Build your own solar wood dryer for seasoned wood in half the normal time

Tools1 tape measure1 staple heavy-duty staple gun1 saw (hand or electric)1 utility knife1 drill with screwdriver bit or a battery-operated screw-gunMaterials and Hardware1 box of 2 and 1/2-inch exterior wood or deck screws1 box of heavy duty staples1 roll of duct tape (you can even choose the color you'd like now)4-mil clear polyethylene sheeting (10x15 foot roll)Note:  If you'd like something more durable than the 4-mil polyethylene sheeting, you can substitute UV treated corrugated plastic roofing or polyethylene.  It lasts longer, but will increase the overall cost.  Clear sheeting is preferable, but you can choose to get thicker sheeting if desired.  Make sure that the sun can shine through it (don't use black or dark colors).  If you use the plastic roofing or polyethylene material that is thicker, you may need more screws instead of staples. Plan ahead based on your materials. To begin building your own solar wood dryer, you will need lumber.  This can be treated or non-treated lumber, or even recycled lumber.  If the wood is treated it will definitely last longer, but it may not be within your budget.  The idea is to create something that benefits you, and if you're breaking your budget to make an item like this, you are not gaining.To make this project, you will need the following lumber: (use 2 inch-by-4 inch boards)Six 8-foot long boardsTwo 6-foot long boardsFour 4-foot 6-inch long boardsTwo 4-foot 9-inch long boardsOne 4-foot 2 inch-by-1 inch board (see further instructions to decide if you need this piece or not)Before you need a wood dryer, you definitely need wood.  Since we had a tree damaged by a storm, we had no problem locating wood for our woodpile (I took this photo of our tree).  Summer storms are notorious for creating downed trees and large limbs.  Even heavy winter snows cause weak trees and large branches to come down or to split. If your neighbor happens to have a tree come down that you can handle cutting properly, ask them if you can have the wood in exchange for your time removing it properly.  It will be a win-win situation for both of you. By properly, it is meant that you have the proper safety equipment and tools necessary to cut the wood, that do as little damage to property and that you know how to effectively take the tree or branches down and clean up after the work is done.  If you do not have that skill, a professional should probably take the tree and branches down.  It would not be a beneficial situation to have you injure yourself or cause more damage to any tree simply because you are eager to get the wood.Another option is to ask professional tree companies if they plan on using any of the wood that they may have cut down after a storm.  Many will allow individuals to have the wood, often for free, if they are willing to provide a vehicle and the means to haul the products.  It saves them time disposing of the waste.A great option for locating wood may be as easy as contacting your local forestry or natural resources department.  Many times they are responsible for dead-falls in park lands and forested areas.  It can be very time-consuming and they often do not have the manpower to handle all of the work.  There are restrictions in most areas on what you can and cannot do, so make sure you know the law beforehand or ask what the requirements and expectations are before you just walk into protected areas and start up your chainsaw.View the list »
Don't just cut wood for a woodpile. Build your own solar wood dryer and season your wood in half the time it would normally take.

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During a strong summer storm last summer, we had a very large tree fall down due to high winds. We hadn't realized that the hardwood tree had partially been hollowed out by carpenter ants. Just narrowly missing the house, the 40 plus-foot tree was an inconvenience to clean up, but manageable with chain saws and workers who knew what they were doing. We retained all of the wood but the small to medium-sized branches. Some of the large branch pieces and the trunk weighed as much as 800 pounds. We found this out only after a neighbor with a tractor and lift bucket came over to help us move what remained to our woodpile. He weighs about 180-pounds, had about 500 pounds of weights in a bucket on the back of the vehicle, plus the vehicle weight, and I still had to jump on the back in order to keep the tractor from tipping on a small decline in our yard.

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We would have loved using the wood this cold winter to warm ourselves, but green firewood was never going to burn properly, and it never does. Even with us using a chainsaw to cut the large wood into more manageable pieces, the wood would still need to season. Especially since it was all hardwood. Buying seasoned firewood during the winter months can be expensive. The usual time to season such wood is between five and eight months. With a tree like that coming down in July, it still would have taken us well past the coldest months to be able to burn it without an incredible amount of smoke and creosote and at the temperature we would need to completely warm ourselves.

While the wood sat in the woodpile, seasoning naturally, we could have built and set up our very own solar dryer that would have cut the drying time nearly in half. I have since found out how easy it is to make one, and I would like to share those instructions with you. One person can set the entire project up in an afternoon.

