Metal firewood racks... who buys them?

[derecskey]

Does anybody actually buy those 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 etc storage racks made out of metal with a cover, like these here? (broken link removed)

I mean, honestly, $249 for something that doesn't even store a cord? The idea of burning wood, for most folks, is a matter of saving money first and foremost. Everything else is just a perk.

I would have to think anybody buying these is a recreational burner. Anyone here buy them? Anyone ever even seen one in someone's yard?

 

[FrankMA]

I saw those and thought the same thing. I went and bought some 2 x 6's and built my own racks - 1'8" wide x 5' high x 12' long. They hold about 3/4 of a cord and are very strong. I built them from a set of drawings I found on-line. Much less expensive and I'll bet will last a whole bunch longer.

I did see racks similar to those from a company that sells split and kiln dried wood. They deliver about a 1/2 cord in the rack (all stacked) for the whopping sum of $ 325.00. Subsequent orders are only $ 275.00 thereafter - WOW what a bargain!

 

[Jeb1heat]

d key,

I looked at metal racks made by Woodhaven. Nice looking with cover system that slides down the four corner posts as wood is depleted. I did not buy however, just too much $$$ for what I was trying to accomplish - storage. If you are considering rack storage options, most guys I've heard use pallets or build their own. I did find a rack solution from Northern tool that works for me. I paid $14.00/pair for hard black plastic bases that are used to make your own size rack. Each piece has 4 inputs the size of a 2 x 4. Two horizontal, two vertical. The wood is kept about 5 inches off the ground and as long as you are on a level surface, they are solid. I think you can also get them at Harbor freight tool co.

Good luck...

 

[smokinj]

They have some cool stuff!

 

[Jake]

i got a cheap one i bought on clearance for around 15 bucks, I figured, i'd have at least that much into the wood if i built one, It sits in my garage

 

[bsruther]

There are too many ways that you can easily make wood racks to be spending more than a few dollars on it. To me it's all about doing it for free. If I spend money, it's on important things like the stove itself or the saw or the splitter. I'd put that money towards heating oil before I'd spend it on a rack.

I don't think twice about spending money on beer and whiskey though.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Does anybody actually buy those 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 etc storage racks made out of metal with a cover, like these here? (broken link removed to http://www.spitjack.com/page/SJ/PROD/LOGSPLIT/LOGRACK-WH-144)

I mean, honestly, $249 for something that doesn't even store a cord? The idea of burning wood, for most folks, is a matter of saving money first and foremost. Everything else is just a perk.

I would have to think anybody buying these is a recreational burner. Anyone here buy them? Anyone ever even seen one in someone's yard?

I'm embarrassed to admit I did buy a couple of those my first year burning, although somewhat less expensive. They are nice racks, but as you say, don't even hold enough unless you're just recreational, which is what I thought I was going to do before the price of heating oil skyrocketed. Now I'm a complete ideological wood heat fanatic.

 

[gyrfalcon]

d key,

I looked at metal racks made by Woodhaven. Nice looking with cover system that slides down the four corner posts as wood is depleted. I did not buy however, just too much $$$ for what I was trying to accomplish - storage. If you are considering rack storage options, most guys I've heard use pallets or build their own. I did find a rack solution from Northern tool that works for me. I paid $14.00/pair for hard black plastic bases that are used to make your own size rack. Each piece has 4 inputs the size of a 2 x 4. Two horizontal, two vertical. The wood is kept about 5 inches off the ground and as long as you are on a level surface, they are solid. I think you can also get them at Harbor freight tool co.

Good luck...

Level surface is the key with those. I wasted some money on them for stacking on my very uneven and sloped ground, and watched my stacks fall over a couple days later.

 

[billb3]

Out there somewhere (I've never seen one but apperently they exist) are catalogues of "stuff" for people (like me) who claim they want nothing for Christmas. I've gotten a cheaper version and setting it up on the porch every Halloween with some white birch logs and taking it back in in March or April is my pennance.

 

[gerry100]

$249 It's firewood for chrissakes, it doesn't need clothes.

Looks like something from the "Front Gate" catalogues where they have chrome plated covers for rolls of toilet paper.

If you feel you need a rack, you can get some metal brackets that you can use with 2x4's to buid one the size and length you need.( plastic ones may not hold up to abuse in the cold)

Of course. your wood might be embarassed

 

[bsruther]

Here are some of my racks. I made them out of a bunch of metal tubes a friend gave me. I have six of them all together. There are four racks under the awning holding about 2 cords. I don't like to go far for my wood, but I still wouldn't pay for racks. I'd find another way.

 

[Jake]

nice piece o walnut there

 

[andybaker]

I felt guilty spending $20 on a firewood rack tarp. Built my own out of 2x4's, leave the sides intact and just attach the tops and bottoms - 15 mins and good to go.

 

[bsruther]

nice piece o walnut there

Yep, that's exactly what it is. My friend and I went up in the woods yesterday, where they've been logging. That piece was from what was left of the base. We are going to try and make tables out of them after they dry. There are a lot of tops that were left up there, huge tops. Ash, Cherry, Oak and walnut. Owners live out of state, so I'll have to wait to get permission to take any. Although there's a guy I know with adjoining property about to have 50 trees logged from it that I know I'll get.

