Decorative firewood racks in Corten steel

Every piece here is formed from 2 mm Corten steel and delivered with the Cortenys signature patina. Dimensions are as listed on each product page, in millimeters with the inch equivalent rounded to the nearest inch; weights are empty weights and prices are US prices in the base finish.

These pieces are made to show off firewood close to where you burn it: by the back door, at the edge of the deck or patio, near a fire pit or an outdoor fireplace. Respect the clearances set by the maker of the appliance, though: no firewood rack, decorative or not, belongs right up against a fire. The outer volume of our decorative shapes runs from about 0.05 m³ (1.6 cu ft) for Fortito or Circulu to 0.21 m³ (7.5 cu ft) for the long Gemitus and 0.28 m³ (10 cu ft) for Sylvain. The stack never fills that outer volume completely, so count on a few evenings of fires, not a season.

For the bulk of your winter supply, pair a decorative piece with a larger firewood rack under cover at the back of the yard and refill it as you go. Every larger design, with or without legs, with compartments or several tiers, is on our Corten steel firewood racks page. A quick way to size that main rack: multiply length × depth × height in feet for the outer volume in cubic feet, then expect noticeably less wood, because the gaps between logs take a real share of it.

If you searched for a metal hexagon firewood rack or a hexagon log rack, Sylvain is ours. Its shape comes from a honeycomb cell: six open sides, sitting straight on the ground, with the logs settling into the angles. It measures 920 mm long, 385 mm deep and 800 mm high (36 × 15 × 31 in), weighs 20.3 kg (45 lb) empty and costs $3,490. It is the tallest and roomiest of our decorative pieces, but it comes in that single size, and we do not offer a nesting set of hexagons or a taller version.

On a lawn, on pavers or on a deck, Sylvain is the most sculptural of our modern firewood racks: the pale cut ends of the logs against the coppery patina.

Most people searching for a round firewood rack picture a big steel hoop full of logs. Circulu is not that. It is a round window module 390 mm (15 in) across and 380 mm (15 in) deep, weighing 15.6 kg (34 lb), at $2,910. You set it in front of a woodpile or build it into a larger rack, and it acts like a porthole: the eye goes straight to the cut ends of the logs inside the ring.

On its own it holds an armful of logs, about 0.05 m³ (1.6 cu ft) of outer volume. We do not make a large circular rack for the winter supply; a Circulu framing the front of a bigger rectangular rack gives you the round look with real storage behind it.

The three windows share a depth of 350 to 380 mm (14 to 15 in) and a height of about 380 mm (15 in); Circulu, at 390 mm across, is barely taller. Fortito, the most compact, stands alone, stacks or goes into a low wall; Gemitus runs along a wall in 780 or 1480 mm (31 or 58 in); Circulu, placed in front of a stack or set into a rack, draws the eye to the logs.

Our product pages mention no wall-mounting kit for these modules. If you plan to stack them high or build them into a wall, talk to us before you order.

• A low run: two long Gemitus end to end under a window of the house, nearly 10 ft of firewood on display.
• A wall of wood and light: Fortito modules stacked in a checkerboard, a few squares left open for the light.
• A focal point: one Circulu at eye level in the middle of a woodpile.

Meum is an openwork heart, 600 × 540 × 380 mm (24 × 21 × 15 in) and 11.4 kg (25 lb). Slip it into a woodpile, lean it against a wall or set it in the middle of a flower bed. Its open outline takes a few logs and lets the air through, but it works just as well empty, as yard decor.

Meum also makes a natural gift: for a housewarming, a wedding anniversary, a first home with a fireplace. Meum is $3,190, Circulu $2,910 and Sylvain $3,490. Each one is made to order, so allow 2 to 5 weeks from order confirmation to delivery, which is free, and order well before the date.

The windows are 350 to 380 mm (14 to 15 in) deep and Sylvain 385 mm (15 in). Logs cut to 13 in (33 cm) fit inside without sticking out; standard 16 in logs will overhang the front by 1 to 2 in, and 20 in (50 cm) logs by much more. Every shape is open, so air moves through the stack and helps it dry. Only put seasoned, ready-to-burn wood in these pieces; freshly split wood dries better in a ventilated shed.

The signature patina is applied in the workshop before delivery. Damp logs and rain carry rust down onto the ground, so set these pieces on gravel, dark stone or spacers. The protective varnish is an option on all five, adding $40 to Sylvain ($3,530 instead of $3,490); it greatly reduces rust runoff but does not rule it out: even varnished, Corten steel can still stain the ground, especially under a wet stack, so keep a gravel strip, spacers or a drip tray underneath. Our Corten steel care guide explains how to deal with a mark.

Our firewood racks are designed for outdoor use. A decorative indoor firewood holder next to a wood stove or fireplace is possible only once we have approved the project with you, before you order, and with the workshop varnish; even then, varnished Corten steel can still stain a light floor, rug or hearth, so set the piece on a tray or spacers and wipe up damp marks quickly. Keep the stove's clearances as well. More on the finish on our protective varnish page, and on the material on Corten steel.

To stack firewood high against a wall, in 2- or 3-tier columns, see our vertical firewood racks. For capacity, the rack without legs, the frame on legs and the tiered and compartment designs are all in our full range of Corten steel firewood racks. For layouts that mix racks, planters and fire, browse our Corten steel garden ideas.