How to Store Your Firewood
How do you store your firewood? This may seem like an easy task to do if you have a garage or a tool shed. But, to keep your firewood in the best condition and ready to burn, there are different ways that you can stack and store it.
If you have spent hours cutting and preparing your firewood, the last thing you want is for it to go bad! Depending on where you live, the weather can have a detrimental effect on your firewood. Rain, snow, or other intense conditions has the potential to ruin the wood. If you do not store the wood in the correct way, it could get moisture inside and won’t burn right. When you are storing your firewood, the main goal is to keep it dry and free from mold, bugs, and other pests.
As you begin to cut your firewood, you may want to start creating a plan to know how you will stack and store it! Here are some tips to take into consideration when dealing with your firewood:
First, learn how to cut it the best way for your fire pit:
Measure your fire pit to determine how big your wood logs should be. Remember, shorter logs are always better. You should also try to cut the long ways, so trim or cut the bottoms so they can stand on their own. Do you know where to aim when you are cutting wood? That’s Right, the hairline cracks and avoid the knots! This will make it a whole lot easier when you are trying to split it.
Which brings you to the question of “What type of wood is best” when it comes to a fire pit? This can be very subjective depending on where you live. But, if you are able to get oak, go with that! It burns longer and burns cleaner! You may notice less smoke and a much longer evening of little fire maintenance! If not, find dry, seasoned wood.
The difference between season and unseasoned is pretty simple. Unseasoned wood means it has a lot more water content. It is very hard to burn and does not produce heat the way you would want it to. If you do not season the wood, you may also have carbon monoxide buildup and very short-lived fire.
When you season your firewood, the water content is much less, and you can burn the wood in a much safer manner. The moisture evaporates from the wood allowing it to ignite and give you the perfect fire. This does, however, take months to achieve, so be patient and understand the process.
Learn How to Stack it:
First, let’s figure out how to stack the wood. You should stack the wood in rows across 2-4 feet tall. You can get a log rack, posts, or pallets to stack your logs, whichever works best for the space you have. If your wood is not ready to burn, you need to stack that wood with the bark down. This way, the moisture will escape as you need it to.
It is very important to stack them in an organized fashion with the cut ends exposed. You should stack the wood in a loose manner rather than tight. This will help with the airflow for the stacks. Ventilation and sunlight is key to making sure your firewood is ready for use.
Keep your Wood Clean and Dry:
It is so important to make sure your firewood is dry and clean when it is not in use. Not everyone has a shed out back where we can store our logs. So, we have to find an alternative! It is not recommended to stack your firewood inside your home because most of them will be carrying bugs, termites, or other pests that you do NOT want!
Some good options for storing the wood are your garage, a designated wooded area, a woodshed, or on the side of your house (but not touching it!) Be sure not to stack the firewood against your house for safety purposes. And try to keep it away from windows on your home as well. This will help to keep rodents and bugs away!
To most of us, we plan on throwing it in the fire pit to burn, so does the stacking and storing process matter? Quick answer: yes! The drier the wood is, the better it will burn. This is especially important if you are using the same wood for an indoor fireplace. If you do not let the wood dry out and age, it could cause smoke and ash in your house as well as carbon monoxide.
If you are storing your wood outside, be sure to keep it covered during the winter or rainy seasons, so you can avoid moisture from rain or snow. However, you will want to keep it uncovered during warmer months so it does not collect additional moisture under the cover. Remember, the firewood needs to breathe! If you do end up covering it, be sure to keep the bottom of the pile uncovered so air can still pass through!
Now you know! The next time you go to buy firewood, be sure to use some of these tips when you are stacking and storing!