How high can you pile 40 pound bags?

[Stentor]

I know that sounds like a weird question but I want to consolidate space. I'm getting four tons of pellets in the usual 40 pound bags. A ton is 2000 pounds. So, that will be five 40 pound bags packed tight together and piled up in ten rows. As a practical matter, I want to take the bags in one ton and put many of them on top the other three. Does that make sense?

 

[defield]

I have one storage area in my basement with pellets stacked 14 rows high, 8 bags per row. Could have stacked one or two more rows before hitting the 1st. floor joists ( basement ceiling ), but was getting too hard to place bags in the back corners.

 

[mjbrown]

makes sense to me...just make sure you pack the next 3 rows good and tight and you shouldnt have a problem.

mike

 

[whippingwater]

I went 16 rows high on a pallet last year, but, use the best pallet.

 

[Tom Pencil]

I have 411 bags on 5 pallets. Would have gone higher but ran out of bags.

 

[smoke show]

this many for sure.

 

[Xena]

You guys must be tall. I can only get 13 rows on.
After that I'd need a step ladder. lol

 

[jtakeman]

14 rows for me or like Zeta, I would need a ladder to reach.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

Ceiling height helps.
Eric

 

[jtakeman]

Ceiling height helps.
Eric

Show OFF! %-P

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I guess it would depend on the compression strength of the pellets. As long as they don't crush themselves you can still go up. You might need to make it into a pyramid shape to keep it from falling over though.

Matt

 

[Stentor]

Thanks all. Useful comments and impressive pictures. Got four tons delivered today: two Okanagan and two New England Wood Pellets. For now they're shrink wrapped still and tucked nice and neat in one part of the garage. Over the summer I'll save some more space. I think what I have to do is keep them packed tight when I add new rows and don't make them so high I can't reach them. Hopefully a few extra rows won't be a compression problem. And that pyramid idea should work.

It was over 70 degrees today and sunny. It's nice to be set for the fall and ready to enjoy summer. This first year with a pellet stove has been a success. (And reading this board has been an education!)

 

[charles u farley]

If you have to break down a pallet you can stabilize the pile and stack a vertical column higher by throwing in a layer of heavy paper every 6 or so rows. Keeps the edge column linked to the rest of the pile and it can't tip away from the pile.