# Wood storage racks



## Badgers96 (Jan 13, 2013)

I am looking for some outdoor and garage wood storage racks. The ones from woodlanddirect.com (http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Fireplace-Accessories/Outdoor-Firewood-Racks) look pretty nice. Anyone have any experience with these racks or this company?  Thanks!


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## jeff_t (Jan 13, 2013)

The Woodhaven stuff is nice. I have the 2x2 rack on my hearth. Pretty dang expensive, but well made, in the USA. I don't know if the big ones are, but my small one is powder coated.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jan 13, 2013)

Welcome to the forum Badgers.

No experience with them but why even spend a dollar on a wood rack? Just stack it up and be done with it. All we use under the wood is saplings we cut in the woods. One could also use something like landscape timbers or many other things. The ends can just be stacked with a cribbing effect and they will last for many years. This way there is no extra expense for the wood piles.


Stacked outdoors.




Stacked in barn for winter use.




This picture along with the first one was stacked in April, 2009. Most of it is still there and still stacked.


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## DexterDay (Jan 13, 2013)

You could make your own, with some Rutland Stack-n-store brackets. Or as Backwoods said, you really dont need any. 

I do it both ways. I have 8 racks (4.5' x 12') and a large stack.


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## Gasifier (Jan 13, 2013)

Backwoods and Dexterday have a nice system. If you want to save your money another way you might think about doing it is with free pallets. I build cribs with them now. Pallets on the ground, usually 4 palletts long(16'). Then stand one up and fasten with a 45 degree angle board of some sort like a 2x4, 2x3, 1x4, etc. I have learned it is easy to pre drill a quick hole in the hardwood before you drive a screw or nail in and it saves from splitting of the wood. Let's see if I can find a pic. Hopefully you can get the idea. Kind of far away. But they are free and make strong cribs. Then, after many years of solid use, when they start to get old on ya you can burn them!


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## swagler85 (Jan 13, 2013)

DexterDay said:


> You could make your own, with some Rutland Stack-n-store brackets. Or as Backwoods said, you really dont need any.
> 
> I do it both ways. I have 8 racks (4.5' x 12') and a large stack.
> 
> ...


Show off 

Hahaha JK man your stacks are perfect! I wish I could stack half that straight.


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## Beer Belly (Jan 13, 2013)




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## Blue2ndaries (Jan 14, 2013)

I still think Dex uses a transit to line up them stacks...man those look good!


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## Cross Cut Saw (Jan 14, 2013)

Backwoods Savage said:


> This picture along with the first one was stacked in April, 2009. Most of it is still there and still stacked.


 
Including Dennis in that very same pose.


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## Cross Cut Saw (Jan 14, 2013)

I grabbed an 8' metal rack to store wood on my porch in (see my avatar) for only $40 and it looks nice and does the job.
If it were in the yard I'd just stack it on some pallets:


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## MasterMech (Jan 14, 2013)

DexterDay said:


> You could make your own, with some Rutland Stack-n-store brackets. Or as Backwoods said, you really dont need any.
> 
> I do it both ways. I have 8 racks (4.5' x 12') and a large stack.
> 
> ...


 
Dang, now I know why those stacks look so uniform, all the wedges are point the same way!


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## Mr A (Jan 14, 2013)

I bought a wood rack, then got to thinking, I don't need this. Got my money back. A cross crib stack works as good as a rack


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## Cross Cut Saw (Jan 14, 2013)

Mr A said:


> I bought a wood rack, then got to thinking, I don't need this. Got my money back. A cross crib stack works as good as a rack


I think so too, but for the back porch I wanted something I could just throw the wood on and pile it high.

I fill that thing up every 2 weeks or so and it takes me an hour to do it, if I made the cross crib stacks it would take me at least an hour and 8 minutes...


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## loadstarken (Jan 14, 2013)

They make some nice stuff with the price to match!
Makes me want to find a cheaper alternative for my porch.


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## DexterDay (Jan 14, 2013)

MasterMech said:


> Dang, now I know why those stacks look so uniform, all the wedges are point the same way!



