How to Integrate a Firewood Rack Into Your Privacy Fence

A privacy fence can do more than provide privacy. It can also serve as an excellent place to incorporate a wood rack into your backyard landscape. If you have a wood stove it can be difficult keeping your firewood orderly and neat. Furthermore, a free standing firewood rack can be unsightly in a well groomed landscape. Here's how to incorporate one into your privacy fence.

Supplies

• Two 4 x 4 fence posts


• Two 2 x4 x 8 feet in length 


• Two 2 x 4 x 10 feet in length


• Drill


• 3/8 bit


• Posthole digger


• Tape measure


• Deck screws


• Hammer (optional)


• Nails (optional)


• Saw


• Trellis Pieces (optional)

1. Locate an eight foot section of your fence where you would like to build your rack. Make sure the posts are solidly in the ground. You will be using this section's two post to construct your rack.


2. Use your posthole digger to install two additional fence posts exactly 12 inches in front of your existing posts where you are planning to put your rack.


3. Cut the two  2 x 4 x 10 feet pieces to eight feet and eight inches each. These will serve as the runners for the bottom of your log rack.


4. On the posts, which your fence is attached to, measure up eight inches from the ground and drill to  3/8 inch holes next to one another in each of the existing posts.


5. Drill holes in the bottom runner, which corresponds with the holes in the fence post. Install the bottom rail by aligning it with the holes in the post with the holes in your runner. Insert three or four inch deck screws into the holes on each end. You have now installed the first bottom rail.


6. Repeat the process on the remaining installed posts, which are directly in front of your existing fence.  Install the runner on the inside face of the post. Your rack will now have both runners installed at the bottom.


7. Trim eight 20 inch pieces from your remaining two  2 x 4 x 8. You should be able to get four pieces from each piece of wood for a total of eight pieces.


8. Use the pieces to build a ladder-like structure on the exterior sides of the 4 x 4 fence posts. Start at the top and space four runners evenly down each side of fence posts. The pieces can be secured by drilling holes into each piece and attaching deck screws, or they can be nailed on to the post's with galvanized nails. When finished you will have created the sides for your wood rack.


9. To add character to your rack, you can add pieces of lattice trellis to the sides and the front bottom if you choose.


10. Stain or paint your rack the same color as your privacy fence.