Simple Pallet Firewood Shed Built With Reclaimed Materials

Firewood is like wine - it needs to season before it's perfect to consume.

Imagine wanting to make a Sauna and having no firewood, that's the worst thing that could happen to a Viking. To prevent that, let's build a firewood shed with minimal tools.

The base of the shed is made out of a pallet and the structural supports are made out of old beams. The sides are made with leftover wood too. So it's 100% scrap wood.

This project was inspired by this Instructable: https://www.instructables.com/Reclaimed-Firewood-R...

Supplies

A wooden pallet

Two-by-fours or other structural beams

Wood screws

Metal joint plates

Drill

Jigsaw

Step 1: Watch the Video

You can watch the video of the build here (if the video above does not work) : https://youtu.be/6oUQZrtWtkg

Step 2: The Base and the Vertical Beams

For the base, we're gonna use a pallet - the one I used was a bit wider than a standard one. Pallets are made to support a lot of weight - thus it's a perfect candidate for this project.

The vertical beams can be attached to the base using long wood screws and metal joint plates. To give extra structural support to the beams, we'll also add some diagonal pieces to the corners - they really make a difference.

Step 3: The Rest of the Structure

Now we can add a horizontal supports to the upper part of the shed. Again, use diagonal pieces to stiffen the structure.

To protect the front of the shed from rain, make the roof protrude at least 12 inches (depend on the height of your shed).

As the shed will have to live in rough weather conditions, add some layers of protection to the structure. You can use exterior wood die, tar or paint. I went with tar as it's cheap and the visual aspect isn't really important as we won't see the supports when the shed will be finished.

Step 4: Take It to the Right Location

Now that the supports are in place, it's a good time to move the shed to its future emplacement as it's not yet too heavy.

To make the shed last longer in the wild, it's wise to prepare the terrain with large stones that will keep the shed levelled and protect it against the humidity from the earth. Use a bubble level on a long plank to make sure the stones are well placed.

To move the shed I found that the best method is to raise it from one side and then do the silly walk with the corners that are touching the ground.

Step 5: The Sides

To keep the logs from rolling out of the shed, we need to add sides to it. For that, I used some leftover planks.

The base of the shed needs to be stronger, so don't leave any spaces there. For the top part, however, leave small holes for the air to go through - it will make the wood dry faster. The back of the shed can also be made with fewer planks to allow better air circulation.

Pro tip: when sawing the planks, place the pretty side down - that way, it won't have any tearout.

Finally, add a layer of protective dye or paint.

Step 6: The Cover

For the cover, I used reclaimed plastic covers. You can also buy UV resistant film meant for greenhouses to protect your new baby from rain.

To attach it to the shed, I used a stapling gun. For extra security, I also added thin wooden beams on the sides that hold the whole length of the plastic down.

To make the front prettier, add a plank to the front end of the roof.

Step 7: Other Solutions

The firewood shed is finally done! It cost only a box of wood screws and will make a drastic improvement in the Sauna life.

After a year, the big shed seemed to hold up fine, so I made him a little brother. This time I used a standard pallet, recycled veneer boards for the sides and UV greenhouse film for the sides.

If you also decide to make this project, please share the result in the 'I made it' tab, I would be very happy to see it! :D

Thank you for reading so far and have a wonderful day!