# My First Holz Hausen



## KenLockett (Jun 18, 2016)




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## KenLockett (Jun 18, 2016)

Just the start of it of course.


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## iron (Jun 18, 2016)

all the stacks look quite nice!


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## Stinkpickle (Jun 18, 2016)

That's too fancy... you'd better start over.


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## KenLockett (Jun 18, 2016)

Best part about it so far is believe it or not appears that it might be more stable on hills (that I am fortunate to have a lot of) as you can control pitch as you go AND no building cross ends as required for rectangular long stacks.


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## Felix5513 (Jun 18, 2016)

I see that you use double pallets...Is that better than single pallets for seasoning?

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk


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## Jan Pijpelink (Jun 18, 2016)

I've got a job for you.


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## KenLockett (Jun 18, 2016)

No double pallets. 4x4 posts and 2 x4 PT lumber for raising front edge for balancing on hills. With that said I'm sure double pallets would improve air flow underneath stacks. 


Felix5513 said:


> I see that you use double pallets...Is that better than single pallets for seasoning?
> 
> Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk


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## volunbeer (Jun 18, 2016)

I would think anything that increased air flow from the bottom of the stack would be beneficial.   I always wondered why people did not build them on pallets for that reason.  Consider me inspired and nice work!   I have been watching for some pallets and I will try one of these.

Please share the pics when it is finished.


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## 7acres (Jun 19, 2016)

Goodness, dude. Beautiful stacks. Gorgeous!


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## Soundchasm (Jun 21, 2016)

So this is how Masons stack wood?  Meet on the level and part on the square.  Most excellent stacks!

I can't crib to save my life.


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## kennyp2339 (Jun 21, 2016)

You will be happily surprised how well the holz does, I made one last fall and my wood drying far better than I could imagine, the added benefit is you really don't have to worry about settling, the pieces tend to collapse into each other.
I quick tip for the top, I made my cylinder about 5ft high, I then heaped a pile of wood in the center about 3ft, I then carefully took pieces with bark and created an over lapping roof, laying them in like shingles, make it steep so the majority of the water runs off like a roof, its hard to get it perfect but aim to shed 80% of water and you will be good to go.


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## KenLockett (Jun 22, 2016)

Another photo update. Had to split some additional beech to continue my outsides to facilitate additional shorts on inside.


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## volunbeer (Jun 23, 2016)

Looking good!  I see pallets all the time on craigslist, but of course, as soon as I wanted some - I see none.   I am going to try this with a stack for next year after I score pallets.


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## KenLockett (Jun 23, 2016)

Getting pallets is very easy. Go to any kind of an industrial park and drive around the loading areas or backs and you will see them. If you ask they are usually more than anxious to have you take them. Also try nurseries, Home Depot, lowes, tractor supply, etc. usually can scrounge some from these places as well. There is a bottled water distributor and VW parts distributor that I could go to everyday and get pallets. The true value near me sometimes gives them away or depending upon who you talk to will sell for $2 apiece.


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## AmbDrvr253 (Jun 23, 2016)

Looking good......Much better than mine.....(jealous face)


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## KenLockett (Jun 23, 2016)

KenLockett said:


> Getting pallets is very easy. Go to any kind of an industrial park and drive around the loading areas or backs and you will see them. If you ask they are usually more than anxious to have you take them. Also try nurseries, Home Depot, lowes, tractor supply, etc. usually can scrounge some from these places as well. There is a bottled water distributor and VW parts distributor that I could go to everyday and get pallets. The true value near me sometimes gives them away or depending upon who you talk to will sell for $2 apiece.



Also, if you pay for them in any form or fashion opt for the hardwood ones.  Much heavier and last longer.  I like the oak pallets.


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## KenLockett (Jun 24, 2016)

Still coming along. Between 4 and 4 1/2 feet now.


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## KenLockett (Jun 24, 2016)

Found this downed Black Birch in my upper woods today. That should allow me to finish the HH off. Trying to split the stuff by hand with the fiskars and proving to be very difficult being so green and wet. Time to bring the hydraulic splitter out of the barn tomorrow


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## DUMF (Jun 25, 2016)

Es gibt keine "hausen", die von Deutschen in Deutschland. Sie sind zu intelligent, mit einem dummen, aber ziemlich Stapel Feuerholz für die praktische Aufbewahrung. 
"Nein" sagen zu diesem. 
Wer zur Hölle hat die Zeit und die Bemühung um eine Runde pile ?


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## BrotherBart (Jun 25, 2016)

DUMF said:


> Es gibt keine "hausen", die von Deutschen in Deutschland. Sie sind zu intelligent, mit einem dummen, aber ziemlich Stapel Feuerholz für die praktische Aufbewahrung.
> "Nein" sagen zu diesem.
> Wer zur Hölle hat die Zeit und die Bemühung um eine Runde pile ?



Your horse has kidney trouble?