Before I show you what materials you'll need and how to build a solar dryer, I would be remiss if I didn't tell you how important it is to split the logs into pieces that will fit into a fireplace or wood burning stove before you place them into the dryer. This will ensure that your wood is ready to be stacked neatly in the dryer for even seasoning. Stacking the wood in a criss-cross pattern will also allow maximum air exchange and circulation.

This sample dryer will hold around a cord of firewood (4 feet by 4 feet by 8 feet). Using recycled lumber can also help keep your costs down. The approximate cost for this item is around $45 US, but can depend on the region and your favorite hardware location – so shop around before you buy your materials.

(See the list for full instructions and material list)

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  • Before you need a wood dryer, you definitely need wood.  Since we had a tree damaged by a storm, we had no problem locating wood for our woodpile (I took this photo of our tree).  Summer storms are notorious for creating downed trees and large limbs.  Even heavy winter snows cause weak trees and large branches to come down or to split. If your neighbor happens to have a tree come down that you can handle cutting properly, ask them if you can have the wood in exchange for your time removing it properly.  It will be a win-win situation for both of you. By properly, it is meant that you have the proper safety equipment and tools necessary to cut the wood, that do as little damage to property and that you know how to effectively take the tree or branches down and clean up after the work is done.  If you do not have that skill, a professional should probably take the tree and branches down.  It would not be a beneficial situation to have you injure yourself or cause more damage to any tree simply because you are eager to get the wood.Another option is to ask professional tree companies if they plan on using any of the wood that they may have cut down after a storm.  Many will allow individuals to have the wood, often for free, if they are willing to provide a vehicle and the means to haul the products.  It saves them time disposing of the waste.A great option for locating wood may be as easy as contacting your local forestry or natural resources department.  Many times they are responsible for dead-falls in park lands and forested areas.  It can be very time-consuming and they often do not have the manpower to handle all of the work.  There are restrictions in most areas on what you can and cannot do, so make sure you know the law beforehand or ask what the requirements and expectations are before you just walk into protected areas and start up your chainsaw.
  • To begin building your own solar wood dryer, you will need lumber.  This can be treated or non-treated lumber, or even recycled lumber.  If the wood is treated it will definitely last longer, but it may not be within your budget.  The idea is to create something that benefits you, and if you're breaking your budget to make an item like this, you are not gaining.To make this project, you will need the following lumber: (use 2 inch-by-4 inch boards)Six 8-foot long boardsTwo 6-foot long boardsFour 4-foot 6-inch long boardsTwo 4-foot 9-inch long boardsOne 4-foot 2 inch-by-1 inch board (see further instructions to decide if you need this piece or not)
  • Tools1 tape measure1 staple heavy-duty staple gun1 saw (hand or electric)1 utility knife1 drill with screwdriver bit or a battery-operated screw-gunMaterials and Hardware1 box of 2 and 1/2-inch exterior wood or deck screws1 box of heavy duty staples1 roll of duct tape (you can even choose the color you'd like now)4-mil clear polyethylene sheeting (10x15 foot roll)Note:  If you'd like something more durable than the 4-mil polyethylene sheeting, you can substitute UV treated corrugated plastic roofing or polyethylene.  It lasts longer, but will increase the overall cost.  Clear sheeting is preferable, but you can choose to get thicker sheeting if desired.  Make sure that the sun can shine through it (don't use black or dark colors).  If you use the plastic roofing or polyethylene material that is thicker, you may need more screws instead of staples. Plan ahead based on your materials. 
  • Measure and cut your sheeting material to the proper lengths prior to attachment to the frame of your solar wood dryer.  Each piece of sheeting should be cut at least 2 inches longer and wider than the dimensions of your frame.  This will allow double reinforcement at the edges where you will insert the staples.Although the photo shows it, we strongly advise you not to use black sheeting.  For drying purposes, you absolutely want the sun to shine through your sheeting.  Black or dark sheeting reflects the sun away from the wood inside.
  • Excuse the rudimentary properties of my illustration, but I believe that after printing this out you will be able to follow the directions easily.To begin, find a location for your dryer.  You want the back of the dryer to face South.  This is so that the sun can do it's work.  If you're wanting your dryer to be moveable, make sure that you build the framework in a sturdy manner.  I suggest screws because you can easily remove the screws later in order to transport your dryer to another location later.Lay out your lumber in a manner that is similar to the illustration.The north side of the dryer frame will be 6 feet high; the south side will be 4-feet-6 inches high.  