Drying wood quickly? Anyone heard of a Holz Hausen?

[Todd]

I bet this method is used in Europe for people that have limited space for stacking firewood. If you don't have the room for row after row, one pile would make sense. The piles I have seen around here are all in small yards.

I have limited space, so I think I'll try 3ea 7' piles. I was going to have 6 ea 24' rows, but the HH would take up less space next to my garage. I have 3 cords stacked there have been drying for 6 months, so it should be good to go for next season. The wood I' processing now will have over a year to dry out. I don't buy the 3 month dry time. I'll give it a full year.

 

[Todd]

Here is another link for the wood house.

(broken link removed to http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature_and_environment/1986_november_december/holzhaufen)

 

[Todd]

Just finished building an 8' Holz Hausen. I only got 2.5 cords into it, was hoping for 3 cords. Pretty cool looking, and I will save alot of space by doing this. Have room for 2 more if I cut that much more wood. I took pictures but my computer wont take them. Bummer!

 

[Mo Heat]

Todd, I hope you can figure out how to post those photos.

Everyone, Does this look like a holzhauzen? (broken link removed to http://www.gransfors.com/htm_eng/yxboken/bok04.htm)

Lucy says, "Der un holz kopf, Charlie Brown" (or something like that). Sorry Marty, I enjoy your trailers.

 

[Todd]

Yep, it's a Holzhausen or is it Holzhaufen?

 

[wahoowad]

Mo - is this what you meant? (broken link removed to http://www.gransfors.com/htm_eng/yxboken/bok04.htm)


Cool - a wood choppers net "Holzhackers Netz" www.gransfors.com/ htmer/netz.html

 

[fbelec]

mo i tried the link and didn't see one.
i am i that dense or was i suppose to click another link from there

 

[Mo Heat]

wahoowad, Yep. I posted the wrong page on that site. Thanks, I updated my link also.
fbelec, my mistake. try it again.

 

[Sandor]

Just finished building an 8' Holz Hausen. I only got 2.5 cords into it, was hoping for 3 cords. Pretty cool looking, and I will save alot of space by doing this. Have room for 2 more if I cut that much more wood. I took pictures but my computer wont take them. Bummer!

How did you determine just how many cords your HH held?? Had the wood been previously stacked in right angular fashion?? Or was that the amount that a wood supplier told you was delivered??

While an eight foot tall pile might, indeed, seem to yield/create more space, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that for a given height, any structure with sloped sides will require a larger footprint than one with vertical sides in order to contain a given volume. Sooooo, my point is that, either you are kidding yourself about 'saving space' OR you've got some 'splainin' to do.

I hope he built it 8' in diameter and not in height. Never seen anyone stack wood on a stepladder.

 

[Todd]

It is 8' wide by 8' tall. I'm a pretty tall guy, but I still had to stand on my tippy toes to get the top pieces in place. The artical also states it will shrink when the wood drys so the pile should be reachable for me next fall. (I hope)

I was trying to figure how big to make it to fit 3 full cords. So I went with this formula. Height x PI X Radius Squared or 8x3.14x16= 401. 3 cord is 384 cubic ft. I figured the top would not be square with the bottom so there would be a little fudge in that formula. I used firewood I had stacked up in 3 ea 20' rows or 320 cu ft. It didn't all fit and was left with about 1 10' row or 60cuft. So I ended up with a 260 cu ft Holzhausen. I guess its just shy of 2.5 cords. Sorry, I just kind of eyeballed it and never did the math til now. My math is probably off to.

It does save me space, but that's because it's stacked higher than I could stack safely with regular rows. This thing is very solid and sturdy, no more tipped over rows. I can put 3 of these with over 6 cords next to my garage. 6 rows would take up too much room for me.

 

[Todd]

Ok, I think I got it to work. Here is a pic of my Holzhausen. It aint perfect, but pretty cool lookin.

 

[Todd]

Another angle

 

[Todd]

Impressive.

What's the name of that body of water in the background??

Do you find increased morning humidity (dew) than in other places that you've lived?? I live DEEP in a valley with a medium sized river thirty yards from my place, and it sure seems as tho things get moist...despite being in the open.

Lake Wissota, Now that you brought it up, I guess the humidity is a little higher next to the lake.

 

[Mo Heat]

Todd,

I'd have to agree that is one fine looking wood pile! Best I've ever seen, in fact.