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## KenLockett (Jun 25, 2016)

Hope 'das ist gut'


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## DUMF (Jun 25, 2016)

BrotherBart said:


> Your horse has kidney trouble?



No, hemhorroids. (sp.)


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## begreen (Jun 27, 2016)

One of these days I get a round to trying a holzhausen. 

That's some serious wood stashing Ken. How much do you go through a year?


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## KenLockett (Jun 28, 2016)

About 5 cords maybe on average.  Have about 15 cords total split so about 2-3 years ahead at this point.


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## begreen (Jun 28, 2016)

Excellent.


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## kennyp2339 (Jun 28, 2016)

KenLockett said:


> About 5 cords maybe on average. Have about 15 cords total split so about 2-3 years ahead at this point.


If the beginning of your name starts with Ken, it is required to have a minimum of 15 cords stacked and ready!


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## KenLockett (Jun 29, 2016)

Holz Hausen complete finally!


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## KenLockett (Jun 30, 2016)

My wife told me that I need to increase the number of top pieces to create more of an overlap to the ends.  do you guys agree?


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## kennyp2339 (Jun 30, 2016)

Yes, I would do another layer of wood split shingles, try to get them almost to the edge and layer them like shingles or close to end to end as possible, trying to create a path for water to drip off the pile. But all in all that looks really good, I'm thinking that that's how I'm going to stack wood from now on by me, I can stack the same amount of wood just with a smaller foot print using this method.


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## volunbeer (Jun 30, 2016)

Looks great!   I am going to try one of these for next years wood this fall/winter.


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## beatlefan (Jul 1, 2016)

That looks great and has me wanting to try it too. I know you didn't do it all at once, but how long did it take overall?  I assume it would take a lot longer than a traditional stack.


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## KenLockett (Jul 1, 2016)

beatlefan said:


> That looks great and has me wanting to try it too. I know you didn't do it all at once, but how long did it take overall?  I assume it would take a lot longer than a traditional stack.


I think it did probably take a bit longer than traditional. Takes time walking around it to place sticks. More so than traditional where you simply pull from trailer as you move down. Just my opinion though.


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## KenLockett (Jul 1, 2016)

Honestly not sure of the exact time it took from a continuous point of reference.


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## Lake Girl (Jul 7, 2016)

My Great Uncle did a variation of the holzhausen that allowed for drying and shed water. He had at least 3 piles approximately 10' across and 7' high. They looked like the dome shaped bee skep. Splits were on end bark side out with interior ones leaning on each other and progressively moved out and up. Not sure exactly how he did the very interior.  Pulled wood off those piles for over 10 years after he passed away without issue. Mind you he built them on flat rock outcrops ... good Canadian shield near Apsley, Ontario at Jack Lake. They brought hydro lines in at the back of his property and he cut, hauled by wheelbarrow to lakeside cabin, split and stacked. Tough old guy who passed away at 83. He wore the lumberman look with ease and could back it up. He built the cabin w/o power tools ... no electrical hook-up until after he passed away.

Edit: Found something closer but still different. His splits were shorter ... never did make it to the very inside of any of those stacks so not sure how he did the interiors.  Small cribbed center to provide support?
http://www.myheimat.de/wunstorf/freizeit/eine-kleine-holzmiete-fuer-besucher-m636042,116058.html


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## KenLockett (Jul 8, 2016)

Lake Girl said:


> My Great Uncle did a variation of the holzhausen that allowed for drying and shed water. He had at least 3 piles approximately 10' across and 7' high. They looked like the dome shaped bee skep. Splits were on end bark side out with interior ones leaning on each other and progressively moved out and up. Not sure exactly how he did the very interior.  Pulled wood off those piles for over 10 years after he passed away without issue. Mind you he built them on flat rock outcrops ... good Canadian shield near Apsley, Ontario at Jack Lake. They brought hydro lines in at the back of his property and he cut, hauled by wheelbarrow to lakeside cabin, split and stacked. Tough old guy who passed away at 83. He wore the lumberman look with ease and could back it up. He built the cabin w/o power tools ... no electrical hook-up until after he passed away.
> 
> Edit: Found something closer but still different. His splits were shorter ... never did make it to the very inside of any of those stacks so not sure how he did the interiors.  Small cribbed center to provide support?
> http://www.myheimat.de/wunstorf/freizeit/eine-kleine-holzmiete-fuer-besucher-m636042,116058.html


Thanks for sharing.


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## KenLockett (Jul 11, 2016)

Holz Hausen with Black Birch and Hop Hornbeam shingles applied as close to edges as possible. Now...finally done. Couldn't get anymore wood on their even if I wanted to.


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## fbelec (Jul 12, 2016)

hi ken
on your bottom row the splits are making the circle. are they like that thru to the center or just the edge so the splits pitch down towards the center?


