Log Racks - Not Just For Those Who Fear the Elements
Allow me a moment to tell you about my growing up in California -
where we equate snow with going to trendy ski resorts wearing our
super-cute designer snow clothes. Growing up in the Wild West was quite
an experience: endless summer all year long, and sunshine and warm
weather on Christmas Day. Of course, living in California meant that I
grew up on a constant diet of barbecue, and spent my evenings on the
beach enjoying bonfires while gazing across the beautiful Pacific Ocean.
Of course, this required some of the finest woods known to man,
including pristine red oak, and even cedar. Are you wondering yet what
exactly this has to do with log racks? Keep reading, I'll explain as we
go on.
As a strapping young man growing up on a small farm, it was
my assigned duty to not only help split the logs, but to also stack the
wood once split. Wanting to protect my father's hard-earned investment,
the first log rack I ever own was self-built and home made. It was
fashioned out of old cement slabs and rebar; a far cry from the
beautiful log rack that I own today. While crude, it helped to keep the
wood in a neat and orderly fashion. The only downfall was that the log
rack did nothing to protect the quality of the wood itself. As my family
used nearly two cords of wood every year (don't laugh; we liked our
wood), we would find that the logs towards the top would be crisp and
full of fresh fuel, while those towards the bottom would house bugs of
all kinds, and promote the growth of dry rot.
Now do you
understand what this has to do with log racks? The moral of this
interesting story is that if you have large quantities of wood, you need
a log rack. While you may think that are only good for those who live
in the north, log racks are not just good for those who need to protect
their wood from the wind, snow, and humidity. Indeed, racks are also
necessary for those who want to make sure their firewood stays of the
highest quality.
Those who live along the southwest coast of
California know what I'm talking about when I say "El Nino:" a weather
phenomenon that brings weeks of rain, followed by power outages and even
minor flooding. When the rain comes, your wood is soaked to the core,
and it takes a long time to dry out. As logs love the water, all
moisture retained by the logs can result in the growth of mold and rot
from within. And this is how dry rot starts -- once it begins, it will
eat away and ruin your logs. But by keeping your wood in a log rack, you
will be ensuring the quality of your wood, from start to finish.
Of
course, this doesn't exclude the fact that bugs, spiders, and other
vermin that love the dark, secluded places that a random wood pile would
give them. Spiders indigenous to the warmer climates of the west
(including the often fatal Black Widow) love to hang out in dark, cool
places. And the empty spaces in your pile between logs serve as the
perfect breeding place. If you don't pay careful attention while
selecting logs, you could easily be bitten by a black widow, or many
other things unpleasant, which could result in death. By putting your
logs in a log rack, you are eliminating the wasted space that bugs can
create a home in, you are ensuring the safety of your family for years
to come, and keeping your logs organized and easy to access wherever you
need.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Log Racks - Not Just For Those Who Fear the Elements