I'll have to run this by Mrs. Mo Heat (SWMBO), but I think I have to try this too. She hates the plywood and garbage bags I use to cover my rows.

Do you think the top layer will work like shingles funneling water away and keep the pile dry?

 

[Todd]

Todd,

I'd have to agree that is one fine looking wood pile! Best I've ever seen, in fact.

I'll have to run this by Mrs. Mo Heat (SWMBO), but I think I have to try this too. She hates the plywood and garbage bags I use to cover my rows.

Do you think the top layer will work like shingles funneling water away and keep the pile dry?

Yes, the top layer should be flat splits with the bark up to repel water.

 

[fbelec]

todd very nice looking and definitely a space saver.
can you get a pic of the top?

i would think water is still going to get in and keep it wet.
you can't tarp it, that would defeat the purpose of the way it's built in the middle. (chimney affect)

todd will your stack get any sun where it is?

i would think the more sun the better the stack heats up the better the chimney affect.

 

[Todd]

todd very nice looking and definitely a space saver.
can you get a pic of the top?

i would think water is still going to get in and keep it wet.
you can't tarp it, that would defeat the purpose of the way it's built in the middle. (chimney affect)

todd will your stack get any sun where it is?

i would think the more sun the better the stack heats up the better the chimney affect.

Yea , I think water will still get in. I could always throw a tarp over it if there is a real soaker on the way.

I'll get about a half day of sun there. Too many trees in my yard, but the wind seems to funnel through the area pretty well.

 

[Marcus]

Very nice looking Todd. How long did it take to build? I think in the spirit of the experiment it should go uncovered because everything I have read about HH does not mention covering the structure.

 

[Todd]

Very nice looking Todd. How long did it take to build? I think in the spirit of the experiment it should go uncovered because everything I have read about HH does not mention covering the structure.

It took about 3 hrs to build.

I will leave it uncovered, but the wood I built it with has already been sitting for 6 months, so its half way to being ready to burn. I will build another with fresh split Oak as soon as I process enough.

 

[Bushfire]

Hey Todd,

Having spent some of my childhood in Germany (and summer vacations in Austria and Switzeralnd), I'm familiar with these structures, but only now remembered them thanks to your incredible go at it. What did you use as the pole in the middle? Those folks that live in the alps really know how to stack firewood.

(broken link removed)

 

[BrotherBart]

Hey Todd,

Having spent some of my childhood in Germany (and summer vacations in Austria and Switzeralnd), I'm familiar with these structures, but only now remembered them thanks to your incredible go at it. What did you use as the pole in the middle? Those folks that live in the alps really know how to stack firewood.

(broken link removed)

Hell, I think they offer masters courses in stacking firewood in Switzerland. Every stack exactly the same height and every stick in it the same length.

Sheesh!

 

[pinetop]

my wife wouldn 't groan about stacked fire wood being unsightly if i did it that way sculptured wood how many cords in that holz hausen?

 

[Mo Heat]

my wife wouldn 't groan about stacked fire wood being unsightly if i did it that way sculptured wood how many cords in that holz hausen?

7 ft holz hausen = 2.0 cords ( (broken link removed to http://www.thechimneysweep.ca/6seasoningwood.html) )
8 ft holz hausen = 2.5 cords (Todd)
9 ft holz hausen = (unknown)
10 ft holz hausen = 6.0 cords ( (broken link removed to http://www.thechimneysweep.ca/6seasoningwood.html) )

 

[Todd]

Hey Todd,

Having spent some of my childhood in Germany (and summer vacations in Austria and Switzeralnd), I'm familiar with these structures, but only now remembered them thanks to your incredible go at it. What did you use as the pole in the middle? Those folks that live in the alps really know how to stack firewood.

(broken link removed)

I used a 8' lanscaping timber. I want to build another, but we had about 12" of snow this week, so it will have to wait.

 

[begreen]

Hey Todd,

Having spent some of my childhood in Germany (and summer vacations in Austria and Switzeralnd), I'm familiar with these structures, but only now remembered them thanks to your incredible go at it. What did you use as the pole in the middle? Those folks that live in the alps really know how to stack firewood.

(broken link removed)

Hell, I think they offer masters courses in stacking firewood in Switzerland. Every stack exactly the same height and every stick in it the same length.

Sheesh!

That was, until the advent of satellite TV in the mountains.

Two shots:
1980 BTV and 2005 ATV