Quality firewood storage is a necessity for wood-burning stoves owners. Proper storage is key to ensuring that your firewood stays dry and ready to use, preventing moisture build-up, pest infestations, and mould growth.
In this article, we’ll provide you with tips and guidelines for storing firewood outdoors, including choosing the right location, stacking and covering the wood, and rotating the stack to ensure even drying.
Top Tips for Storing Your Firewood Well
Choose a dry, well-ventilated area
Firewood must be dry to burn efficiently. A shed, garage, or covered area with good ventilation is ideal.
Keep it off the ground
Storing firewood directly on the ground can cause it to absorb moisture and harder to ignite. To prevent this, stack the firewood on a raised platform or pallet.
Stack it properly
Stacking the firewood in a neat, organised pile can help it dry more quickly and evenly. Stack the logs in alternating directions to create air pockets between them as this will encourage airflow. Be mindful not to stack the wood too high as this can become unstable and difficult to manage. A stack that is 4 to 5 feet high is usually sufficient.
Cover it
Cover firewood with a tarp or other waterproof cover to protect it from rain and snow.
Make sure it’s dry
Newly cut firewood can contain up to 60% moisture, so it’s important to let it dry out before burning (moisture content needs to be less than 20% for efficient burning).
Depending on the type of wood and weather conditions, this can take anywhere from 6-18 months. Make sure to rotate logs in your stack regularly to ensure they dry out evenly.
Selecting the Right Storage Location
Seek Out a Location Close to Your Home
You want to choose a location that’s easily accessible from your home so you can easily bring in and take out firewood as needed. It also makes it easier to keep an eye on your stack.
Find a Location off the Soil
As mentioned above, you don’t want to put your firewood directly onto mud or grass as this will cause the wood to absorb moisture from the ground and rot.
You can stack your firewood on surfaces like concrete and gravel, or you can lay a tarp under the firewood. In both these cases, make sure that the wood won’t be sitting in water if it rains. Ideally, you want your firewood raised off of the ground, and you can use a wooden pallet or stacking apparatus designed for storing firewood.
Check if There is Room in an Outdoor Non-Wooden Storage Shed
If you have a shed or outbuilding in your garden, you can use this as a place to store your firewood as it is protected from rain and soil. It’s not advisable to use a wooden shed for this as firewood can attract ants – carpenter ants in particular are very damaging to wooden structures. If your shed becomes home to a colony of carpenter ants, over time the roof may become unsupported and you may need to replace the shed.
To also find out why you should split firewood, check our blog here.
Why Choose Us?
Charnwood has been committed to providing quality wood burning stoves since 1972 and we know all there is to know about wood burning stoves. If you have any questions, please get in touch.