Holzhausen

[Dobish]

i would think that an oval would be hard to get right in a smaller pattern.

 

[Fuut Master]

Love the Christmas lights

 

[JSeery]

I think my next stack I will modify into an oval shape so it will contain more wood in a smaller footprint. Anyone try that instead of the usual circle?

I saw a guy on YouTube do one kind of like that. He called it a "HolzTwinkie" as it kind of had that shape. Long pile with rounded edges. Here's one video but I've seen others with the pile completed.

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Myself, I've never done a holzhaus, traditional or otherwise, but I plan to make one this winter. My space is longer than it is wide, so I'll probably try to build one like this to maximize storage space. My area has crushed rock underneath so I might just forgo the pallets since I have a feeling they will collapse anyway.

 

[velvetfoot]

Based on my experience, I don't go higher than 5' on my square stacks. Even though you can go higher with the holtz, productivity must decrease since you have to lift and place the splits over your head; also when removing.

 

[Ghostrider]

Even though you can go higher with the holtz, productivity must decrease since you have to lift and place the splits over your head; also when removing.

Productivity does seem to drop once you get over your head when stacking, but for retreiving wood from the top is where the hookeroon comes in real handy

 

[Dobish]

when its over your head, you can just drive the back of the truck right into it and fill it up, right?

 

[Cluttermagnet]

here's a small one that I have posted before..... right now i have piles, stacks, rows, quick stacks, 2x4/cinderblock stacks.... i need to get a better pick of what I have...

View attachment 197935 View attachment 197936

You've convinced me to try a small Holzhausen this fall.

 

[Ghostrider]

When I get a chance I will post pics of my holz. Have one covered in clear plastic as a redneck solar kiln. Thought i would try it. Had too much condensation building up and start of some mold growth so I cut a small vent hole at top. If i climb on top of holz and hold my hand over the vent i can feel lots of hot most air moving up and out. Anyone else try a solar kiln in this method?

 

[Tegbert]

A buddy of mine sent me a video with this in it since I mentioned I need to build a wood shed. Kinda cool especially since the base and top connect so you hopefully don't lose a cover just a little steep on price and I would need probably two for each year of wood supply as I think the max it would hold about 2.2 cords per the diagram so it would get expensive to have enough for 3 or more years ahead.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY6118S/?tag=hearthamazon-20


I've been contemplating building a holz since I have limited space to store and dry wood and that I wouldn't really need to move it again once stacked.


Lopi Rockport

 

[Prof]

A buddy of mine sent me a video with this in it since I mentioned I need to build a wood shed. Kinda cool especially since the base and top connect so you hopefully don't lose a cover just a little steep on price and I would need probably two for each year of wood supply as I think the max it would hold about 2.2 cords per the diagram so it would get expensive to have enough for 3 or more years ahead.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY6118S/?tag=hearthamazon-20


I've been contemplating building a holz since I have limited space to store and dry wood and that I wouldn't really need to move it again once stacked.


Lopi Rockport

That is a little costly--I'd have a grand or two tied up in covering the wood. I do cut a tarp in a circle for the bottom. Helps me stay true to the circle and also acts as a barrier to mushroom mycelium coming up from the ground into the wood.

 

[WoodyIsGoody]

A buddy of mine sent me a video with this in it since I mentioned I need to build a wood shed. Kinda cool especially since the base and top connect so you hopefully don't lose a cover just a little steep on price and I would need probably two for each year of wood supply as I think the max it would hold about 2.2 cords per the diagram so it would get expensive to have enough for 3 or more years ahead.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY6118S/?tag=hearthamazon-20


I've been contemplating building a holz since I have limited space to store and dry wood and that I wouldn't really need to move it again once stacked.


Lopi Rockport

I see you're in Arlington, WA. I'm in Glacier. I think it's a bit wet around here for a Holzhousen to work very well. It would definitely increase curing time over methods more traditional in this area. I noticed there is no drip edge so all water from the "roof" will run down (and inside) the stack potentially creating mold/fungus. It would work if it had a gutter system to channel the rain water away from the stack and you had two years to let it season (three for slow drying species). I would also like to see small eaves to protect a bit from winter rains which often fall at a 10-20 degree angle from vertical due to normal winds. Otherwise the humidity inside the stack further slows the seasoning process.

I've had good success with this system:




Wind driven rain can still wet the wood but it will dry quickly and there is no big cover to hold humidity in. Water drains off the ends due to the corrugations.

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

yeah they look cool but seems to me they would take more effort to build and i'd rather cut down on my labor & time rather that increase it.

 

[St. Coemgen]

Don't make a full holzhausen, just round piles, and this is how I do it:

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

Black locust dries in one season. Oak takes two years.

