Stacking wood? Try this creative technique from Scandinavia

Downeast Wood Bank preserves space with a practical and aesthetic wood pile

One of the Holzhausen at the Downeast Wood Bank, stacked last spring. Photo by Maizy Weirich.

Oct. 13, 2026

SURRY— The Downeast Wood Bank, located on Blue Hill Heritage Trust land, has several six-foot-tall circular stacks of wood called Holzhausen, which is German for “wood house.”

Tom Matthews, a volunteer at the wood bank, said Holzhausens “were first used in Scandinavian countries. They know firewood!”

The structure of the holzhausens allows for more wood to be stacked in a smaller area. This is important for the Downeast Wood Bank, which has a fixed amount of space on the land owned by the trust. The inside of the holzhausen is filled with wood that also supports the outer walls.

“They are somewhat decorative, and you will see them in dooryards around here,” Matthews said. “They still allow air to circulate, which is important when seasoning wood.”

Interested in building your own? The Downeast Wood Bank is welcoming volunteers to help split and stack wood from 8:30-11:30 a.m. every Saturday to provide wood for eight neighboring communities.

Click here to learn more.