Round logs. How to build a woodpile with your own hands? Choosing firewood for the woodpile

You can’t live without firewood in your dacha or country house. Even if gas is installed in the house, you need to heat the stove in the bathhouse, the fireplace in the house, and logs are needed for the grill and barbecue. The estimated amount of dry pine firewood for heating a house with an area of ​​100 m² in the autumn-winter period is about 2.1 m³; less birch firewood is required - 1.7 m³. We will take this amount as a base amount, since a lot depends on the insulation of the house, the glazed area, etc. Logs with a humidity of 15-20%, no more, are considered dry. To obtain this moisture content, they must be stored in a woodshed or properly stacked woodpile for at least one year. You will need a lot more raw firewood (freshly cut), because their calorific value is two times lower. Logs harvested in late autumn or winter quickly acquire the required moisture content. During these two seasons, the circulation of sap in the trees stops, and due to this, the logs dry out faster. Centuries-old experience suggests that a supply of firewood should be stored in the house for at least two heating seasons, based on your needs. And to the heating reserve you need to add the reserve for the barbecue, barbecue and stove in the bathhouse. So without firewood it’s like without water, neither here nor there (from the film “Volga-Volga”). Therefore, let's talk about how to properly fold and store logs and how to build a beautiful woodpile with your own hands.

Basic rules for storing firewood in a woodpile

Regardless of whether you store logs in a woodshed or just in a woodpile, there are certain rules. These rules stem from the vast experience of people, and simply from common sense:

Which firewood to choose

Important! Here are the factors that determine the heating value of firewood: wood density and moisture content. The greater the density of the wood, the more heat it will produce in the furnace firebox.

Oak has the highest density; it has the ability to smolder for a long time and thereby reduces the number of stacks in the stove, but oak firewood is quite expensive. Tree species with hardwood include birch, which is accessible to everyone, as well as beech and hornbeam. These are all hardwoods.

Species with medium hardness include fruit trees and conifers. Their calorific value is lower than that of birch. Pear and apple wood burn well. And the smoke from them has a pleasant aroma. Cherry logs burn worse. An affordable and good option is firewood from coniferous trees: pine, spruce, larch. There is a known problem with them - they “shoot” coals, so they must be used very carefully in open ovens. But there is also a “bonus”, which is that when burning such firewood releases essential oils. It is also good for health, and the premises are sanitized free of charge.

Softwood tree species include alder and aspen. They cost less than other firewood and burn completely in the stove. This quality is often used and placed at the very end to clear the chimney of soot. And in order for the calorific value of laying firewood to be higher, aspen logs are laid together with birch logs.

How to fold a round woodpile with your own hands

The simplest and most uncomplicated type of woodpile is a stack. We laid one row in one direction, maintaining spaces between the logs, and laid the next one in a perpendicular direction.

You can stack all the logs in one direction, also maintaining a distance between them for ventilation, but this design is unstable. In any case, the opposite ends of the stack must be reinforced with stakes to the full height of the woodpile.

To store a significant amount of harvested logs, there is another type of woodpile - round or stacked (it really resembles a haystack). Its main advantage is its compactness for large volumes of firewood.

We choose a well-ventilated, dry place and arrange a base of gravel or tree bark. The base will simultaneously serve as drainage.

Important! If you do not have experience laying a round woodpile, do not immediately try to set a record worthy of the Guinness Book of Records. Trying to immediately put together a very large round woodpile will result in an unpleasant need to redo everything.

Consider your first experience as the “first pancake” and try not to let it turn out lumpy. Whatever the result, one thing can be guaranteed for sure - it is a very exciting activity!

On the base we arrange a cross of two stakes of equal length. The crosspiece will help us maintain the correct radius of the round woodpile. We lay out the first row of logs in a circle, end to end.

We leave the center of our “stack” empty for now. After completion of the work, the empty center will serve as a kind of pipe, with the help of which good ventilation will be obtained. You can partially fill the center if you decide to stack a large woodpile. Then another row is laid out closer to the center, but the pipe is still preserved. However, we agreed to postpone the records for the future.

We lay the second layer in a perpendicular direction. We now have a slope towards the center of our “stack”. In this circle, the logs touch their side surfaces. And so we continue to stack the logs, while trying to maintain a slope towards the center. You can periodically add logs in the same direction as the first circle. In addition to maintaining the slope we need, such supports will give additional stability to the entire structure. And we need a slope to organize rainwater drainage.

