Wood Storage Approach?

[cbcurran]

Hi -

I'm starting to design an outdoor counter/bar on which I will put a Toscana 90. I plan to put some wood storage underneath the oven but am unsure how to design it. I'm wondering specifically if it should be open front & back for ventilation and drying or if I should put a door on it for protection from rain or just leave it open in front.

Also, any thoughts on building in some kind of frame/support to keep the wood off of the floor?

Any experiences would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Les]

Re: Wood Storage Approach?

I put my storage away from the front of the oven - it gets pretty ugly in there. In regard to being open front and back, I don't think it is required. I supposed if you will be exposed to driving rains, a door would be helpful. Some have added one, most have not.

[cbcurran]

Re: Wood Storage Approach?

Thanks Les.

What about storing wood in a large, airtight rubbermaid tub. Any benefits to that?

[SableSprings]

Re: Wood Storage Approach?

I agree with Les (#2 above) that having wood directly under the oven opening doesn't fit my idea of safety and convenience. My approach was to build two carts that could be hidden or pulled out from under the oven platform. Both carts provide additional working space on top and plenty of storage below for wood (or other outside kitchen items) as needed. I'm currently only using the right side cart for wood storage since it provides adequate fuel for three full bake firings (20-25 loaves of bread during a single day's bake).

Take a look at my build photos in "Finishing the Oven Enclosure" (linked below) to see if they give you some ideas for your design. When rolled into the oven base, the two carts each have a dragonfly silhouette end piece to give them a finished look. It's really nice not to have to dig deep in the dark recesses under the oven for a piece of wood...some of the wood storage areas I've seen look downright scary...

[cbcurran]

Re: Wood Storage Approach?

Mike - Very nice setup and I love the sliding cart idea. Were yours custom-made?

[SableSprings]

Re: Wood Storage Approach?

Thanks for the compliment on my WFO setup! As to construction of my carts, I contacted the nearby community college welding program folks and the lead instructor thought it was the perfect final project for his top student. So I got custom made carts at basically cost for the metal (and some loaves of bread of course...)

Certainly worth checking out if you can find a local training program for welding. It definitely was a win-win. I had the carts powder coated after they were done and it's really held up well over the last two years of use.

Just had the outside blocks tiled and currently the same "tiling friend" is creating a hanging slider system for my ash bin (so I can get rid of the pile of stuff currently supporting the bin from underneath). Below are a couple of pics of the carts that I wheeled into the garage during the oven tiling.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Wood Storage Approach?

I was not keen on the bug hotel storage area either, so I made mine just big enough for what I thought would be one fire (it is actually almost 2). That way it gets emptied and refilled often enough to keep bugs from getting too comfortable, plus it keeps at least one fire's worth of wood dry and at hand.

[mrchipster]

Re: Wood Storage Approach?

Not really a bug hotel here in the great north but I have noticed some chipmunks have been frequenting the opening. Bugs have a hard time with the cold here and it being dry wood the carpenter ants are not interested. I may need to add a door to keep out Chip and Dale though.

Chip

[Laurentius]

Re: Wood Storage Approach?

I just stack my wood on shipping pallets, under my oven, they allows air to circulate and keep it off the floor, cheap any most of the times free, come in wood or plastic.

[Gulf]

Re: Wood Storage Approach?

I'll probably just use mine for tool storage with a secure door. I have plenty of other places to keep wood high and dry. I'm not exactly worried as much about bugs as I am about critters especially the no-shouldered kind !!!