8 Quick & Easy to Build Firewood Rack Bracket Kit Reviews (Adjustable & Metal)

​Pros of Simple Bracket Kits

Cons of Simple Bracket Kits

ShelterLogic LumberRack Adjustable Firewood Rack Bracket Kit - Review

Engineered from ABS plastic, each kit includes 2 brackets, just enough to build 1 firewood rack. 2×4’s are not included. You can make your own firewood rack in just a few minutes, it’s that simple!

​It’s adjustable to any length. Slide brackets along the rails to size the rack to match your storage needs.

​To match the design shown above, your plan for building a firewood rack is: buy 3 pressure-treated 2X4’s at Home Depot and have them cut in halves in the store. Insert 2×4’s into brackets as shown above and you’re done rather quick. And you can add a cover later, before winter sets in.

​The kit is specially designed to firmly fit 2 x 4 lumber for a strong rack construction … so a word of caution. Some reviewers said they had a hard time fitting wet pressure-treated lumber through the slots, so choose the drier boards out of the pile at the lumber store and you won’t have any problems. If lumber you bought is still wet, you may have to shave it a bit to fit, which not every DIY enthusiast knows how to do or comfortable doing.

​TIP: to reinforce this rack or to create an additional top shelf, you can buy a second kit, cut in half one more 2×4 and install the new brackets upside-down at the top of the verticals, to form a rectangular firewood rack frame. It maybe necessary to attach some sort of stops underneath the top set to prevent it from sliding down.

​While we really like this simple bracket kit, some people have one reservation against its outdoor use: plastic parts harden overtime and eventually crack. Well, we’ve had some experience designing ABS parts, and black ABS especially is very good against UV ageing (prolonged exposure to sunlight, which is what causes cracks).

Ironton Adjustable Firewood Rack Steel Bracket Kit - Review

If you don’t trust plastic parts then this metal bracket kit could be your preferred choice for building a strong adjustable firewood rack.

​Black powder-coated, this all-steel design looks well constructed from 1/16″ thick sheet metal. Adjust the length of the rack simply by changing to longer or shorter 2x4s. After receiving this kit in the mail, assembling your new rack shouldn’t take more than 1 hour. Quick and easy.

​There are a couple of things to be aware of.

​The actual dimensions of a standard 2×4 that you buy at the store is 1.5" x 3.5". The bracket openings actual dimensions are 2"x4". So the 2×4’s can get loose inside the brackets. Another (unrelated) potential issue is that the logs, as they are piled against the vertical sides, could push the slippery smooth brackets slowly off the horizontal rails.

​According to multiple reviews, these small issues are easily resolved and can even be turned to your advantage. You can apply either of the 3 simple solutions below.

1. Shim the gaps in the brackets to make lumber fit snug (using Home Depot shims). Drill a hole on the side of the horizontal metal slot (on one side only per each end of the rack is enough) and drive a screw in to hold the brackets in place, to stop sliding.
2. Or … do nothing – leave the 2×4’s loose and let the vertical ones lean away from the stack which will also stop the sliding as the metal edges will bite into the wooden rails. This will change the look of your rack a bit.
3. Or … if you have access to rough sawn lumber then don’t buy the Home Depot lumber.

​Log Rack 4-Bracket Steel Set by Pleasant Hearth - Review

This is a super customizable kit that includes not 2 but 4 separate brackets, for building 1 firewood rack quick. It’s not only length adjustable, it’s also depth adjustable. This means you can make a wider rack to pile up longer logs.

​Made from steel in the USA, it’s perfect to build a strong outdoor wood rack. The brackets have holes pre-drilled, and the screws are included, we believe, but better check with the seller!

​With this kit, you can DIY some interesting rack design plans. One idea could be buying a second kit and using it to add a top shelf. Another idea is to use the second kit to build a longer rack (let’s say 12 ft or 8 ft), with rails running trough all 4 pairs of brackets, creating a 3-section design.

​To match the rack design shown above and to have no left-over pieces, your building plan would include these steps: buy 4 dry (or drier) pressure-treated 8 ft long 2×4’s. Cut 2 of them in half – for your verticals. Cut off a 16″ piece from each of the other two to create the two short side links (16″ deep design makes a very stable rack). The remaining two 80″ pieces will be your rails and the length of your firewood holder. And you can do cuts in the store. This is going to be a longer rack design than the two above. But you can always cut it to your preferred size or simply slide brackets inwards. To assemble, first slide a steel bracket over each end of the 16″ side links (flash with the ends) and drive two screws through each using pre-drilled holes (as shown on the photo above). Then slide the two 80″ rails into the 4 brackets, to form a base. Now force the verticals into the brackets, and you’re done.

​Because this is a longer (over 6 ft) design, to make a very sturdy and durable rack, you would want to add blocks underneath the rails, in the middle of the length, or they may sag under the load of firewood.

​Overall, this kit is an inexpensive alternative for building a great outdoor wood rack.

Hopkins 90144 2x4basics Firewood Rack Plastic Bracket Kit - Review

This rack bracket kit is your cheapest DIY alternative to a ready-made outdoor design (it’s under $8 as of now – as cheap as it gets). But it does the job. Fully assembled, it’ll look great on a porch or deck. And it’s very easy to build with only a powered screwdriver and a saw. We also like the fact that it’s raised off the ground, reducing risks of having rotten 2×4’s.