By laying stakes crosswise at the same height, we will strengthen the woodpile. If the height of the structure is more than a meter and if there is an obvious excess of logs that cannot be stacked in this woodpile, you can start throwing them in any form into the empty center. In this case, ventilation will deteriorate quite slightly, because randomly thrown firewood will not impede air circulation. Firewood in the central structure will make the woodpile more stable.

We leave the flattest logs on the upper “floors” and lay them so that they form a domed roof. We will cover the roof with tree bark. This is enough to protect the firewood - tree bark is waterproof.

The advantages of laying logs in this way are obvious: they dry faster, the entire structure is stable, and much more logs can be stacked per unit area in this way. And what is important, the round woodpile has a very nice appearance. We don't care, do we?

We learned how to stack firewood in a round woodpile. And now a few photos that will once again prove that there is no limit to perfection.

Most cottages and private houses are heated using a stove or fireplace. Therefore, most owners are faced with the task of collecting firewood almost every season.

Splitting firewood is not a tricky task, but stacking it correctly is much more difficult. It is important that the woodpile looks neat and complies with several generally accepted rules for the good preservation of wood.

Woodpile options

The main thing is to stack firewood at the dacha so that it is well ventilated and does not get wet. Therefore, the woodpile must be placed on pallets. This way the bottom rows will not get damp and all the firewood will retain its properties for a long time.

The stability of the woodpile plays a big role. To ensure that the firewood does not spread in different directions and does not violate the integrity of the structure, various folding techniques are used. Usually the sides of the woodpile are secured with pegs or other suitable means.

It is worth highlighting the three most common options for laying firewood:

• cage - each row is carefully placed perpendicular to the previous one;
• stacked - logs are stacked on top of each other;
• stack - in this case the stack method is used, only the firewood is arranged in a circle.

There are other effective ways to store wood from external influences.

The most common option for stacking firewood on the street without a shed is to place a woodpile between the trees. The main thing is that they stand next to each other, otherwise the whole structure may fall apart. This option is not suitable for folding into a round woodpile.

You can also arrange to put firewood in a woodpile right under the windows of the house or near the bathhouse. In addition, in the warm season it can serve as a stand for flower boxes. At the same time, the firewood dries perfectly.

Sometimes you can stack chopped firewood outside without a shelter. Naturally, this is undesirable, but it is acceptable in cases where there is too much fuel and there is no suitable storage space.

Creative owners of private homes turn woodpiles into entire works of art. They fold them in different shapes, sometimes adding additional decorative elements. But in this case, it is worth remembering that before you start beautifully stacking firewood in the woodpile, you should also take care of the safety of the fuel.

A simpler option is a woodpile secured with reinforcement, wire or pegs. The ideal option would be a through frame to prevent firewood from falling. Thanks to it, air flows well from all sides and quickly dries the logs. In addition, with the help of such woodpiles you can easily divide the area into several parts or stack firewood. In bad weather, the structure is covered with film or tarpaulin.

How to stack firewood in a woodshed

As mentioned earlier, the main factors that must be observed when storing firewood are the absence of moisture and good ventilation. Therefore, the woodshed must be installed on a flat, dry area with drainage.

It is correct to stack firewood in the woodshed according to the same principle as on the street. Pallets are pre-installed under it, only after that you can start stacking firewood. This way the bottom row will be ventilated. Instead of pallets, strong boards, bricks, logs or other suitable means are often used.

It is also important to take care of the integrity of the roof in the shed. If it leaks, then all the work will be in vain. The firewood will still get damp at the first rains and will have to dry for a long time. Damp wood is clearly not suitable for heating.

It is most convenient to place the woodshed close to the house, bathhouse or other outbuildings. This will reduce the time for building the premises and labor costs. If possible, make the woodshed open on one side. In a completely enclosed space, the firewood will not dry well, rotting may begin, and mold may appear. This happens for the same reason: humidity.

note: Place the woodpile in the woodshed so that there are small gaps between the wood. This will significantly improve air circulation.

The simplest option for a woodshed is to extend part of the roof from a house or bathhouse. In this case, a through frame is used to secure the woodpile. The structure is completely open, so it is necessary that the firewood does not spill. If the overhang from the roof of the house is small, then it is enough to stack the firewood in the woodshed and secure the woodpile with supports on the sides.

note: Do not create woodpiles that are too high. Firstly, it is dangerous, a log can fall from above at any moment, and secondly, it will be inconvenient to get the next portion of fuel.

