack a little shorter and aim for 5 cords in each bay. This should hold two season's worth of wood at the rate we use it. 

This was an ambitious project for us, but pretty happy with how it turned out. It is just under 20' long and 10' deep, 8' tall at the lowest and 9.5' tall in the the front. Posts are sunk 32" and we have concrete in the holes. Going to put pallets on the ground to stack the wood on. Only thing left is to add some corner braces in the front, add the pallets and then fill it! I already have the ten cords cut and split that have been sitting out for a year, so now I can keep them nice and dry.

Let me know your thoughts, we are not "construction" people so we did the best we could with the knowledge we could find.  I'll be happy to answer any questions if there are any. Total cost was $1400 including renting the power auger, though I had the plywood for the roof already so that part was free.


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## Bad LP (Nov 28, 2021)

Perfect.


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## Fat wood (Nov 28, 2021)

Very nice. Only help I get is the invisible man when it comes to wood.


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## clancey (Nov 28, 2021)

When you get the pallets in to hold the wood on the floor it will be perfect--beautiful job you two did ...clancey


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## Isaac Carlson (Nov 29, 2021)

Nice.


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## Wisdomoak159#19 (Nov 29, 2021)

Looks profesional


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## stoveliker (Nov 29, 2021)

Very good! It'll be pleasant to look at, and even more so when it is full 🌝


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## Mutineer (Nov 29, 2021)

Only advice I can add as a fellow Buckeye is to think about pallets for the floor, up around here my pallets that I throw down for my small stack of uglies tend to rot in a couple of years due to the humid ground contact. Under roof like you have might extend that a year or two but that could be your next project. I need two fine sheds like you have constructed!


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## BigJ273 (Nov 29, 2021)

10 face cords?  Looks a little small for 10 full cords


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## stoveliker (Nov 29, 2021)

20*10*8=1600
A cord is 128 cubic ft. 10 cords is not to the brim here.


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## Caw (Nov 29, 2021)

BigJ273 said:


> 10 face cords?  Looks a little small for 10 full cords


If its 20 x 10 x 8.75 (avg height) that's definitely 10+ cords. Actually it's 13.67 if zero air space!


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## MongoMongoson (Nov 29, 2021)

BigJ273 said:


> 10 face cords?  Looks a little small for 10 full cords


Based on the rough dimensions given it should hold 10 full cords if there are no air gaps between rows.  

I have a 5 cord wood bin in my carport.  It still doesn't look like 5 cords to me and I have measured it and calculated it 3 times.  

When it is in a cube (or close to it) rather than strung out in long lines, 5 cords doesn't look like much.


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## jwoair23 (Nov 29, 2021)

MongoMongoson said:


> Based on the rough dimensions given it should hold 10 full cords if there are no air gaps between rows.
> 
> I have a 5 cord wood bin in my carport.  It still doesn't look like 5 cords to me and I have measured it and calculated it 3 times.
> 
> When it is in a cube (or close to it) rather than strung out in long lines, 5 cords doesn't look like much.


It's funny you guys are discussing this, as the whole time I was building it I kept side eyeing my ten cords in rows which are not far off from the shed thinking it doesn't look like it will fit! But yes based on the dimensions and cord calculators it should be over ten cords depending on how high I go and how much air space. I plan to slowly start moving everything into the sheds in the coming weeks, so I can let you know how it turns out!  

Regarding the pallets - I was thinking the same that they wont last forever, I figure I will get newish ones to start with, and then replace as needed when I empty one for a season before I start to fill it again. Someday I may build a deck floor, we will see!


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## Caw (Nov 29, 2021)

You could use plastic pallets perhaps? They'd last forever unless they broke.


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## mar13 (Nov 29, 2021)

Maybe put your pallets on some pavers to keep them out of ground contact.

Can you post some more detailed pictures and things you learned in the process?


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## jwoair23 (Nov 30, 2021)

Got some heavy duty skids for the floor, modified a few to fit in the middle. Makes a nice flat surface with some air underneath, and should last a number of years before needing replaced. Can always get more for free like these if they rot out in the future!


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## stoveliker (Nov 30, 2021)

Nice. Be aware of nails (kids...) When they start rotting.


