Unlike many other forms of heat, firewood logs are bulky and heavy and take up a lot of space. There are products and techniques that can make storing firewood easier, more convenient, and keep the wood clean and dry.
When storing firewood logs, it is important to do so in a way that will help it to dry and stay dry. Dry firewood is easier to burn, burns cleaner and and puts our more heat. If wood is left wet for too long it can start to mold, decay and some cases it will be more likely to be attacked by boring insects.
When wood is wet or green, it will need air circulation to allow it to dry. Sometimes wood will dry faster outside, especially if the weather is sunny and dry. If you stack it under a cover or in a shed, make sure it has plenty of air circulation. Firewood logs can dry indoors but it may not dry as fast as it would if it was outside in the sun.
Once the wood is dry, it should be covered to keep it dry if there is going to be precipitation. A firewood shed or other cover is best for keeping it dry and sometimes the most convenient place to store firewood. If you don’t have a covered structure you can keep it outside and cover your wood pile with a tarp. Although tarps work, they can be inconvenient and don’t always keep the wood as dry. Make sure you don’t cover the whole pile and cut off air circulation. Keep the sides of the pile uncovered so air can flow. Even if that means the sides will get wet, it is still better than the wet moldy mess you may end up with if the pile doesn’t get good circulation.
A garage is a good place to keep firewood dry and can be one of the most convenient places to store firewood. There are also reasons you may not want to store firewood logs in a garage. Firewood logs can be messy and you may not want this mess in the garage. When you open the garage door and the wind blows it can blow the mess around. firewood log piles can also attract insects, spiders, rodents and other pests. There is also the risk of fire and you may have better use for that garage space.
Stacking firewood logs is more work than just throwing it in a pile, but there are advantages to stacking it and it may be worth the extra work. Stacked wood take up less space and also can position the logs so they get better air circulation and dry faster. When stacking wet or green wood it will dry faster if you allow open space on both sides of the stack. If you stack it against a flat surface, such as a wall, fence or another stack, keep at least a few inches of space for air to circulate between the stack and the surface.
You can save yourself a lot of work by choosing the right place for storing firewood. Ideally you will want it in a place that accessible to delivery vehicles and also a convenient place to bring the firewood logs into your home to burn. Choosing a sunny location or positioning open sides of firewood sheds toward the sun can help it dry.
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