Thanks to the beautiful texture of the logs, you will get a beautiful decorative element for your personal plot, in addition to the fact that the firewood will be reliably protected from external influences. And the proximity to home will provide convenience - you won’t have to go somewhere far for the next armful of fuel in winter. At the same time, do not forget to leave small gaps so that air flows to the wall of the house.

In the private sector, preparation for the heating season begins in the summer. This includes preparing and finding a place to store a large amount of firewood. For this, the owners equip a separate room, part of a room or yard. And so that the firewood always remains dry, and also in order to save space, you can build a compact, convenient woodpile with your own hands. Its production will not require large expenses, and the benefits will be noticeable immediately.

Why do you need a woodpile?

It serves to protect firewood from precipitation and ensure good ventilation. The shape and size of the structure can be any, but the location must be chosen carefully so that in the middle of winter you do not have to walk across the entire site for firewood. Its correct installation is a guarantee that the fuel for a wood-burning stove or fireplace will be dry at all times, will not become damp, or become covered with fungus.

The woodpile in the country is also used as an element of landscape design. Made in the shape of an unusual figure, an animal, or a table near the barbecue, it will become the highlight of the estate.

Where is the best place to place it?

The location for the structure is selected taking into account the region, the area of ​​the yard, the type and duration of storage of logs, and the required level of drying. Woodpiles are:

• street;
• portable;
• indoor;
• stationary.

Photo: woodpile combined with toilet

Outdoor buildings and separate indoor spaces are popular. Let's look at them in more detail.

On the street

A smart solution would be to locate an outdoor woodpile next to the house, along a paved path, to make it convenient to replenish supplies in rainy weather. If wood is needed for cooking meat on a grill or barbecue, then it is better to place the logs next to them.

In the case where the structure serves only the role of decorating the estate, it should be placed in the recreation area.

An important advantage of a woodpile is saving space. So, a cubic meter of chaotically thrown logs will take up 2–3 m2 of a yard, and in a building 2 m high it will be possible to place the same amount of firewood, occupying only up to a meter of territory. In addition, it is much more convenient to take an armful of stacked logs than to bend over and take them from the ground every time.

You shouldn't make the woodpile too low. The bottom row is completed with waterproofing material or a raised flooring is made.

In room

An equally convenient option is to place the structure directly in the house and decorate it as an interior detail. An example of such a solution is shown in the photo.

You can equip a separate shed for firewood. If logs are needed to heat a bathhouse or sauna, then during the construction of these structures a niche for firewood should be provided inside.

In closed gazebos equipped with a fireplace, the woodpile is made small so that it does not clutter up the space.

Selection of material for making the frame

The shelf life of the wood and the percentage of its drying depend on the quality of the created product. Therefore, before you begin assembling the main parts, you should draw up a detailed drawing of the future structure. The image will allow you to see and correct possible shortcomings on paper in a timely manner.

You also need to consider the material for the base. The service life of the product and installation features depend on the type chosen.

Metal

Using metal as a woodpile material has several compelling advantages. Among them:

• long service life;
• resistance to environmental influences;
• Beautiful design.

One option is a woodpile made of aluminum profiles. It can be done in a few hours. It will be light, so it will be convenient to carry it from place to place.

An interesting solution is a product made of iron or steel. To build it, you need to know how to operate a welding machine, and purchase the material in a store. If opportunities allow, then it’s worth drawing a picture of the future design and turning to specialists for help.

Tree

It is in greatest demand among owners of country houses. Often, every yard has leftover wood building materials, so a woodpile will be inexpensive because it can be made from existing raw materials. Beams, boards, bars will do.

In addition to the low price, among the advantages of a wooden woodpile are:

• quick assembly;
• the possibility of manufacturing a portable structure;
• a light weight;
• long service life;
• efficiency;
• neat appearance.

This material requires pre-treatment and periodic maintenance, since it is not resistant to moisture and insects.

A typical woodpile is a canopy. Consists of a frame, roof, one or two walls. The last element is made of boards or lathing with thin strips for better ventilation. Slate, polycarbonate, metal sheets, awnings, and polyethylene are used for covering. Laying a foundation for a canopy is not necessary.

The building must be placed in such a way that the firewood located in it has constant air exchange and a minimum percentage of humidity.

The procedure for stacking firewood in a woodpile

Proper stacking of logs in tiers will extend their shelf life and ensure dry wood.