And know my secret is out 

I always try and do bark down,  even if frowned upon...


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## MasterMech (Jan 14, 2013)

Here's something I'm thinking about cooking up. The major downside to racks like these is that they take up space, even when empty.

I know there are a couple errors. 8.5" pices should be angle cut on both ends, not just one, and there are a couple missing dimensions, the biggest being that the bed height should be 6".

Rack should hold about 1/2 cord if cut to 18" length. If I build 'em 2 at a time, they should cost about $75 each in materials.


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## JimFNJ (Jan 14, 2013)

MasterMech said:


> Here's something I'm thinking about cooking up. The major downside to racks like these is that they take up space, even when empty.
> 
> I know there are a couple errors. 8.5" pices should be angle cut on both ends, not just one, and there are a couple missing dimensions, the biggest being that the bed height should be 6".
> 
> Rack should hold about 1/2 cord if cut to 18" length. If I build 'em 2 at a time, they should cost about $75 each in materials.


I'm planning to build a nice rack for my deck and want to build something simple like this. What software did you use to make those plans?


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## MasterMech (Jan 14, 2013)

JimFNJ said:


> I'm planning to build a nice rack for my deck and want to build something simple like this. What software did you use to make those plans?


 
Old copy of AutoSketch 9.

It's worth mentioning that you can buy a rack for the same price.  But not gonna be anywhere near as heavy duty, and doesn't hold quite as much.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...kw={keyword}&gclid=COv56KCj6LQCFUWo4AodKXoAJA


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## JimFNJ (Jan 14, 2013)

MasterMech said:


> Old copy of AutoSketch 9.
> 
> It's worth mentioning that you can buy a rack for the same price. But not gonna be anywhere near as heavy duty, and doesn't hold quite as much.
> 
> http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200413779_200413779?cm_mmc=Google-pla-_-Logging-_-Logging Accessories-_-67077&ci_sku=67077&cipa=pla&ci_kw={keyword}&gclid=COv56KCj6LQCFUWo4AodKXoAJA


Thanks! I want my rack to fit in specific dimensions and already have most of the lumber, so I don't want to use a pre-fab rack.


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## MasterMech (Jan 14, 2013)

JimFNJ said:


> Thanks! I want my rack to fit in specific dimensions and already have most of the lumber, so I don't want to use a pre-fab rack.


Same here, I don't want it to exceed 10 feet, need to maximize available space. And I'll be building them from 1.5" square 14 Ga Steel Tubing. 

And welcome to the forums by the way.


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## Applesister (Jan 14, 2013)

Badgers96 said:


> I am looking for some outdoor and garage wood storage racks. The ones from woodlanddirect.com (http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Fireplace-Accessories/Outdoor-Firewood-Racks) look pretty nice. Anyone have any experience with these racks or this company?  Thanks!


Badgers96 your personal taste is for you alone. What do you like?
The web link has some really sharp racks but it was all really pricey. I think it might be okay to say that it would be nice to invest in one or two really well made iron racks for their beauty. For a great view off your patio...boat dock...front porch. To enhance the landscape...
And then for the main bulk of your wood stacks you may want to consider what your personal preferences are for your creative problem solving inner voice may say for your particular situation. Do you want a shed? To keep the wood out of view, to keep it dry. Do you want to make your own? Can you weld? Do you want to try all things? Do you want to seperate different wood species?
I started with racks that measure facecords because I bought wood and wanted to see what I was getting. Its a good rule of thumb to stack in measuring increments at first. Facecord, half cord, etc. 4 X 8. All my racks measure in facecord increments. When you start stacking by the cord you have to switch materials.
If you are creative, woodracks are a great do-it-yourself project. I buy the Rutland brackets and paint 2 x 4" with black paint.  
Also, whatever you buy and whatever you make will be useful for storage for many years. I have 2 iron log hoops Ive had for 30 years. In the horse business I was always told to buy the best I could afford. But these days what comes my way thats free has the best attraction.


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