How to Build a Log Holder

Ferrying firewood to the hearth just got a lot easier with this durable cart. A sturdy plywood base rests on an open framework of copper pipes that makes loading logs a cinch. The addition of casters allows for smooth transport. It’s a good way to keep smaller cuts dry and stacked in an orderly manner, and the copper is elegant enough to store hearthside even when a fire isn’t blazing.

Copper Firewood Holder: An Overview

For the Cut List, scroll down to the bottom of this article.

How to Build a Log Holder

1. Edge the Plywood Deck

• Cut the plywood to size and glue on the oak shelf edge. Alternate dabs of wood glue and then super glue to act as a fast-setting clamp.

2. Make the Base and Top Frames

• Cut the copper pieces according to the cut list (see list at the bottom of this article).
• Make the side pieces, gluing the couplings into the tees with the polyurethane glue and capping the ends with the elbows pointing downward.
• Connect the sides with the two crosspieces.

3. Attach the Base Frame to the Deck

• Center and screw down the pipe straps to the plywood deck.

4. Secure the Base Fittings

• Drill 1/16-inch pilot holes into the interior side of the branches of every fitting.
• Secure each branch to the pipes with ⅞-inch pan-head screws.

5. Mount the Casters

• Drill pilot holes in two opposite corners of a caster’s mounting plate, all the way through the deck, and fasten the caster with ¼-by-1 ¼-inch carriage bolts.
• Repeat for the other three casters.

6. Assemble the Cart

• Using polyurethane glue, put the upright pieces into the open upward-facing elbows of the bottom frame.
• Attach the top frame, placing the downward-facing elbows on the open upright pieces.

Cut list for Building a Copper-Pipe Log Holder

• ¾-inch copper-pipe crosspieces: four each @ 18 inches
• ¾-inch copper-pipe base coupling pieces: six each @ 3½ inches
• ¾-inch copper-pipe uprights: four each @ 14 inches
• ¾-inch copper-pipe top coupling pieces: four each @ 5½ inches
• ¾-inch copper-pipe top-center coupling pieces: two each @ 1½ inches
• ¾-inch plywood deck: one @ 12 by 19¾ inches
• ¼-by-¾-inch shelf-edge trim mitered to fit the plywood deck: four pieces

Tools