1. Firewood is stacked close to each other - in a stack.
2. If this is an outdoor woodpile, then it must have a stable frame. Otherwise, it will need to be placed next to the fence and other buildings so that the logs do not scatter.
3. The structure should not have a height of more than 2 m - it is inconvenient to get firewood from there. Its optimal height is 1.5 m.
4. The lower tier is formed from the smoothest and longest blocks and dies.
5. You shouldn't fill the woodpile with a mountain. Excess weight leads to deformation of the structure.
6. Firewood is placed on a prepared base made of bricks and wood.

If you ignore the advice, the consequences of improper installation will be a damaged woodpile and scattered firewood.

Making a frame for storing firewood

For self-construction, you need to prepare materials and tools in advance so that during the work all accessories are at hand. You will need:

• a circular saw;
• screwdriver;
• roulette;
• hammer;
• wood screws;
• boards 3 cm thick, 11–15 cm wide.

Since the woodpile is made of wood, it is better that the area under it be made of brick, concrete, or tile. This way the structure will not rot. When the base is ready, you can begin assembling the frame.

The boards for it are pre-sawn to the designated length:

• 2 pcs. 3 m each (base);
• 4 things. 1.5 m (sides);
• 1 PC. - 1m.

The latter needs to be cut into 4 parts of 25 cm each. These parts will be useful for creating transverse structural elements. Next, all elements are connected to each other with self-tapping screws. The frame is ready.

To make a cover, it is important to lay the last rows of firewood on a slope.

Wave slate 1.13 m wide or thick polyethylene film are suitable as roofing materials.

Assembling a woodpile without a frame

If you don’t want to make supports for the storage, then you can be patient and lay out the blocks in the form of some kind of figure.

The laying technology is as follows:

1. The first 3 rows are tightly packed together.
2. The next row is formed perpendicularly. This little trick will raise the edges and prevent the wood from spilling.
3. 2 more rows are done in the standard order.
4. The last row goes perpendicular.

As a result of this alternation, a semicircular woodpile is obtained.

Features of laying round firewood

This form of the product is more suitable for decorating a site than for long-term storage of firewood. In these structures, laying is done directly on unprotected ground, which is why the firewood quickly absorbs moisture, becomes damp and rots.

But if you decide to make a round woodpile, you should think about the base for it. The most inexpensive would be polyethylene film flooring.

The diameter of the building is selected individually, depending on the amount of firewood and space on the estate.

The support of the structure is a pin that is driven into the ground. A rope with a stick is attached to it. Using such a compass, a circle is drawn within which the masonry will be carried out.

Logs need to be laid systematically. They should be the same size and fit snugly together.

Formation is carried out in rows around the perimeter of the circle. The frame for this is being built.

The result will be a structure in the form of a tower or barrel.

Video: master class on assembling a woodpile

Photo gallery of finished products

The structure performs a decorative function on the site. It was given the appearance of a fairytale house.

The fireplace wall is filled with firewood. This placement gives the room a cozy look, and firewood is always at hand. In addition, wood looks great as a finishing material.

An original solution of concrete rings allows you to compactly stack logs and decorate your garden area.

The mobile woodpile is only gaining popularity. It's good because it doesn't take up much space. The colors are determined by the interior design.

Design ideas

Each owner decorates a firewood storage facility according to his imagination and capabilities. It doesn’t matter whether it is in the yard or in the house.

A small forged woodpile will serve as a bench or chair.

If you stack the firewood outside the house on a pallet and equip it with boxes on top, you will be able to compactly place things in these boxes, and protect the firewood from precipitation and moisture.

Barrels are also used as woodpiles. If you have a lot of barrels, then keep in mind that they will make an original divider of the estate into zones. Concrete well rings are used according to the same principle.

A niche for solid fuel near a fireplace or stove would be appropriate.

Small logs can be collected in bundles, decorated with colored ribbons and stacked in several tiers.

There are no limits to the decor ideas for such structures, because each owner is guided by his own preferences, the free area of ​​the site or room, the volume of material for the firebox, and a woodpile made independently will become an author’s work in a single copy.

Stove heating of the house, solid fuel boilers, baths require a supply of high-quality, dry firewood, compactly stacked near the house in a woodpile. Orderly stacked firewood does not spoil, is always at hand, and does not spoil the appearance of the site. It is better to choose a storage location in advance, before the firewood is delivered. Unloaded nearby, you won’t have to carry them far. The chosen location must have good drainage; split wood does not store well in dirt. If firewood is used quickly, it is better to store it near the wall of the house; if long-term storage is planned, insects and rodents, which often hibernate among firewood, can find a loophole in the home.