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## kennyp2339 (Jul 12, 2016)

That looks great, now the waiting game, give it a minimum 2 years.
I was thinking of making a cheap wood frame using 1x3's kind of like an umbrella frame and cover the top for the winter. I'm just trying to figure out how to proportionally make the frame and allow it to sit 6-8" above the wood to allow air circulation so I don't have condensation issues with the tarp directly on the wood. Already figured how to anchor it, just tie rope from the frame to splits on the bottom.
I'll post pics when I get to that project, others might build off of that idea and make it better


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## KenLockett (Jul 12, 2016)

fbelec said:


> hi ken
> on your bottom row the splits are making the circle. are they like that thru to the center or just the edge so the splits pitch down towards the center?


Just the edge so that the first row circle pitches down.


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## KenLockett (Jul 12, 2016)

kennyp2339 said:


> That looks great, now the waiting game, give it a minimum 2 years.
> I was thinking of making a cheap wood frame using 1x3's kind of like an umbrella frame and cover the top for the winter. I'm just trying to figure out how to proportionally make the frame and allow it to sit 6-8" above the wood to allow air circulation so I don't have condensation issues with the tarp directly on the wood. Already figured how to anchor it, just tie rope from the frame to splits on the bottom.
> I'll post pics when I get to that project, others might build off of that idea and make it better


For the winter I was planning on simply putting a tarp over top although now that I think about it putting actual shingles over top section could actually work. Not too worried about condensation with it being winter and all.


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## fbelec (Jul 12, 2016)

KenLockett said:


> Just the edge so that the first row circle pitches down.



 is there a reason for tipping the splits in? for keeping it together? what about water running to the middle?


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## KenLockett (Jul 13, 2016)

fbelec said:


> is there a reason for tipping the splits in? for keeping it together? what about water running to the middle?


That is the typical way a Holz Hausen is constructed I believe. The idea is for the outside splits to slightly tilt in to start then as you build up there is a slight pitch of the entire HH inward (basically like a very gradual cone).  In this manner as you add your splits to the middle, the external splits 'per se' lean inward and are supported against the internal splits for support.  If you think about it if you didn't do this as the HH got taller and it leaned out it would have much more of a tendency to collapse with the internal splits applying forces outward.  Seems to be very stable when constructed in the manner suggested.  If you go to you tube there are a number of time lapse videos showing others constructing these and this seems to be the preferred and most practical manner as I suggested above.  With regard to water dripping inward I assume this happens to some degree but if shingle pieces are done correctly then most of the water should shed off sides and of course some will drip back in but I would think this would be minimal.  No expert here but seems to be doing well for me.  Rained all day Sunday and when I went out Monday the stack was dry in no time with the sun back out.  Like I said in earlier post, I would cover in the winter so snow and snow melt doesn't accumulate across the top but while seasoning during the summer I think a good amount of the water will shed.  Good luck.


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## fbelec (Jul 15, 2016)

thanks. i think i have to make one. i've got lots of room but not where there is a lot of sunshine.


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## DUMF (Jul 18, 2016)

Holz Hauzen ist ein Mythos begann, indem Menschen mit zu viel Zeit auf ihren Händen. Nie in Deutschland !
Neben, Wie zum Teufel man die dummen Holz aus dem nutzlosen Haufen tatsächlich zu brennen ?
Hey, Sie wollen etwas damit zu tun ? Aussteigen und Schnitt, dann Stapel in einer praktischen Art und Weise, Sinn macht. Das ist ein Auftrag bunkie.
....and no more comments from that southern guy named Bart.


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## tw40x81 (Jul 19, 2016)

http://www.holzmiete.de/

Never?

My first American round wood pile bulged and collapsed about 2 months after I finished it.,  I took the time to rebuild.


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## St. Coemgen (Jul 26, 2016)

Very nice Holz Hausen. Very traditionally constructed. Very attractive.

I build only round wood piles now, and have done so for years. My philosophy is, if you build on a pallet to increase air flow, why restrict air flow in the center with more wood? 

I leave the middle empty of wood myself. Don't need the nicely build roof of a traditional Holz Hausen to keep off surface water. Today we have plastic sheets. In the winter, I just put a tarp over the pile (poke a hole in the middle for water drainage). The wood drys fine in the summer, and stays dry in the winter.

https://stcoemgen.com/2015/06/19/how-i-build-round-wood-piles/


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## FarmerDan (Apr 26, 2018)

I may have to cross-post to other similar threads once I build more, but I'll hang tight here since this is indeed my very first holz hausen / holzhausen / round stack / Norwegian beehive. I considered it "done" as it's a little taller than 6 feet at this point. A tad rustic, but I bet #2 will be snazzier.

Overall verdict: sure was fun to build. I'm sure I'll get a better hang of it once I make a few more, and adapt a more refined look. I'll give you all a holler if anything exciting happens and/or when #2 is done.

@St. Coemgen - I checked out your blog post a few months back, really liked your idea about using horizontal cross poles running through the middle of the stack. We have a bunch of old tobacco hanging poles in our barn, so we have quite a stash! Perfect use.


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