Wood Storage Pile

Methods of wood storage

For outdoor wood storage I use the traditional wood pile where I stack logs one on top of the other. In wintertime I cover this woodpile with a plastic sheet which I found to be effective in keeping the majority of the rain off the wood. I have a few old international shipping crates made from a heavy solid wood which I use for wood storage because they have a heavy duty wooden lid and protect against the elements when used in an exposed exterior location. Wooden boxes of any kind will suffice for keeping fire wood dry in rainy seasons and although they will rot over time you will get many years of use from them. A storage box made from most wood types will be durable and will last a long time (even outdoors).

Wood storage indoors

Homemade wooden storage boxes

I stack small twigs and a few logs into an old wooden shed at the back of the yard because it is nearest spot to the back yard door and provides easy access for the essentials of making a fire.

Wood that is not intended for burning and has more practical applications needs to be cared for in a different way. If you buy expensive wood for a new floor or wood stairs it will not be a good idea to store this timber in wooden sheds even if they are covered and damp proof.

Split wood

This wood must be brought into the main home to allow it to acclimatize to the heat and warmth of your home before you use it. Failure to do so could result in your new floor becoming buckled as the wood expands and contracts in conjunction with its new environment (the central heating system in the home).

For lumber wood storage the lengths should be place on wooden blocks and should have small wood blocks separating the lengths thus allowing air to circulate around the timber.

Metal racking Vs wooden shelves for outdoor wood storage

Good, solid steel, firewood storage racking can be bought to keep your wood high off the ground and dry. This is a good way to protect your winter fuel because it keeps at bay all the damaging insects and ants that feed on wood. The racking is easy to assemble (Make sure it is made from rust-resistant steel) and because the wood is kept off the soil it is free from the effect of rot. The lengths of the racks available are varied but can accommodate most spaces. Covers are available but you can make your own cover with plastic and use the logs to keep it in place. The advantage of this type of racking over your own home made DIY wooden shelves is that the metal unit can be disassembled during the summer months if you need to free up some space in your yard or garden.

Simple timber storage boxes

Because wood is versatile you can make a wood storage box (from wood) but you may have to buy some posts and ply board if you only have firewood to be covered. All you will need is four 4” x 4” posts which you should concrete into place (roughly a rectangular shape with the two rear support posts sunk lower than the front two).

Join the four posts with laths of timber (to sturdy them and create the roof platform) and place the ply board on top for the roof which will be sloped due to the lower rear posts.

Keep wood dry

The roof can be fiberglass, felt, plastic or other material once it keeps the rain off your stored wood. This is a basic, but functional shelter and can be modified by adding slatted timber to the sides and rear and possibly a door at the front.

Wooden chests

Small scale wooden storage used in most homes would be a blanket box or wooden chest or wooden wine rack. The children’s room could contain a wooden toy box. Old houses might have a wooden ledge in the kitchen for storage jars or jams.

Wood is beautiful

Wood is so versatile (not just as a storage medium) and is such a big part of everyday living as it is so tactile, that I hope wood storage and wooden artifacts remain with us forever.