Metal firewood racks: Corten steel or aluminum

To compare like with like, we took one or two sizes per design from our product pages. Dimensions read length × depth × height, in millimeters with the inch equivalent rounded to the nearest inch. Weights are the empty weights shown on each product page, and prices are US prices in the base finish: our signature patina for Corten steel, black RAL 9005 for aluminum, which costs the same as its seven other colors. The Corten steel is 2 mm thick, and 3 mm on the frame on legs.

The first difference is weight. Across the 50 sizes offered in both metals, the aluminum version is 2.9 times lighter than its Corten steel twin, with almost perfect consistency: 17 lb against 49 lb for the small 2-tier rack, 132 lb against 384 lb for the big wall with 9 compartments.

The second is price, and in our US prices it is smaller than you might expect. Aluminum costs 3% to 35% more than Corten steel, depending on the design and the size. The gap is narrowest on the rack without legs (4% to 7% more: $4,060 against $3,920 for the 1000 × 1000 mm, or 39 × 39 in, size) and on the smallest 2-tier racks, horizontal and vertical (from 3% more: $3,040 against $2,960 for the 600 mm, or 24 in, 2-tier rack). It is widest on the large grids: 27% to 31% more on the 3-tier rack, 33% on the 6 compartments and 35% on the 9 compartments ($12,320 against $9,140).

The third is the absence of a difference: unlike our planters, the sizes are exactly the same. Every dimension exists in both metals, from the small 2-tier rack at 600 × 380 × 600 mm (24 × 15 × 24 in) to the 2200 × 380 × 2200 mm (87 × 15 × 87 in) wall.

• Tiered racks: 6 sizes for the 2-tier rack in aluminum, 5 for the 3-tier rack in aluminum.
• Columns: 5 sizes each, from 800 to 2000 mm (31 to 79 in) tall, for the vertical 2-tier and the vertical 3-tier in aluminum.
• Grids: 5 sizes for 4 compartments, 3 for 6 compartments and 4 for 9 compartments in aluminum.
• Rack and frame: 10 sizes for the aluminum rack without legs, 7 for the aluminum frame on legs.

Empty weight matters most on delivery day and on the day you decide to move the rack. A 1200 mm (47 in) 2-tier rack in aluminum, at 44 lb, is an easy carry for two people; the same piece in Corten steel weighs 127 lb. On a wood deck, a balcony or a rooftop, aluminum takes a real load off the structure itself.

Once it is stacked with firewood, though, the wood accounts for most of the weight, whatever the metal. Keep that in mind before you fill a large rack on a light structure, and have a structural engineer or contractor confirm the load it can carry if you have any doubt.

In the yard, against a stone wall or along the side of the house, the weight of Corten steel becomes an asset: a big wall with 9 compartments weighing over 380 lb empty stays put without a second thought. Our Corten steel firewood racks page lists every size, so you can match the rack to how much wood you burn in a season.

Untreated Corten steel can leave rust runoff on light concrete, limestone or pale pavers, especially in its first months and in the rain. The protective varnish we offer as an option on our Corten steel firewood racks greatly reduces these marks without ruling them out: even varnished, a Corten firewood rack can still stain the patio. Set it on shims, small feet or a gravel bed. The frame on legs, raised off the ground, keeps the contact area small. Our guide to Corten steel care and rust stains covers prevention and cleanup.

Powder-coated aluminum does not rust, so it will not mark a light surface. It is the worry-free choice next to a pool, on a pale stone patio or near the coast, where salt keeps the Corten patina from stabilizing, as our guide to Corten steel near the sea explains.

Our firewood racks are designed for outdoor use. If you want a small supply next to a wood stove or a fireplace indoors, check the design and its finish with our customer service before you order.

In Corten steel, there is no color to pick: the signature Cortenys patina is applied in the workshop, somewhere between rust, sienna and amber, and keeps changing with the seasons. It sets off the pale ends of split logs and sits well with stone, wood siding and planted yards.

In aluminum, every design comes in eight colors at the same price, with a 30% gloss: White RAL 9016, Anthracite Gray RAL 7016, Black RAL 9005, Blue RAL 5001, Yellow RAL 1005, Green RAL 6018, Red RAL 3020 and Orange RAL 2004. Black and anthracite gray pick up dark window frames and modern siding; white blends into a light stucco wall; a bold color makes the rack a graphic feature of the patio.

The front is open on every design in both metals, and the 2-tier rack and the rack without legs have a solid back panel that can stand against a wall. For upkeep, powder-coated aluminum only needs an occasional wash, and Corten steel needs no particular care.

Start with where the rack will stand, then look at the budget.

• Tight budget, big woodpile in the yard: Corten steel, especially on the large grids, where aluminum costs about a third more ($9,140 against $12,320 for the 9 compartments shown above).
• Light pavers, pool deck, oceanfront property: aluminum, which leaves no rust runoff.
• Wood deck, balcony, a rack you move with the seasons: aluminum, 2.9 times lighter size for size.
• Black, gray or colorful siding: aluminum, in eight RAL colors.
• Little floor space: a column, with 2 or 3 tiers, 380 mm (15 in) deep and up to 2000 mm (79 in) tall; every tall format is compared on our page of vertical firewood racks.
• A living material that weathers and suits a natural yard: Corten steel.