Log Store

[kristian 9]

I'm installing a wood burner in my house in the next few weeks. I've ordered the stove and have been looking at log stores to keep the wood in to dry out. The thing is i've looked at a few and they have been priced £60 - £200 and they look so flimsy. Just wondering as anyone build their own and do they have any pics? i'm thinking of making one out of pallets but i'm not very good with a saw lol. Any pics would be appreciated. Also if anyone has got pics of their log burners so i can get some ideas for the surround and hearth that would be good to. Thanks, Kristian.

[the_stig 6,614]

mines a lean to at the back of the garage . corragated plastic sheet from wickes on a frame cost me £60 to knock up looks like a small bus shelter .. my mates got 4 of the big blue plastic barrells bolted together and laid on there sides hold a bit and look tidy he paid a fiver each for em off ebay ...

Edited February 6, 2010 by the_stig

[kristian 9]

mines a lean to at the back of the garage . corragated plastic sheet from wickes on a frame cost me £60 to knock up looks like a small bus shelter .. my mates got 4 of the big blue plastic barrells bolted together and laid on there sides hold a bit and look tidy he paid q fiver each for em off ebay ...

Cheers stig i was thinking of the bus shelter type idea lol, The bins your mate is using i thought the air had to circulate all round the wood to dry it out? has he had the bins during the summer /hot months? just wondering if it makes the wood sweat? Cheers for the reply mate.

[shepp 2,285]

If possible try to get the burner as far into the room as possible as opposed to sat right in the chimney.

As a log store i used pallets with a 1" x 2" frame around the logs about 4 ft heigh, you can even thread string through the pile as you stack it, this will hold it together.

[lanesra 3,994]

you should of went for a multi burner kristian then you could of had burned different types of fuel on it mate, ive had 1 installed since december, brilliant.

Edited February 6, 2010 by lanesra

[shepp 2,285]

you should of went for a multi burner kristian then you could of had burned different types of fuel on it mate, ive had 1 installed since december, brilliant.

 

How do they differ?

[the_stig 6,614]

mines a lean to at the back of the garage . corragated plastic sheet from wickes on a frame cost me £60 to knock up looks like a small bus shelter .. my mates got 4 of the big blue plastic barrells bolted together and laid on there sides hold a bit and look tidy he paid q fiver each for em off ebay ...

Cheers stig i was thinking of the bus shelter type idea lol, The bins your mate is using i thought the air had to circulate all round the wood to dry it out? has he had the bins during the summer /hot months? just wondering if it makes the wood sweat? Cheers for the reply mate.

he only knocked it up during the snowy weather - he takes it inside in a large wicker basket soon drys out .. he only got a small garden and it looks really tidy and smart .. i concreted 2 fence posts in ran a timber across it and the back of the garage timbers from front to back and put the sheet on fill the sides in with pallet timber and left the front open .. a mornings work well 3 days for me ..

[kristian 9]

you should of went for a multi burner kristian then you could of had burned different types of fuel on it mate, ive had 1 installed since december, brilliant.

Sorry it is a multiburner but got a forestry behind my house that they are felling part of so got loadsa free wood

[DUCKWING 302]

KRISTAN ,

 

STIGS LOG STORE SOUNDS JUST THE JOB ...........

PERSONALLY I WOULD LEAVE THE BOARDED SIDES WITH AN INCH GAP TO ALLOW AIRFLOW .....

ALSO PALLETS ON THE FLOOR WILL ALLOW THE BOTTOM OF THE STACK TO DRY WITHOUT GETTING MOISTURE FROM THE GROUND , REMEMBER TO LEAVE PLENTY OF SPACE AS THE AMOUNT OF FIREWOOD YOU CAN GO THROUGH IN A WINTER IS UNBELIVABLE , THE OVERHANG ON THE FRONT OF THE ROOF WILL KEEP MOST OF THE DRIVING RAIN OUT ......................

TO STOP THE STACKED TIMBER FROM FALLING SIMPLY GET A FEW LATHES OR BOARDS REMOVED FROM THE PALLETS AND PLACE THEM AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE FIREWOOD .......... EVERY 2 FEET SHOULD DO IT THIS WILL TIE THE STACK TOGETHER AND STOP AND MISHAPOS

 

ALL THE BEST

 

 

DUCKWING

[kristian 9]

cheers guys! is it right that you should leave freshly cut trees at least 12 months to dry them out before using them for firewood?

[lost scouse 46]

some wood dries quicker than other 8 months at least for most wood but the longer the better

[lost scouse 46]

Alder: Poor heat output and short lasting. A low quality firewood. Produces nice charcoal that burn steady and is useful for homemade gunpowder.

 

 

 

Apple: Great fuel that bums slow and steady when dry, with little flame, sparking or spitting. It has a pleasing scent. It is easier to cut green. Great for cooking.

 

 

 

Ash: Considered one of the burning wood with steady flame and good heat output. It will bum when green, but not as well as when dry. Easy to saw and split.

 

 

 

Beech: Similar to ash, but only burns fair when green. If it has a fault, it may shoot embers out a long way. It is easy to chop.

 

 

 

Birch: This has good heat output but burns quickly. The smell is also pleasant. It will burn unseasoned. Can cause gum deposits in chimney if used a lot. Rolled up pitch from bark makes a good firestarter and can be peeled from trees without damaging them.