Firewood with stakes - a simple solution

It is convenient to arrange a woodpile adjacent to the wall of a house, fence, or outbuilding. A layer of stones or bricks is laid between the firewood and the ground as an insulating layer. It is convenient to put fuel on a wooden pallet or a specially made grid of stakes and fittings. The stacked firewood is supported by stakes driven into the ground, forming a quadrangle. One of the ends of the stacked logs rests against a wall or fence, the other faces outward. The stakes that serve as support must be thick enough so as not to bend under the weight of firewood.

A kind of reinforcing reinforcement for the firewood shed is made using tree branches with forks: the forks are covered by stakes, and the branches are pressed against the next layer of firewood. Stability of the woodpile is also given by laying it not in a row, but alternately - in a cage. The rows are built up to the height of a wall or fence, and the firewood is covered on top with waterproof material - oilcloth, roofing felt, tin.

When a woodpile is formed along the fence, a few centimeters must be left between the firewood and the fence for ventilation. This secret will keep the firewood dry.

If long, strong stakes cannot be prepared, the method of stacking firewood can help maintain the stability of the storage area. In the corners of a rectangular firewood box, logs are laid in a cage, forming columns. Between them the firewood is stacked in a simple manner.

How to fold a round woodpile?

If the supply of firewood is very large or it is not possible to set up storage near the wall, you can put the firewood in a compact round woodpile in an open place. Folded correctly, it resembles a lush haystack. The beveled laying of logs ensures rainwater drainage. The round shape of wood storage has long been used in regions of Russia rich in wood that use stove heating.

In the USA, a similar method of stacking firewood is also common; it is called Holz Hausen - “wooden house” from German. It is compact, convenient, compact. The latter quality is the main advantage of this type of woodpile - a lot of firewood can be stacked in a small area, it dries faster than in traditional storages, the stacking is durable, and the structure will not fall even under extreme wind loads. The beehive shape is considered by many to be more attractive than the traditional rectangle, and it is also fun to build.

For beginners, it is better not to make the first round woodpile too large in diameter. You need to choose a place for it that is sunny and well ventilated. Under the first row of firewood, a drainage base is made of gravel or a layer of tree bark. The correct radius will be provided by a cross made of long stakes.

Constructing the foundation

First, lay out the ring in a circle, empty in the center. It turns out to be a closed chain of chocks with their ends touching. The next layer, laid across the first, is tilted in the middle: adjacent logs or logs touch the side surface, the ends remain free.

The center is also empty; gradually it forms a pipe, which promotes good air exchange and drying of firewood. If the rows lose their internal slope due to the uneven thickness of the chocks, transverse supports are placed along the edge, like a ring supporting the edges of the first row. This will give the structure stability and stability.

Increasing the height

The stakes placed crosswise between the rows at the same height form the “floors” of the woodpile and support it. When the woodpile reaches a height of about a meter, you can throw logs in random order into the empty middle. Gravel will protect them from moisture, and loose laying will not impede air circulation. This inner layer makes the structure more stable and helps save space.

Advantages of the cylindrical shape:

• firewood dries quickly and evenly even in areas with short summers;
• the resulting circles are very stable; the pressure in the circle is even at each point, adjacent lumps support each other, and when laid correctly, the drying wood “sets” even more firmly;
• The cylinders look beautiful and use space efficiently, allowing a large amount of firewood to dry in a limited area.

The holz hausen ends with a top of the flattest chocks that form the roof. They can be covered on top with a layer of waterproof tree bark.

Another way to form a round woodpile is to use a high pole, buried in the center of the future circle, instead of a cross. It is so convenient to maintain the correct shape; the pole creates additional support for the central part of the structure.

The woodcutter's design formulates the rules for storing firewood: drainage under the bottom layer, good ventilation and heating by sunlight, a canopy or roof.

Woodshed - storage under the roof

If open storage of firewood is not suitable for you, then you should think about building a woodshed on your summer cottage - a structure with a roof. With the help of your imagination and available materials you can create a real masterpiece. You can see some of them in the photo:

Stove heating has a special winter magic. If the firewood is stacked and dried correctly, then using it will be a pleasure!