I was driving home from my sister’s house the other day and drove past a beat-up trailer full of seasoned Alder that was for sale for just $100. Since I was running low on firewood… and since this was HECKOVA’ deal, I bought it! Now… I just need a firewood rack to put all that delicious Alder on.
I saw a simple / inexpensive DIY Firewood Rack on Pinterest and thought I’d give it a try. Needless to say - it works GREAT and it was STOOPID EASY to build!
- (QTY 2) - Cinderblocks 8" x 8" x 16"
- (QTY 3) - 2" x 4" x 8’
- (QTY 2) - 2" x 4" x 10’ (cut in half)
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@BrickWood’s photos are pretty much self-explanatory, but I know not everyone is a visual learner.
So here’s a very quick step by step to make one rack:
TOOLS NEEDED
- Saw (Handsaw, circular saw, Sawzall, jig saw—whatever is at hand)
- Safety equipment (eye protection, gloves)
- Tape measure
- Square
- Level
- Pencil
- Shovel
- Rubber mallet
MATERIALS NEEDED
- QTY 2 - Cinderblocks 8" x 8" x 16"
- QTY 3 - 2" x 4" x 8’
- QTY 2 - 2" x 4" x 10’ (cut in half)
PREPARE THE SITE
- Clear a 2-foot by 9-foot space where you wish to locate your rack. Lay 1 2" x 4" x 8’ on the ground just behind the space, then place a cinderblock at each end, just inside the ends of the 2x4 and perpendicular to it.
- Lay 2 of the 2x4s on top of the blocks, to the outside edges. Place the level on top of the 2x4s to ensure that the tops of the cinderblocks are level in relation to each other, top to top and side to side.
- If they are not, dig under the cinderblock on the high end and place it in the new hole. Use the mallet to ensure it is seated firmly in the hole. It is important that the base be level to avoid a wood avalanche later. Extra credit Embed both cinderblocks 1 inch into the ground to avoid any shifting.
CUT AND PLACE
- Measure the halfway point (approx. 60 inches) on each of the 2" x 4" x 10’ sticks, then mark the line with square and pencil. Cut each 2" x 4" x 10’ at the line to end up with 4 2" x 4" x 5’ sticks.
- Place the 5-foot sticks in the voids of the cinderblocks, with the bottom edges on the “inside” of the void and the wide flat resting on the “outside” top of the void. Stand the two 8-foot lengths on their edges and keep them to the outside.
- Place the third 8-foot length in the middle, on the center struts of the cinderblocks.
You’re done. The structure will become stable as firewood is added to it. When you stack, be sure to do a full layer evenly across the three stringers. The risers will be held in place by the firewood at the ends of each layer.
This is a completely temporary structure, and (provided there’s no firewood on it, of course!) it takes just 10 minutes to prepare a new site and move it when necessary.
This rack will hold one “face” of wood, or half a cord. You need two racks to hold a cord.
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