Anyone build a solar firewood kiln?

[Garandman]

There are quite a few plans and articles on solar kilns for drying lumber, but not so many for small scale home firewood drying.

Anyone do this themselves or discover a good design? Being able to dry a 1/4 cord would be sufficient.

 

[cartod]

I have an old greenhouse that I dry lumber in, no reason it wouldn't work perfect for firewood.

 

[TnAndy]

Since you're talking 1/4 of a cord, I'm assuming selling it isn't in the picture, right ?

The only reason I could see for using any kind of kiln to dry firewood is to 'get it out the door', 'time/inventory is money' kinda thing.

Otherwise, why not simply stack in it the dry 6mo-year ahead, and save what you'd spent on a kiln ? A very simple shed made out of a 40x48" pallet on the base, two more on the sides trimmed to a slight angle, and one on top for roof with a couple pcs of tin or a small tarp to shed water would hold 1/4 cord easy.

Sorta like this one:

 

[Garandman]

Don't need a shed, we already have a covered, south-facing area to stack the wood.

I'd like to try a solar kiln because I'd like to try a solar kiln!

 

[cartod]

Don't need a shed, we already have a covered, south-facing area to stack the wood.

I'd like to try a solar kiln because I'd like to try a solar kiln!

Yep! Some folks don't want you to have one, which is even a better reason to get one! You could probably dry a chord of wood in at least half the time of a conventional shed.

They make portable plastic ones that you might be able to actually build it around your wood pile. Than just remove it later when it's time to use. Just a thought.

 

[muddstopper]

For such a small amount of wood, I would just stack and then make a leanto out of black plastic facing south to put over it. For a solar kiln to work, it needs the sun to heat it up, air space at the bottom to create a updraft and vents at the top to let heat out. You can get fancy and pour a concrete pad, and build a fancy shed , get some vents for it, add solar powered fans, etc, etc, but it wont work any better than a black plastic leanto. I dont like the green house ideal, I had a buddy stack his wood inside one once and it started to mold on him. Not enought air movement. Might of worked better if he had of turned on the fan, but he didnt and so I dont know.

 

[pappy60]

I made a small solar kiln with wheels for drying lumber... I also built my own sawmill is the reason I built the kiln...
I saw very little lumber so at least once or twice a year I fill it with split firewood... simply because it is setting there empty..
Can put a stack in it about 2' wide, 3' high, 9' long... about 54 cu ft.. slightly less than 1/2 cord...
Takes about 2-3 weeks in the summer and it is plenty dry...

Built it similar to the VaTech solar kiln plans, but much smaller...

Reason it is on wheels is to turn it out of the sun to keep it from overheating and park it out of the way when not actually drying anything..

 

[Garandman]

For such a small amount of wood, I would just stack and then make a leanto out of black plastic facing south to put over it. For a solar kiln to work, it needs the sun to heat it up, air space at the bottom to create a updraft and vents at the top to let heat out. You can get fancy and pour a concrete pad, and build a fancy shed , get some vents for it, add solar powered fans, etc, etc, but it wont work any better than a black plastic leanto.

U Alaska tried the black plastic leanto and it was no better - faster ir drier - than an open stack.

Pappy60, that's exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for. What are the overall dimensions? 1/2 cord would work for me as well. Are you using electric fans? Using glass glazing or something else? I was planning on just using a solar powered fan and splice in a thermostat.

 

[MossRoad]

Why do you take offense so easily? Its a discussion.

Its only natural to ask why someone wants to do something.

 

[Egon]

Be different, park an old car/van with intact windows and load it up!