 

 

 

Blackthorn: Burns slowly, with lots of heat and little smoke.

 

 

 

Cedar: This is a great wood that puts out a lot of lasting of heat. It produces a small flame, a nice scent, and lots of crackle and pop. Great splitting wood. Best when dry but small pieces can be burned unseasoned. Good for cooking.

 

 

 

Cherry: A slow burning wood with good heat output. Has a nice sent. Should be seasoned well. Slow to start.

 

 

 

Chestnut: A mediocre fuel that produces a small flame and weak heat output. It also shoots out ambers.

 

 

 

Douglas Fir: A poor fuel that produces little flame or heat.

 

 

 

Elder: A mediocre fuel that burns quickly without much heat output and tends to have thick acrid smoke. The Hag Goddess is known to reside in the Elder tree and burning it invites death. Probably best avoided.

 

 

 

Elm: A variable fuel (Dutch elm disease) with a high water content (140%) that may smoke violently and should be dried for two years for best results. You may need faster burning wood to get elm going. A large log set on the fire before bed will burn till morn. Splitting can be difficult and should be done early on.

 

 

 

Eucalyptus: A fast burning wood with a pleasant smell and no spitting. It is full of sap and oils when fresh and can start a chimney fire if burned unseasoned. The stringy wood fiber may be hard to split and one option is to slice it into rings and allow to season and self split. The gum from the tree produces a fresh medicinal smell on burned which may not be the best for cooking with.

 

 

 

Hawthorn: Good firewood. Burns hot and slow. Traditionally gathered as bundles or 'faggots' for burning in winter.

 

 

 

Hazel: An excellent fast burning fuel but tends to burn up a bit faster than most other hard woods. Allow to season.

 

 

 

Holly: A good firewood that will burn when green, but best if dried a year. It is fast burning with a bright flame but little heat.

 

 

 

Hornbeam: Burns almost as good as beech with a hot slow burning fire.

 

 

 

Horse Chestnut: A low quality firewood with a good flame and heating power but spits a lot.

 

 

 

Laburnum: Completely poisonous tree with acrid smoke that taints food and is best never used.

 

 

 

Larch: Crackly, scented, and fairly good for heat. It needs to be seasoned well and forms an oily soot in chimneys.

 

 

 

Laurel: Produces a brilliant flame.

 

 

Lilac: Thinner branches make good kindling, whilst the thicker burn well with a clear flame and a very pleasant smell

 

 

Lime: A poor quality fuel with dull flame. Good for carving though! A bit of a waste to burn it.

 

 

 

Maple: A good firewood.

 

 

 

Oak: Oak has a sparse flame and the smoke is acrid if not seasoned for two years after WINTER FELLING. Summer felled Oak takes YEARS to season well. Dry old oak is excellent for heat, burning slowly and steadily until whole log collapses into cigar-like ash.

 

 

 

Pear: Burns with good heat, good scent and no spitting. Needs to be seasoned well.

 

 

 

Pine species generally: (Including the dreaded Leylandii) Bums with a splendid flame, but apt to spit. Needs to be seasoned well and is another oily soot in chimney wood. Smells great and its resinous wood makes great kindling. Best used on an outdoor fire in the cold evening of a day out in the garden!

 

 

 

Plane: Burns pleasantly, but is apt to throw sparks if very dry.

 

 

 

Plum: Wood provides good heat with a nice aromatic sent.

 

 

 

Poplar: A terrible fuel that doesn't burn well and produces a black choking smoke even when seasoned.

 

 

 

Rowan: A good firewood that burns hot and slow.

 

 

 

Rhododendron: Old thick and tough stems burn well.

 

 

 

Robinia (Acacia): Burns slowly, with good heat, but with acrid smoke. Not a problem in a stove!

 

 

 

Spruce: A poor firewood that burns too quickly and with too many sparks.

 

 

 

Sycamore: Burns with a good flame, with moderate heat. Useless green.

 

 

 

Sweet Chestnut: Burns when seasoned but tends to spits continuously and excessively.

 

 

 

Thorn: One of the best firewoods. Burns slowly, with great heat and little smoke.

 

 

 

Walnut: Low to good value to burning. It a nice aromatic scent.

 

 

 

Wellingtonia (Giant Sequoia): Poor for use as a firewood.

 

 

 

Willow: A poor fire wood that must be dry to use. Even when seasoned, it burns slowly, with little flame. Apt to spark.

 

 

 

Yew: This burns slowly, with fierce heat. The scent is pleasant. Another carving favorite.

Edited February 6, 2010 by lost scouse

[DUCKWING 302]

ALL BURNS ,..WET OR NOT .....

TO GET THE BEST OUT OF IT , SAW THE WOOD INTO THE LENGTHS REQUIRE FOR YOUR USE AND SPLIT THEM WITH A MAUL OR AXE IF OVER ABOUT 4 " DIAMETER , THIS WILL AID THE DRYING TIME .......

IF YOU CAN GET HOLD OF ASH LOGS YOU WILL HAVE A FIRE FIT FIR A KING TO SIT IN FRONT OF ....

ALL THE BEST

 

DUCKWING

[lost scouse 46]

kristian go on the green living forum lots of info on there Degsy

[kristian 9]

some good info there degsy cheers mate.