IBC Totes For Firewood | Which Configuration Holds The Most Wood?

I took on the challenge and did the work to figure out the best way to stack firewood into an IBC basket. I had two different variations of stacking vs loosely tossing the wood into the IBC tote. The perpendicular configuration holds the most wood, but the caveat is that it's also the heaviest. This configuration holds just about a full face cord of wood but unless you have the equipment capable of lifting it, it may not be the best choice for you. In my case, the tractor I currently have does not have the lift capacity to move around a third of a cord of firewood.
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[@chugger22]

Watched this video on my TV but couldn’t comment so opened it on my phone just to say thanks for doing this. A lot of manual labor on your behalf to satisfy my curiosity LOL. I’ve calculated I normally handle every piece of wood 9 times from the time the tree hits the ground till it goes in the wood stove.

[@AmateurAtBest]

Thank you for appreciating it! Lol. Yeah I'm always looking for ways to handle the wood less. I think I've got it down pretty good.

[@amandadavis9726]

Depending on your setup,…you can get your touches down to two with the totes after it’s been split.

[@davidignacio3009]

Good job doing this side by side comparison. At least we all now know which configuration holds most wood and how each configuration most approximates a third of a face cord. You have just answered one of the most asked questions of all times with proven methods and not just guesses as others do. BTW, your video is not only educational but very entertaining.

[@AmateurAtBest]

Thanks for your kind words David! I'm glad the video was helpful for you!

[@elong35]

Great video. The loose stack makes a ton of sense for quickly tossing in wood for seasoning.

[@AmateurAtBest]

Absolutely!

[@chetusher444]

This was a excellent video. Thank you for taking the time to produce it.

[@AmateurAtBest]

Thank you for watching! I'm glad it was of some help.

[@justtinkering6054]

This is exactly the information that I was looking for. Thank you.

[@AmateurAtBest]

Your very welcome! Glad it helped

[@dschephigh1]

Thanks for doing this, I will go with the perpendicular stack myself. Gonna be getting 8 totes from work on Sunday. Gonna build a new wood shed this spring and fill them up. They should work well for what I wanna do. Thanks again.

[@AmateurAtBest]

Of course! I'm glad the video was helpful for you. You'll love the totes for moving wood around.

[@mrandall9394]

Thanks for taking the time to do this! I've been meaning to do the same , you saved me a lot of time. I appreciate that!

[@AmateurAtBest]

Of course! I'm glad it was helpful.

[@mrandall9394]

@@AmateurAtBest but the way, I've been doing the two row stacked method with mine. I also started experimenting with cutting the tote bladder in different ways to protect the wood from rain and snow. I also stack the wood higher up inside to the top of the bladder for more storage. So far this angle cut is working best. Hmm... Can't add the picture, basically cut the bladder from opposite corner to corner and place on top

[@AmateurAtBest]

Yeah I tried cutting the bladder to make a 'roof' for the basket. It works great but is a little more work. I just throw a large tarp to cover all of them and call it a day. Plus I can resell the bladder and get a little bit of cash back.

[@JOEZEP54]

My back hurts just from thinking of what you just did LOL Thank you for this demonstration. I handle wood between 6 to 9 times between picking it up processing & finally burning. These IBC totes look like a great way to go. Just need a tractor LOL Been looking for a backhoe for a reasonable price for some time. Keep up the good work. Stay Safe, Joe Z

[@AmateurAtBest]

Thanks Joe I'm glad the video was helpful, haha. Yeah having a tractor or skid is the only way to make these work but I'll tell ya, it's awesome being able to move em around whenever wherever.

[@woodnyardjunkie]

Great video! It's funny hearing people say you can fit a facecord stacked in a 275 gallon tote. You just proved them wrong. You should do a thrown in video with 2 275 gallon totes and see if that holds a facecord.

[@jandblawncare8570]

Ahh, great video! Finally someone did the work instead of guessing. Ive seen several other video's on this but all said "I'm guessing it's a 1/3 cord or so". I thought for sure those 330 gallon totes with stacked wood were a solid face cord but seems like they're a bit shy. I sell by the face cord and have always thrown on another row just to be sure and now Im glad I did so my customers aren't shorted. Thanks!

[@AmateurAtBest]

Of course! Yeah I had to do this to be sure. Like you I just can't live with possibly shorting customers.

[@lloyddrown8911]

Great video. It sure helped me.

[@MirekTurczyniak]

Thanks for the video. We always stack 2 row, but are leaning to do a loose 2/3 or 3/4 stack for sale. Much easier on labor filling it. we have a big enough machine to move one tight or loose so that doesn't matter. Like! Keep up the good work.

