How to Build a Firewood Stacking Rack

A firewood rack will keep your wood neatly stacked and ready to use.

Fireplaces and wood-burning stoves generate intense heat. Firewood is the fuel used. Keep bulk firewood outside and covered at all times. Keep a small supply of firewood near your fireplace to feed the fire without making repeated trips to the firewood pile. Store firewood indoors by stacking it neatly off the floor in a firewood rack.

Things You'll Need

• 4 treated posts (4 inches by 4 inches by 6 feet)
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• 12-inch speed square
• 2 treated boards (2x4x6)
• 16d galvanized framing nails
• Hammer
• 2 treated boards (2x4x16 inches)
• Assorted firewood

Instructions

1. Lay the treated posts flat on the ground side-by-side. Be sure that the ends of the posts are flush. Hook your tape measure onto the end of one post and pull it out to 12 inches. Make a mark on the post with your pencil at 8 inches. Hook the wide side of your speed square onto the side of one of the outside posts. Line up the blade of the speed square with the 8-inch pencil mark. Extend the mark into a line across two of your posts. Flip the square and hook it onto the opposite outside post in your lineup. Extend the 8-inch line across the remaining two posts. Roll all four of your posts 90 degrees to the left. Lay your speed square onto each post and extend the 8-inch mark around the corner and across the perpendicular side of each treated post.

2. Move two posts out of the work area. Separate the remaining two posts so that there is 66 inches of space between the inside edges of the posts. Lay a 72-inch board perpendicular to the posts, with each end of the board resting on one of the posts. Move the board so that the bottom edge is resting on the 8-inch mark on your posts. Check to be sure that the ends of the board are flush with the outside edges of the posts. Use your hammer to drive three of your 16d galvanized nails through one end of the board and into the post beneath it. Fasten the opposite end of the board to the other post in the same manner. Lay out your two remaining posts and connect them to the other 72-inch board using the same layout.

3. Have your assistant hold the two frames side-by-side and upright. Line up the frames so that they are parallel with the boards 8 inches off of the ground. Turn the frames so that both of the boards are on the outside of the layout. Lay a 16-inch board on top of the boards that are mounted to the two frames. Move the frames so that the ends of the 16-inch board are flush with the outside edges of the 66-inch boards already mounted to the frames. Connect the 16-inch board to the upright posts with three of your 16d nails. Drive them through the side of the 16-inch board and into the post where it rests. Attach the remaining 16-inch board to the opposite side of the frame to complete your firewood rack.

4. Fill the rack with firewood. Alternate different thicknesses along each row so you won't not need to dig for the size you want.

References

• Firewood Resource: How to Build a Firewood Rack