The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Firewood and Wood Heating => Topic started by: Firewood fanatic on July 06, 2025, 11:09:39 PM

Title: Stacking wood
Post by: Firewood fanatic on July 06, 2025, 11:09:39 PM
Looking into stacking wood for people, and I want to stack it the right way and do it right. I want to know to stack the wood with bark up or down. Google says the bottom layer down, then the rest up. Is that true? Just wanted to hear it straight from guys that have done it and know what they are talking about! Thanks!
Title: Re: Stacking wood
Post by: barbender on July 07, 2025, 12:43:42 AM
I wouldn't worry about it too much. I just stack it how the piece fits the tightest. But I've never given it much thought.
Title: Re: Stacking wood
Post by: doc henderson on July 07, 2025, 01:35:02 AM
It is true you start at the bottom and work up. ffsmiley   Mine goes up the conveyor belt and into a crate loose.  It dries there and then gets stacked behind the house under an upper level of a tri-level, so it is out of the rain.  the face of the stack faces south and gets direct sunlight.  My dad told me when I started mowing lawn, that the nice little old lady next door who cannot see to get up her front stairs will see one little blade of grass out by the street.  As a professional firewood guy and if you include stacking, make sure to set the limits of what this entails.  I would want a designated space poss. in writing.  it would be nice to have a rack or at least up off the ground.  You need to defy gravity, so you cannot have all the thick ends at the back and have a kid climb the stack and have it tumble over on them.  Could be a great lesson for them if they are not seriously hurt, but not all grandmas see thing that way anymore.  Guess I am picking on all the little old ladies.  I made myself a nice 4 foot by 12-foot rack that fits the space.  there is one egress window that cannot be covered but at 16-inch chunks, it holds half a cord.   I bought little plastic end plugs that fit 1.5-inch square tubing, and it looks great.  If you are a fabricator, there is another high end poss., making custom firewood racks.  Not too tall and flip the wood to keep the stack straight.  I also have a 10-inch square tamper and will bump the front to even up the front of the stack.  we have slump block on the house in that spot.  I may take a pic, when the sun comes up.  Safety first, then aesthetics is what will keep the non-firewood stacking client coming back.
Title: Re: Stacking wood
Post by: thecfarm on July 07, 2025, 05:04:37 AM
I just stack it so it doesn't fall over.
Title: Re: Stacking wood
Post by: cutterboy on July 07, 2025, 07:56:16 PM
Quote from: thecfarm on July 07, 2025, 05:04:37 AMI just stack it so it doesn't fall over.
I do too but it falls over anyway. :veryangry:

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Title: Re: Stacking wood
Post by: gspren on July 07, 2025, 08:46:28 PM
I believe the first row bark down is if stacking on dirt to help keep moisture from migrating upwards into the wood, I always avoid stacked wood touching the ground so didn't pay much attention to the bark because I also covered the top.
Title: Re: Stacking wood
Post by: thecfarm on July 07, 2025, 08:58:07 PM
I've had a few stacks fall over. Or I should say we, brothers and me.
Woodshed was attached to the house.
When it fell over the whole house would know!!!
I can still hear my Father say, There, that will give you something to do.
Seems like most times it fell over when everyone was sleeping. These stacks was 10-12 feet high. One would stand on one pile, and another would pass wood up to him.
Title: Re: Stacking wood
Post by: barbender on July 07, 2025, 11:53:20 PM
The last few jobs of the winter, when the snowbanks are tall, there's always a few forwarder operators that don't properly prep the base of their piles. 100 cords tipped over after the snow melts is a real fun mess to clean up🤦
Title: Re: Stacking wood
Post by: Firewood fanatic on July 16, 2025, 11:09:46 PM
Sorry for the late response, but it sounds like I just neeed to make the stack look nice and presentable, and not worry as much about where the bark goes, thanks everyone! Also, what would you guys charge do stack a three cord load? In previous posts on different topics I said 75$ per cord, but now I'm thinking $100 for three cord. Once we have more time we want to do one and two cord deliveries. I'll then charge $50 for one cord, $75 for two cord, then $100 for three cord. Does that sound like a good price?
Title: Re: Stacking wood
Post by: doc henderson on July 17, 2025, 02:54:56 AM
Remind me, is there an additional charge for the delivery?  You could make the stacking 100 bucks for all volumes.  How long does it take to stack, vs just dumping it on the ground?  How picky are your customers?  what if they do not want any driving on the lawn?  Sounds cheap and some may take advantage.