[@AmateurAtBest]

Thanks Mike!

[@RicardoGomez-fh4nx]

Thank you for the hard work that’s awesome

[@AmateurAtBest]

Thanks Ricardo!

[@bobjarrard]

Thanks for doing all the work for us. Bob in Nevada

[@AmateurAtBest]

Of course! And thank you for appreciating it! 😁

[@CliffsideStables]

A quick way to distinguish between 330 gallon and 275 gallon IBC totes is to count the horizontal bars. A 330 gallon tote has 6 horizontal bars whereas a 275 gallon tote has only 5 horizontal bars. Tim in northern TN

[@AmateurAtBest]

Thanks Tim!

[@frankcouper9377]

Here's what I do with IBCs. 1. Don't bother neatly stacking. Throw them in, takes 5 minutes to fill a tote and the logs will dry faster. 2. Fill to just below the top rail. Once winter arrives, cut a board 1200 x 1200 and place on top. You could also use a tarpaulin. Job done 👍

[@AmateurAtBest]

Yeah I've considered that to cut down on my time spent on firewood. I do like having it measured out though when I do to sell it.

[@tomskimcdouglegaming806]

Use half the bladder as a lid. Works well.

[@boltactionshooter]

Thanks for taking the time to do this! My L2501 can't lift stacked tote unless they are well seasoned and then just barely. I am going to make a 4x4x2H box with one side open to easily stack and measure a 1/4 cord and then dump the box into a IBC. That way the 2501 can handle moving them easily and I will also deliver them to customers that way since my tractor and many IBCs of wood will fit on my GN trailer for deliveries.

[@AmateurAtBest]

Yeah I'm constantly thinking of a better way to deliver. I'm thinking about building dividers in my dump trailer to keep the wood separated by delivery.

[@FJB2020]

I did the two row stack last year and my B2301 could barely lift it. This year I am doing a loose stack and that seems to make it much easier to transport, but I will have to move more totes around to get the same as a two row stack..

[@fxpestoperator5527]

I have some of those totes and they are nice. GREAT VIDEO Brother!!!!!!

[@AmateurAtBest]

Thank you!

[@sunseeker6088]

Food for thought……..if you buy some 275 gallon totes and fill them you will be at 1/2 a facecord. Makes it easy to keep track of the quality of wood you have and makes it easy for your tractor. If you sell a facecord you know you need two totes . 👍👍👍👍💰💰💰

[@AmateurAtBest]

That's definitely one way to do it! The place I source my totes from only sell the 330 gallon so I just make due.

[@amandadavis9726]

Not really. You’d have a 1/4 of a cord with the 275 vs 1/3 of a cord with the 330. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6PRgKOGr69knLssi=XxNMu1eSvhnb0vmS The numbers don’t lie.

[@kevinrichter4384]

Super helpfull thanks mate

[@AmateurAtBest]

Of course! Thanks for watching.

[@edhultgren6315]

Thanks so much for your efforts. I deliver free firewood to the Navajo Nation in NM and was thinking of buying some IBC totes. Your video is very helpful

[@AmateurAtBest]

Thank you! I'm glad the video was helpful.

[@amandadavis9726]

How many totes are you looking to get? I know of a place here in Phoenix that sells them very cheap. They always have a constant supply of them. I’ve picked up 3 loads of 26 totes each over the past three weeks. They set 26 aside for me every week, and sell the rest to other people. I’ve also done research,…and I’ve found that you can load 60 totes inside a semi trailer. Depending on price and cost of shipping,…it may be something to consider. Planning to have them all moved up to our new place in Show Low, and wanted to cut down on the number of trips that it would take to get them hauled up there. Check around the metro areas for places that receive and deliver bulk fluids, like motor oil, transmission fluid, and antifreeze. They usually don’t have a place to store all of the totes that they acquire. They may either give them away,…or sell them at a very cheap price. It would be worth a shot. Let me know if you need help with that search.

[@normandfortier4767]

Great video, I think that throwing it un-organize is the best for fast drying !

[@AmateurAtBest]

I totally agree! You definitely get much more airflow.

[@robertward553]

Nice, this is the kind of shit we like to hear. Facts we appreciate. Thanks

[@AmateurAtBest]

Of course Robert! And thank you!

[@workingmanrondoyle3287]

Very interesting content, I've been wondering this myself thank you for posting this video 👍👍 cheers from Ronald Doyle of Maryland's Eastern Shore

[@AmateurAtBest]

Thank you so much and I'm glad the video was helpful!

