November 18, 2018

Firewood Box and Barn Bench

Between building the goat barn and repairing the pantry roof, the pile of leftover wood scraps has become pretty large. Add to that a couple of rainy days, and this is what happens.


A new firewood box! The old one was small and rickety, so Dan wanted to make a new one. What's nifty about this one is that it has wheels and a handle.


It can be wheeled out to the front porch where the outdoor rack is and load it up. No more leaving the front door open in frigid temperatures while we carry in armloads of wood to refill it. 

 Dan also made a barn bench!

Rustic, heavy duty, and Meowy approved.

This was made from waste slabs of wood from Dan's sawmill. For every post, beam, or board he cuts, there are a number of pieces that are too irregular for regular building projects, but are still useful.

We're entering the season of small projects, because often that's all the weather will allow. It's also a good time to plan ahead, research, write, and do some creative experimentation. Not to mention enjoying a bowl of soup by the wood fire! We have to appreciate these things in their appropriate seasons, don't we?

Firewood Box and Barn Bench © November 2018 

22 comments:

Sam I Am...... said...

What a great idea for the wood hauler! Dan is a keeper for sure! Aldo, the beautiful openwork he did of a tree...I love the whole thing and your living room/woodburner room is so cozy. You've made a lovely homestead!
The bench is nice too...'waste not, want not' as they used to say.

wyomingheart said...

Those projects are so very clever! I love the firewood box! We will be putting that idea into action...lol. Dan is very talented and that's excellent for a DIY household. That fire in the wood stove looks very cozy! All that's needed is a good cup of coffee...Perfect!

DFW said...

Love the wood box & especially love the bench. Great job Dan!

Leigh said...

Sam, thanks you! Dan is handy and creative too. I love both the firewood box and bench. And I love our wood stove! Warms both body and heart.

Wyomingheart, thank you! Coffee's brewing! :) Everything Dan builds is useful and has the most delightful creative touches.

DFW, thanks! It's the time of year for creative projects. :)

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

That's a nice wood hauler for the space and area you have. The bench is nice too.

Rain said...

Wheels...how ingenious! I would never have thought of that! Good for Dan. We have to make life easier as we get older!! And that bench is wonderful, it's so unique!!! Oh, I noticed the kitty beds by the fire, very cute!!! :)

J.L. Murphey said...

I'd love the design for the firewood box. We finally bought a tote to carry firewood inside 5-6 pieces at a time. A great improvement for my one-handed self.

Mama Pea said...

Not only are both pieces practical, but oh-so-attractive! We got a new wood rack to use next to our living room wood stove this summer. Bought it at an estate sale -- heavy, black wrought iron. We would never have (could never have!) spent the money on something like it new. Found it holds about twice as much wood as our old one. No wheels though, darn!

Chris said...

Oh Meowy, I want your job! Terrific projects, Leigh and Dan the handyman. Those seats come in so handy. Not just for sitting, but hanging bunches of herbs from too. Also the garden pruners, and watering can have been known to keep the bench occupied, here.

Leigh said...

Kristina, it is! Just as long as we don't have to go over rough surfaces (which we don't) it's very nice.

Rain, I agree it's pretty clever. :) And yes, the kitty beds are well placed and frequently used. :)

Jo, I wouldn't mind one of those totes either, especially for bringing wood into the kitchen for the cookstove. It's a lot of work carrying in a lot of wood.

Mama Pea, thank you! Great score on your new wood rack. Those heavy wrought iron racks are expensive but you need something sturdy for fire wood.

Chris, the best part is it's a lovely place to catch some sunny warmth. All the cats love that!

Glen Filthie said...

Very nice! I remember a time when I would have really appreciated a wood box like that... :)

Debbie - Mountain Mama said...

That's a fabulous wood box!! How convenient to be able to wheel it right out to fill it up! I need a wood elevator, ha ha, since we have to bring the wood up a flight of stairs from the garage! Have a very happy Thanksgiving!

Fiona said...

That wood box is awesome...so is the bench. Sadly as much as I love Ralph, a carpenter he is not. We use buckets to carry our wood😁
I am keeping my eyes out when we pass yard sales.

Leigh said...

Glen! Are you saying you don't have a fireplace or woodstove anymore? I would so miss ours!

Debbie, you need a dumb waiter! Many large old homes used to have them so as to not have to tote stuff up and down stairs. It would be perfect for firewood. )

Fiona, hey, buckets work. We used to have to carry it into the house by the armload. Not getting wood chips and sawdust all over our clothes is much nicer.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi! I love your new firewood box. How handy! So much more practical. And your new bench is so nice. Nice to have a handy husband! Happy Thanksgiving! Nancy

Nancy In Boise said...

Great jobs! Still bugging my hubby for a wood burning stove :) Kitty looks comfy!

Leigh said...

Hi Nancy, good to hear from you! Very nice to have a handy husband. :)

And hi Nancy! I have to say that there's nothing more comforting that heat from a wood burning stove. A real treat. :)

Kelly said...

Love that bench! Love the kitty on it, too. :) We have too many dogs (9) to have a cat, so I enjoy them vicariously through the internet (and my "grand-kitties", only one of which I get to see very often...though I do talk to him on the phone!).

Leigh said...

Kelly, thanks! We have too many cats to have a dog LOL. Only four but they would definitely go on strike if we brought a dog home. ;)

The Wykeham Observer said...

A beautiful job on the wood rack and bench. And it feels better to have used up perfectly good lumber and not seeing it go to waste. Phil

Ed said...

I started a fire in our fireplace this past weekend, the first in nearly a year. Unfortunately, I don't have a place for a wheeled firewood box but since my fireplace is downstairs, letting cold air in doesn't affect the rest of the house much.

Leigh said...

Phil, and we have so much lumber scraps! It's an odd assortment, I admit, but very useful.

Ed, if you had to wheel the box up and down stairs, that might not be so handy!