# Impressed with Holz hausen



## Burn-1 (Nov 6, 2006)

One of the first things I did after joining this forum was to take a look at the Holz hausen idea. We had cut a fair amount of wood around my house when I bought it last October. I cut up the logs in July and split them in August and September. Kinda late I realize but I am not a full-time burner and had some dry wood already set up from a friend. 

The wood is ash with some maple, birch and hornbeam and some black locust. The maples and half the ash were dead on the stump and mostly dry to begin with. The maples averaged only about 3-5 inches but there were too many to just put them in a brush pile for burning. Probably too small to bother with but a BTU is a BTU and I cut these in bundles so it went fast. 

I piled these Holz Hausen just after Labor Day and it's been rainy a few times here in NH but they shed water pretty well. One of the piles fell over but that was because I hit it with my riding mower. Otherwise I am pretty impressed. The piles go up a lot faster than I thought they would. I went with smaller ones because it seemed easier at the time. The trick is to angle the splits down into the center of the pile on the lower layers. This helps with drainage and the pile is sort of internally falling in on itself to begin with so as the wood dries there is less destabilization. I level the splits toward the middle and then start angling up near the top for water shedding. Most of these piles are 3.5-5 feet across and were originally ~6.5 to 7 feet tall. I figure I have just over 2.5 cords here, a piker by most of the standards set here.

This was all bucked with a Craftsman electric saw, although I aspire to the Makita. I was pretty surprised and pleased with the Craftsman. Yes the sawbuck in the lower left of the picture is made from angle iron but I make sure the chain is well away from it when cutting and wear PPE. I plan to put this up during Thanksgiving weekend but this will be part of this year's supply.


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## Gibbonboy (Nov 6, 2006)

Nice job! Looks like you have some real pretty woods there.


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## ourhouse (Nov 7, 2006)

Nice stacks


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## Todd (Nov 7, 2006)

I just started burning the wood from one of mine, and it's very dry and seasoned even in the middle. I was wondering if the middle would be dry or wet and it's good and dry. I made mine too tall (7') and had to use a ladder to take down the first foot or so. If I do it next year they will be 6' high by 6' wide.


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## Gibbonboy (Nov 9, 2006)

How long were yours stacked, Todd? Did you start with green wood? I searched but couldn't find the post when you stacked them.


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## Todd (Nov 9, 2006)

Gibbonboy said:
			
		

> How long were yours stacked, Todd? Did you start with green wood? I searched but couldn't find the post when you stacked them.



My first one was stacked with 6 month old oak this spring. That is what I'm burning now. The other was stacked this spring with fresh split oak. I should start burning that late this winter. 

I also have a straight row of firewood next to my garage that I have been comparing dryness between the two with a cheap moisture meter. So far they are both simuliar in moisture 15% outside  20-25% inside.

Try typing  "holz haufen" in the search, there are 2 different spellings, don't know which is correct.


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## Mo Heat (Nov 16, 2006)

I'm nearly finished with a second holz. The first was about 7' x 7'. I estimate it is around 2 - 2.5 cords.

The second is about 10' x (to be determined). I est about 2.5 - 3.5 cords. It's a monster but I think it is going to be more stable.

Both are built on a slope, so I'm surprised the first one is still standing. I'll be burning from it in a couple months. The big one is for next year. I'll post some pics when I can find where I put them...

I love the way these things look out back. I've bought a brown colored tarp to cover the one I'll be burning from after I remove the top shingle-like layers. That should keep everything looking somewhat natural out back.


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