Build the two ends of the dryer frame first by attaching a 6-foot board and a 4-foot-6 inch board with a 4-foot-9-inch board at the top of the frame, and a 6 foot board at the bottom with screws. You can either make the east side or the west side first, but remember - the screws must face you and not the inside of the structure. Once you have both the east and west ends finished, attach one 8-foot board 6 inches above ground level to allow for ventilation to the front (north-facing and taller side).  Attach another 8-foot board in the same manner to the (south-facing and shorter side) 4-foot-6-inch board, making sure you have allowed for ventilation.Next, attach one 8-foot board 4 inches from the top of each end of the 6 foot boards (on the north-facing side).  Then attach one 8-foot board at the top of each end (near the top) of the 4-foot-6-inch boards.You should now only have the roof to finish (as the bottom of the dryer is open.  You want to build your solar wood dryer with a bit of a slope.  This allows rain, snow and moisture to roll off of the "roof" of your dryer instead of caving it in in the center.  To prevent a collapse, take one 8-foot board and attach it onto the east and west sides' 4-foot-by-9-inch boards, horizontally.  (Note: If you fear that it still isn't strong enough, you can cut extra lumber to make bracing pieces that can be placed from inside or outside the structure to ensure proper drainage and protection or simply add more 8-foot boards spaced evenly apart.)     
  • I have marked in blue where your sheeting should be placed for the "sides" or ends of your dryer frame.  The polyethylene should be pre-cut two inches longer and wider than the dimensions of your frame.You should staple the plastic down around the entire side of the frame.  To keep this how-to consistent, I suggest starting with the east side first.  You would then simply repeat the process on the west side next.  Remember, there will be excess plastic that is not attached to the wood.  Leaving this in such a manner is important to your next steps.
  • The "north" or open side of your framework now needs to be sheeted.  To ensure access to the wood pile is easy, you should allow the polyethylene to hang loosely by only using staples to hold it to the very top part of that side's frame.  The easiest method is to cut two 4-foot-2-inch-wide sheets.  They will overlap each other in the center, preventing moisture from invading the dryer from that side.Additional Option:If you would like to not only dry your wood, but also store it in the same structure:Cut out sheeting that will not only cover the front (north side) of your solar wood dryer, but also the top.Staple the sheeting to all frame materials on the top of your structure and then allow the excess sheeting to fall over the front (north side) of the framework. For the front (north side), cut a slit in the sheeting directly up the center to allow for two flaps.  Staple the top-most and outer-most sides of the sheeting to the frame on only one end of the frame - you can choose the left (east) or right (west)side based on your ease of use.  Make sure you tuck the excess sheeting from the sides beneath your new sheeting before you place the staples.At the bottom, screw a 1-inch-by-2-inch board of 4-foot length to the bottom (front) 8-foot long board.  To keep from tearing the sheeting, you can place a bit of felt between the screw head and the sheeting when screwing it into the board.  Or, you can use a bit of duct tape.Once this is completed, you will have one side that is closed off, and one side that is easily accessed by simply lifting the limp sheeting up over the top of the framework to access the wood pile.
  • To sheet the south side of your solar wood dryer, you should cut one piece of sheeting that also covers the top.  This will provide a more snug covering.  Attach the sheeting to the back, or south side, of the framing with staples on all sides.  Make sure to tuck the extra sheeting from the side framing (remember, you were told to cut it a bit longer than the dimensions of the frame) beneath the south sheeting before you place the staples.The extra material should now fit across the entire length and width of the top of your solar wood dryer.  Pull it taught and staple the sheeting to all of the top framework (including the excess sheeting from the sides and any braces or extra pieces you've added to the original design).Once the top has been completed, you are ready to place your wood into the dryer.
  • The criss-cross pattern of stacking wood is important.  It allows for ventilation so that the wood does not rot.  It also allows for the wood to dry evenly inside the solar wood dryer.Stacking the wood in this manner also prevents other hazards.  One, if you use this method, you are less likely to have the entire pile of wood come rumbling down onto your head or feet.  Two, this method allows you to access the top of the stack and move your way to the bottom.  The top of the stack will dry more quickly because it is furthest from the ground where moisture resides. Inside your solar dryer, you can use larger pieces of wood to hold the pile by evenly placing them onto the ground, or some people like to use pallets or even bricks so that none of their drying wood even touches the ground.  This can help you prevent critters like termites and carpenter ants from finding what they want; rotting wood.Good luck and feel free to leave me a message or send photos if you successfully build my sample solar wood dryer.
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Christina Rivers is a freelance journalist and photographer that was raised in a family that promoted frugal, self-sustaining life methods. Covering everything from home food storage and personal preparedness to emergency survival and medicine, Christina offers readers an opportunity to create...

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