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## RandyBoBandy (Dec 1, 2021)

jwoair23 said:


> It's funny you guys are discussing this, as the whole time I was building it I kept side eyeing my ten cords in rows which are not far off from the shed thinking it doesn't look like it will fit! But yes based on the dimensions and cord calculators it should be over ten cords depending on how high I go and how much air space. I plan to slowly start moving everything into the sheds in the coming weeks, so I can let you know how it turns out!
> 
> Regarding the pallets - I was thinking the same that they wont last forever, I figure I will get newish ones to start with, and then replace as needed when I empty one for a season before I start to fill it again. Someday I may build a deck floor, we will see!


Very nice for not being construction people as you say. Only advice I have for pallet longevity is maybe put down some 6A limestone down on some heavy duty fabric that you can get from a brickyard. This will help level the ground off and keep your pallets dry.


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## Bad LP (Dec 1, 2021)

A little air space in the stacks helps with drying in my shed but I don’t leave any space between the rows and can absolutely state for fact that it does not hinder the seasoning in the center of the shed.


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## jwoair23 (Dec 4, 2021)

Got a gutter added on the back side today, going to work on starting to fill it up tomorrow!


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## RandyBoBandy (Dec 4, 2021)

Put a rain barrel on the end of that gutter in the spring and your house plants will be very happy plants. Take it one step further and put banana peels in mason jars with said rain water and your house plants will go crazy.


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## highanddryinco (Dec 4, 2021)

Very nice!


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## clancey (Dec 5, 2021)

Very very nice...clancey


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## JamesGuido (Dec 5, 2021)

jwoair23 said:


> *Got some heavy duty skids for the floor... should last a number of years before needing replaced*. Can always get more for free like these if they rot out in the future!
> 
> View attachment 286798


Nice work jw!
kinda what i said in 1995 when i built my shed... yet i just replaced two of the eight pallets last year.


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## jwoair23 (Dec 5, 2021)

Well today we moved about 5-5.5 cords of wood into next years bay. Like someone else above mentioned, it was really surprising how much wood can fit in here when you move the rows into a compact cube. I was able to fit six rows in the shed. Looks like all of my wood is going to fit, just need to move the rest of this year's wood into the other bay on another weekend day. Took us about 6 hours altogether with myself, my wife and the ten year old helping. 

I am a little bit nervous about the side boards, as they bowed about a 1/2 inch or so once loaded. They are pretty green boards though. Hoping the three screws per post is enough. I may at some point need to either add more/longer screws, or potentially in the future replace with thicker boards. I may just be over-analyzing though, as it seems to be the thickness most use. This is a pretty tall and very full wood shed though, lol, so a lot of weight on the sides. Time will tell!


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## stoveliker (Dec 5, 2021)

Nice!

I'd cross stack the edges of your stacks to avoid them leaning too much on the boards.

Also, screws are less strong than nails. (Hence no screws in e.g. framing of homes.)


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## jwoair23 (Dec 5, 2021)

stoveliker said:


> Nice!
> 
> I'd cross stack the edges of your stacks to avoid them leaning too much on the boards.
> 
> Also, screws are less strong than nails. (Hence no screws in e.g. framing of homes.)


Do you think I should go back through and add some nails to each board? Or will three two inch screws per post, so 9 screws per board be enough?


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## stoveliker (Dec 5, 2021)

Depends on how far the boards will bend; screws do fair when being pulled straight, but poorly when shear forces are present. If the boards bow out a lot, more shear forces appear.

I'd add a 3" nail every where you have screws there to take the shear forces 

Maybe the boards would crack first then...


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## FTG-05 (Dec 5, 2021)

For my 2nd wood shed, I used formerly owned pallets for the floor.  Just like the #1 wood shed, I put that black weed block down first.  This provides some protection against ground moisture and keeps the weeds down.

Nice looking wood shed:  Looking forward to seeing it full!


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## KindredSpiritzz (Dec 7, 2021)

BigJ273 said:


> Looks a little small for 10 full cords


that was my first thought too


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## jwoair23 (Dec 7, 2021)

KindredSpiritzz said:


> that was my first thought too


I can take a measuring tape out and take pictures if anyone needs proof 😄😁This weekend we moved about 5-5.5 cords in the right hand side, it is 10 feet deep, 10 feet wide, and 7-7.5 feet tall of firewood densely packed. 

I have to admit, I never would have thought this would fit ten cords either, but its incredible how many cords fit into a dense cube.


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## mpaul (Dec 7, 2021)

I’m thinking about building something similar. Are there any concerns with the stuff in the middle not seasoning well because it’s not getting as much exposure to the elements?  
Are your rows densely packed or are you leaving some space for air circulation?