[@bear9923]

GOOD VIDEO

[@AmateurAtBest]

Thank you!

[@robertward553]

Smart, cutting and splitting firewood is hard enough, throw in stacking makes it a killer.

[@AmateurAtBest]

Agreed.

[@attackfalcon]

It seems that a loosely stacked tote holds 25% less wood. Appreciate the information, thank you.

[@jeanpomerleau8416]

I could not find ibc totes at a reasonable price around here, so i made some with 2x4 and plastic pallets, 36 inches tall with fence wire around them, it takes about 5 rounded totes to make a cord. I split the wood and just toss them in and its so fast and my tractor can move them easily.

[@AmateurAtBest]

Yeah loose tossing is much easier than stacking for sure. I bought some pallet forks for the 3 point and that lifts them nicely.

[@borissenda]

Hey, I am in France, I use also ibc boxe, I chose also the vrac méthode, it's most faster !

[@dabondoranaldo]

I never remove the braces and leave the top ring when cutting the door. These are strong, but wood is heavy.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Our baby tractor can’t lift a full tote either (330 gallon) but it’s sure handy to move around a 1/2 full tote!

[@AmateurAtBest]

It sure it! I actually have another video coming where I've increased the hydraulic pressure. It still struggles with the loader but I can lift a full face cord now with the 3 point forks.

[@mibasscraze8084]

@@AmateurAtBest what size tractors do you have? Mine is a 25hp, just wondering what i should expect to lift

[@kevinnoble6996]

I can’t find link to brackets. Thanks for video helped a lot. Kevin

[@sunseeker6088]

You can buy the brackets at Menards

[@ravenmoon1165]

Use the bladder to cap them n stop snow or water on wood!

[@AmateurAtBest]

Yeah I tried that but now I just cover them together under a tarp.

[@tylervosters3234]

Cool video. What are the dimensions of your IBC totes?

[@glxxyz]

My Bobcat CT2025 can lift every full tote I’ve tried so far, can’t curl one filled with unsplit rounds though.

[@AmateurAtBest]

That's awesome! Kubota needs to step it's game up.

[@waynesheffield7011]

Interesting. I wonder if having the middle perpendicular to both sides would hold even more? What I'm really curious about... I've seen many KZbin channels of people stacking their wood in IBC totes. They all use the two-row method. Several have measured the wood to a cord of wood, and they are all saying that one 330-gallon tote is holding just slightly more than 1/3 cord of wood. You are getting a little bit less than that. Any thoughts as to why there is this difference?

[@AmateurAtBest]

I'm not really sure, I haven't seen these videos... maybe they're blowing smoke?

[@amandadavis9726]

Do you leave all of your firewood uncovered? Just asking so that I can make a decision.

[@PapaRug.58]

Curious as to which method of stacking dries the best and stays driest

[@AmateurAtBest]

I'm not really sure what dries the fastest but I do keep all my wood covered so that helps.

[@downtotherivertreefarmllc8888]

I do the same thing. My JD 2038R can’t lift them stacked. I’m sell $5 bundles and $10 and $20 bins. I might place a tote down at the end of my driveway and sell the wood in it for $60. Tote not included lol

[@AmateurAtBest]

That's awesome! What area of the country are you in? How do you your bundles? As far as marketing goes.

[@cowboyjoyandtheRoughCuts]

Hi, Can I get a note of the size of your baby tractor? HP, trans, Hydrulics etc. Thx Keith

[@AmateurAtBest]

I'm not sure about all the specs, you can poetically look it up. I have a Kubota B3350.

[@cowboyjoyandtheRoughCuts]

@@AmateurAtBest Thank you for the response, I am starting with the Case D25. So your information was helpful into framing the realization of what my soon to be 25 hp tractor could do. Thank you very much. Keith

[@fordguyfordguy]

honestly, based on this, why waste time stacking when you can throw them in and get 3/4 capacity?

[@AmateurAtBest]

Simply to use less bins. They take up space and cost money.

[@fordguyfordguy]

@@AmateurAtBest But you basically just proved there is only a nominal improvement in efficiency...So in order to realize a benefit from neatly stacking, you'd need to have a large number of them. And the larger number you have, the less likely you would want to stack them!!!

[@graemedalgleish8944]

You have moved a lot of wood around. Wouldn't have been easier to stack one tote, move it into the tote beside it with a different stack method, and then onto the third. It would have shown us the difference with a lot less work. I stack the first row across the gate and the throw the rest.

[@AmateurAtBest]

Haha, there's many things I could do in my life to make things easier. I guess that's just my MO.

[@marjandolinsek9469]

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