 

[Tegbert]

I see you're in Arlington, WA. I'm in Glacier. I think it's a bit wet around here for a Holzhousen to work very well. It would definitely increase curing time over methods more traditional in this area. I noticed there is no drip edge so all water from the "roof" will run down (and inside) the stack potentially creating mold/fungus. It would work if it had a gutter system to channel the rain water away from the stack and you had two years to let it season (three for slow drying species). I would also like to see small eaves to protect a bit from winter rains which often fall at a 10-20 degree angle from vertical due to normal winds. Otherwise the humidity inside the stack further slows the seasoning process.

I've had good success with this system:


View attachment 199312

Wind driven rain can still wet the wood but it will dry quickly and there is no big cover to hold humidity in. Water drains off the ends due to the corrugations.

Yep in Arlington and That was my only concern is the wetness. But I really don't have the space to be storing a lot of wood where as these would cut my drying space in half or more that's why I'm interested in them.

Right now I have about 4-5 chords stacked drying in single rows but because of the space I have there is two rows about 38' long and one at about 30' and one slightly shorter at 26'. But are only separated by about 8" or so between them. They are covered but with a tarp but I did just acquire some panels like yours from a deck remodel for free so those are going on soon.

My issue is the space where these are at is really the only good area I have to dry wood that doesn't look bad for the neighbors and most importantly the wife. Plus the kids stay away from it. So when this is dry it needs to move to a shed so I have space to dry the next years supply. I am just trying to figure out ways to lower my handling of the wood to save time.

yeah they look cool but seems to me they would take more effort to build and i'd rather cut down on my labor & time rather that increase it.

Yeah they probably are more work but when you only really have one spot to dry wood (about 4-5 cords worth) and then need to move it to a shed to store and use so that same spot can be used again to dry wood, spending a little more time stacking only once is a nice option.




Lopi Rockport

 

[Tegbert]

I see you're in Arlington, WA. I'm in Glacier. I think it's a bit wet around here for a Holzhousen to work very well. It would definitely increase curing time over methods more traditional in this area. I noticed there is no drip edge so all water from the "roof" will run down (and inside) the stack potentially creating mold/fungus. It would work if it had a gutter system to channel the rain water away from the stack and you had two years to let it season (three for slow drying species). I would also like to see small eaves to protect a bit from winter rains which often fall at a 10-20 degree angle from vertical due to normal winds. Otherwise the humidity inside the stack further slows the seasoning process.

I've had good success with this system:


View attachment 199312

Wind driven rain can still wet the wood but it will dry quickly and there is no big cover to hold humidity in. Water drains off the ends due to the corrugations.

Yep in Arlington and That was my only concern is the wetness. But I really don't have the space to be storing a lot of wood where as these would cut my drying space in half or more that's why I'm interested in them.

Right now I have about 4-5 chords stacked drying in single rows but because of the space I have there is two rows about 38' long and one at about 30' and one slightly shorter at 26'. But are only separated by about 8" or so between them. They are covered but with a tarp but I did just acquire some panels like yours from a deck remodel for free so those are going on soon.

My issue is the space where these are at is really the only good area I have to dry wood that doesn't look bad for the neighbors and most importantly the wife. Plus the kids stay away from it. So when this is dry it needs to move to a shed so I have space to dry the next years supply. I am just trying to figure out ways to lower my handling of the wood to save time.

yeah they look cool but seems to me they would take more effort to build and i'd rather cut down on my labor & time rather that increase it.

Yeah they probably are more work but when you only really have one spot to dry wood (about 4-5 cords worth) and then need to move it to a shed to store and use so that same spot can be used again to dry wood, spending a little more time stacking only once is a nice option.




Lopi Rockport

 

[BoiledOver]

Just saw that some makers of portable garages are putting out a product termed as a seasoning shed. It is not something I would use but is another option for folks to consider.
http://www.shelterlogic.com/shop/firewood/

 

[kennyp2339]

I've been some videos from this dude out west, he seems pretty legit, anyway, in this video he actually has a holtz cover that wraps from underneath to the top, keeping the sides open for air. very interesting and I wish I figured this out.

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[WoodyIsGoody]

I've been some videos from this dude out west, he seems pretty legit, anyway, in this video he actually has a holtz cover that wraps from underneath to the top, keeping the sides open for air. very interesting and I wish I figured this out.

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That would work fine in many climates. The proper way to do it in the Maritime Pacific Northwest would be to stake the roof out to the sides so it forms a pavilion style roof and directs rain away from the sides and base of the stack. Since clay soils are the norm here, it's also important to have good surface drainage around the pile. I'm fortunate because my place is built upon a gigantic 7000 year old rock slide from the collapse of half of a huge mountain about 1/4 mile away. Basically a field of boulders 100 or more feet deep from one side of the valley to the other. No clay.

I've watched a bunch of his videos. Wranglestar is quite an enigma. In many ways he knows a lot of good, old-school stuff. But he's also quite the showman and very impractical with much of his advice. Maybe it's because he'll put anything in his videos as long as he thinks it will create more views.

 

[Tegbert]

That's the video my buddy sent me. The guy in the video lives in white salmon Wa.


Lopi Rockport