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## FTG-05 (Dec 7, 2021)

mpaul said:


> I’m thinking about building something similar. Are there any concerns with the stuff in the middle not seasoning well because it’s not getting as much exposure to the elements?
> Are your rows densely packed or are you leaving some space for air circulation?


I dense pack my 3 cords bays.  Never had a problem with drying.  

Having said that:   My woods sheds get lots of winds plus the firewood I'm using now was put up by March 2016.


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## Highbeam (Dec 7, 2021)

Sorry I'm late to the thread but I built one that is very similar and the only thing I thought of right away was the sides have no bracing. In the rear you put in those diagonals, the sides would benefit from them too.

Then you could have painted the shed before filling it. I like stain or paint to protect the wood and keep it looking nice.

I do like how you added posts to the center of the three short walls. I spanned the 10 feet with 2x6 horizontals and I think intermediate posts would be a help.

Mine is the same shape too and to avoid side forces from the wood to the walls I stack a row down all four sides. then fill in the middle with 6 rows. All four corners get a cribbed stack. Wood shrinks a lot as it dries, you'll be able to see that now.

On edit, screws are very strong. No need to fret. Just like nails, you can buy strong screws or weak screws. To really worry or be critical of the screw choice you would need to know the specific screws and nails to compare. I used a lot of screws too. The reason they frame houses with nails is cost. Labor and materials cost is lower when spitting nails from a nail gun.


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## Niro (Dec 7, 2021)

Nice looking shed.  I recently built one similar to this.  Paint makes big difference in making it look nice.  But you can do that in the spring when it's not as full.


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## jwoair23 (Dec 12, 2021)

Today we got the rest of the firewood moved into the shed, moved about a half cord onto the covered front porch too. Feels great to have all the wood under a roof! Also went through and added three inch nails to all the side cladding to strengthen it just in case in addition to the screws.


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## CatfishHunter (Dec 14, 2021)

As for using pallets that need to be replaced, a solution may be to use rocks. I live in a rocky area where this is easier, but I find flat or mostly flat rocks and put them on the ground. My first row of wood goes on the rocks. Think of it like laying pavers. Rocks do not rot after several years so will never need to be replaced!


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## fire_man (Dec 18, 2021)

Why did you sink the posts in concrete instead of using steel anchor plates? Your method seems more cost effective.
Was it hard to plumb the long heavy posts?


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## jwoair23 (Dec 20, 2021)

fire_man said:


> Why did you sink the posts in concrete instead of using steel anchor plates? Your method seems more cost effective.
> Was it hard to plumb the long heavy posts?


No reason for the concrete other than that's what I was familiar with! It wasn't too difficult to plumb them, we laid out the grid with string and extra stakes (copied what we saw them doing when they built our pole barn) and were able to get it fairly square keeping the posts flush against the string. Then as we filled in the concrete dirt just kept checking the level. I am sure its not "perfect", but its so close you wouldn't notice and came out pretty square when we put the roof on.


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## snobuilder (Dec 22, 2021)

Looks great. 
 I have front and back  open sides because my pile builds over time and the stuff in the back (so to speak) will be the first I will want to use as it has been drying the longest.


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## Isaac Carlson (Apr 9, 2022)

This just gives me more drive to get mine done.  I was supposed to do it last year.....
I have also been looking at your pictures every few days.  Looks great!


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## shoot-straight (Apr 10, 2022)

Very nice looking shed. I have similar, but 8x8 bays. Made 3 then added a 4th. I  loosely stack enough wood for one season in 2, then have the other 2 for the following year. Always stay ahead 2 years that way. Wood dries pretty good but you have to stack it loose, lots of air gaps.


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## kennyp2339 (Apr 16, 2022)

shoot-straight said:


> Very nice looking shed. I have similar, but 8x8 bays. Made 3 then added a 4th. I  loosely stack enough wood for one season in 2, then have the other 2 for the following year. Always stay ahead 2 years that way. Wood dries pretty good but you have to stack it loose, lots of air gaps.


I notice with my shed I will stack right to the very top and 2 years later when I'm ready to burn it, everything has settled / shrunk a good 5-10" lower then the main beam on top


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## stoveliker (Apr 16, 2022)

Yes, same here. For the pine that I stacked last summer, I already gained about 3". (Pine going faster than the oak, of course, and possibly shrinking more in total too.)