​Comes with all hardware included (but not 2x4s, make no mistake) and all holes pre-drilled. The size is adjustable – just cut 2×4’s to your preferred length up to 8 ft and up to 4 ft high.

​While the least expensive, this kit let you be the most creative. Look at this two-shelf rack plan above – looks great on the photo. By combining additional 2x4basics Firewood Rack kits, you can build storage with multiple shelves or sections not only for firewood but also for anything else, including garage storage and work stations and even garden work benches.

​And a finished firewood rack measures 16″ deep, which is great – more room to hold wood in the winter. The brackets are made of durable structural resin (they don’t say what type) which is claimed to be weather resistant.

​It is suggested to place bricks or stones under the centers of 2x4s if you’re planning to fill the rack with a face cord of wood, to prevent sagging in the middle.

​This kit even comes with assembly instructions. And there are tons of positive reviews.

Pros of High Upright Brackets

Cons of High Upright Brackets

SLRA Adjustable Firewood Rack Kit by Shelter - Review

This is a high-arms bracket kit that has lots of good reviews. Reviewers call this kit simple yet amazingly functional. And no wonder. It’s extremely easy to build an outdoor firewood rack with. Just slide two of your own 2x4s (not supplied with the kit) into metal slots and you’re done. Well, almost.

No screws are supplied but metal brackets have pre-drilled holes. According to reviews, many people don’t even bother to use them – the design is stable enough without the screws. Plus, just in case if you want to change the length later, it’ll be simpler without the screws.

However, if you’re planning to move the rack while some wood is on it or desire a more sturdy construction, I suggest you do use the screws to keep the rack assembly intact (to prevent any chances of sides sliding off the 2x4s). The reviewers recommend #8 x 1-1/4″ screws to hold the brackets in place at each end. Drive them in through the pre-drilled holes.

What makes this firewood bracket kit so functional is that the length is so easily adjustable. You can make the rack any size you want depending on how long your 2x4s are. The longer rails should not affect the rigidity as the pile weight is distributed evenly through out the length. You may want to start by setting two 8-footers (standard 2x4s length, no cuts needed) in the metal slots and in the future, as your wood pile diminishes or if you simply want to make it smaller, just cut one 2X4 in half and put the rack all back together (saves you one 2×4). Couldn’t be easier! Compared to others DIY firewood rack plans, this could be the best value for price, quality and ability to expand.

The fit is very tight so you’ll want to use a hammer to pound the pressure-treated 2x4s in, which is great as it makes the rack very sturdy.

The high metal sides are made in the USA of heavy duty 1.25″ tubular steel. And notice that the tubular arms are welded to the longer sides of the sheet metal brackets (not to the top) which makes weldment much stronger.

TIP: you can spray paint the 2x4s black and it will look like an expensive read-made metal rack design.

One small issue we’ve noticed is that some people feel the side brackets are not high enough for their needs. The actual height is only 41 inches but the product specification shows the height as 45 inches. That is because it includes the height of the 2"x4" rails.

Panacea 15206 Adjustable Length Log Rack Kit - Review

This design is the closest thing to the previous high sides metal bracket kit we could find but one that is manufactured in China, is priced about the same and gets tons of good reviews a well.

The design is slightly different though – the high tubular uprights are welded to the top of the brackets (not to the sides as with the previous kit) which makes it less strong in our view. Also, the steel tube is slightly smaller in diameter than with the Shelter SLRA firewood bracket kit. This could make it a more flimsy construction. In fact, we've have found at least two reviews stating that tubular arms bent under the strain of the wood.

But the great ability to easily adjust in size is the same. While we feel like these wood brackets would be a good choice for smaller size outside racks (for small decks, patios or a small porch), some people report having them set up as 12' long and even 32' long! Not sure how they got such long rails (unless they connected two 16-footers) ... but that's 2 full cords of wood.

There are contradicting reports on size and fit (could be because the manufacturing process has changed over time or the construction tolerances are quite wide). Some people report that these wood brackets fit tight over the standard 2x4s - they don't get loose or slope. Others report that there is some gap in the bracket openings - they are closer to a true 2"x4" size. And some even suggest to buy 2x6's (instead of 2x4's) and chisel them down to whatever the bracket's hole dimension. I can see how this could be a good idea - to make a longer rack sturdier. 

With all that, using screws is recommended to secure these Panacea High Arms Log Rack Brackets on the 2x4s. Use the #10 deck screws as recommended by many reviewers, pre-drilling holes first.

TIP: For sturdier setups, fasten brackets to rails with nuts and bolts instead of screws. (You would have to enlarge the pre-drilled holes using for-metal drills and also drill holes through the rails.)

TIP: Place your assembled firewood rack brackets on top of cinder blocks to get wooden rails off the ground (if you live in the heavy rain areas, like Florida) and to keep termites out (California).

​Shown below is an interesting design idea & an enhancement that can be applied to other similar bracket kits as well (as recommended by one of the reviewers).

​Cut 3 pieces of lumber at 10-in long and attach them between the base rails for stability and strength. Also attach 22-inch long pieces at each end of your rack as an anti-tip solution.

Finally, set the brackets onto concrete blocks.

Pros of Tie Connectors

Cons of Tie Connectors