 

[JotulOwner]

My first year (last year) I built racks out of 2x4 lumber. They worked fine but didn't look great in the yard. This year I put most of my wood on 4x8 platforms I built mostly out of the wood from last year's racks. Not beautiful, but functional and not ugly. They hold a full cord each. I did buy a few metal racks . Two were those cheepie tubular steel ones. I paid $120 for two that (both together) hold almost 2/3 cord. They work and look fine. The other is a 12 foot long Woodhaven with cover that holds half a cord. I use it for the wood I burn first. Yes, it was expensive, but the quality was superior to anything else I have seen out there. If you stack any of your wood where appearance (and quality) is an important consideration, this rack may be for you. In my experience, you get what you pay for (sometimes less), but when you buy cheap, you most certainly can expect to be disappointed.

 

[pyro68]

that's great to read, love some of the comments. The store where I work sells the woodhaven racks, they really sell and I've always wondered. . . never had the nerve to ask someone why on earth they are buying something like that. We always picked a couple of trees, laid whatever we had around on the ground to stack it on, and there you go. You might be a redneck if . . . :lol: Either that or I cross stack the end and i'm done.

 

[pyro68]

that's great to read, love some of the comments. The store where I work sells the woodhaven racks, they really sell and I've always wondered. . . never had the nerve to ask someone why on earth they are buying something like that. We always picked a couple of trees, laid whatever we had around on the ground to stack it on, and there you go. You might be a redneck if . . . :cheese: Either that or I cross stack the end and i'm done.

 

[bsruther]

that's great to read, love some of the comments. The store where I work sells the woodhaven racks, they really sell and I've always wondered. . . never had the nerve to ask someone why on earth they are buying something like that. We always picked a couple of trees, laid whatever we had around on the ground to stack it on, and there you go. You might be a redneck if . . . :cheese: Either that or I cross stack the end and i'm done.

Yeah but aren't you worried about people driving by and seeing your tacky wood stacks? Oh and what about the home owners association? Could you imagine a bunch of nosey women telling you that your wood stacks aren't up to par and that your not using the right racks.?
A neatly stacked pile of wood is a beautiful thing no matter what it's sitting on.

 

[pyro68]

lol, where we lived the only ones that saw the stacks were the deer, skunks, possum ect, the stacks were neat, just connecting the trees in the back yard. Made a nice fence! The squirrels may have had a homeowners association, never asked!!

 

[crazy_dan]

I have 1 of those type racks in side to put my wood on it is the kind that has the side poles you slide on to 2x4's and mine holds about 1/3 of a cord.

I don't stack my wood outside anymore it is just piled up in to 11 truckloads per pile I figure that is about 5 cords (slightly more but I to over guesstimate) I figure 1 pile per year and will have 5 piles end of this winter. after what happened this summer I will stack no more except for in the house. now i call it c.s.p. (cut, split, piled)

 

[stejus]

Follow this link and build your own. Basic wood working skills needed and about $30 in parts. This one is 8' long but you can adjust for any length.

(broken link removed to http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/woodworking/4268584.html)

 

[bsa0021]

Follow this link and build your own. Basic wood working skills needed and about $30 in parts. This one is 8' long but you can adjust for any length.

(broken link removed to http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/woodworking/4268584.html)

Too much work/money for me....I use 2 landscape timbers and 2 pieces of 10' rebar (cut in half) drill 4 holes and your done. Under $20 and takes 5 minutes.

I have used the plastic thing that you add your own 2x4s but the ends lean too much. I have a couple tube racks I bought at HD/Lowes on clearance. One brand broke a few others have been through several seasons but I only spent $10-$15 not $200.

 

[Justin M]

I use some of (broken link removed to http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xr5/R-100394868/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053) from Home Depot. They work well, but if I need more I think I will just get (broken link removed to http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xr5/R-100670806/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053) plastic brackets next time since they are cheaper.

 

[NWfuel]

Who buy's $249.00 firewood racks? Well I know I have sold over a couple hundred of the Woodhaven racks to my customers. I have never had one complaint or issue with them. This is what I like about fire, people from all walks of life and all incomes enjoy sitting in front of them. To have a fire could cost one person $25.00 each time they burn one, so what! they probably are sitting in front of their computer making 10 times that per hour. While we are out cutting and splitting our fuel they are at their summer homes. To put this into another dimension how about one of my customers who just put over 1.5 million into his landscape. All of us here have paid out to this guy at one time or another. This also includes a outdoor fireplace that costs over $80,000 just to burn in maybe twice a year. So between this guy and me there are lots of people who will spend $249.00 on a quality firewood rack. There are upper end and lower end firewood consumers.

 

[BrotherBart]

To put this into another dimension how about one of my customers who just put over 1.5 million into his landscape. All of us here have paid out to this guy at one time or another. This also includes a outdoor fireplace that costs over $80,000 just to burn in maybe twice a year.

How is Bill doing these days?