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## FTG-05 (May 23, 2022)

Bad LP said:


> A little air space in the stacks helps with drying in my shed but I don’t leave any space between the rows and can absolutely state for fact that it does not hinder the seasoning in the center of the shed.


I do the same thing.  I'm not spending all that time, money and time to build an air shed.  I want it to store firewood.  I fill it to the brim.  When I need it, it will be dry.

Caveat:  Any wood I put up, I don't need for at least five years.  

Looks good OP!  🍻


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## jwoair23 (Jul 4, 2022)

A few updates - spent the past few days staining the shed with a oil deck stain, turned out nice! Also split enough wood to refill the shed for the two years from now. Now I just have to stack it all!


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## jwoair23 (Jul 7, 2022)

Got all the wood I split stacked and put up, back to ten cords in the shed. Also staked out an area to put the rounds as I cut them until I split them next summer. Staying 1-1.5 years ahead right now.


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## Caw (Jul 8, 2022)

jwoair23 said:


> Got all the wood I split stacked and put up, back to ten cords in the shed. Also staked out an area to put the rounds as I cut them until I split them next summer. Staying 1-1.5 years ahead right now.
> 
> View attachment 296838


Staked out area looks like the perfect spot for another shed!


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## FTG-05 (Jul 8, 2022)

Great feeling, isn't it


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## vbu (Jul 24, 2022)

Your shed looks awesome! I'm looking to build something very similar to yours. Did you happen to use any plans to build it?


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## jwoair23 (Jul 25, 2022)

vbu said:


> Your shed looks awesome! I'm looking to build something very similar to yours. Did you happen to use any plans to build it?


I did not - I hadn't built anything like this before but I just looked at variations of wood shed pictures online and decided what suited me. Pretty much learned as I go, but it came out well! Seems to be holding up really well so far. If you have any specific questions feel free to PM me and I can try and assist.


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## cahaak (Sep 13, 2022)

I like the general design of your shed, just a few comments.  First, let your roof overhang all of the sides by plenty and it will keep all of the rain off of the stacks and you don't need gutters.  Very easy to do with a metal roof.  Second, people should size each "bay" of the shed to be ~ one winter worth of burning.  Then one bay gets emptied out each year, you can clean it out and refill it for the later years.  Last thing I would say is that it is cheaper to make the sides and back of welded wire fence than spaced boards.  The welded wire fence is plenty strong with intermediate supports.  Lastly, if you are in an area with a lot of blowing snow, then you probably want to tarp the side with prevailing wind in the winter to keep all of the blowing snow out.  With GT lumber, a shed like that with a metal roof will last 30-50 years.


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## lml999 (Oct 23, 2022)

Almost done...last step is to put dividers up between the three sections. Each one will hold just over a full cord. The wall on the right will be a shared wall with a storage shed; that's why it's not ventilated like the others.  All of the wall boards and the overhang is made with recycled PT decking (last year's project) The rearward sloping roof is clear polycarbonate, which will let the sun get to the wood... I'll post an official photo when it's really done, and the site is presentable. 

Oh...and in the middle of this project, my neighbor takes down a bunch of trees, so I took some time to retrieve a good face cord of oak. You can see the freshly cut rounds to the left. Stuff splits like butter!


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## Keninmaine (Monday at 7:41 AM)

jwoair23 said:


> This week my wife and I had the week off for work, and took on this project. Each bay technically holds 5.75 cords of wood at 8' tall, so I figure I'll stack a little shorter and aim for 5 cords in each bay. This should hold two season's worth of wood at the rate we use it.
> 
> This was an ambitious project for us, but pretty happy with how it turned out. It is just under 20' long and 10' deep, 8' tall at the lowest and 9.5' tall in the the front. Posts are sunk 32" and we have concrete in the holes. Going to put pallets on the ground to stack the wood on. Only thing left is to add some corner braces in the front, add the pallets and then fill it! I already have the ten cords cut and split that have been sitting out for a year, so now I can keep them nice and dry.
> 
> ...


What is your ventilation spacing ?  I like the brown stain.


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## rwh63 (Monday at 8:47 AM)

Fat wood said:


> Very nice. Only help I get is the invisible man when it comes to wood.


my cat supervises me.


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## kennyp2339 (Monday at 9:04 AM)

rwh63 said:


> my cat supervises me.


Same


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