As the colder months approach, many of us will begin to use our fireplaces and wood-burning stoves to keep warm. To make the most of this heat, it’s important to store your firewood properly. This guide will teach you how to prepare and store firewood for a cosy winter!
Preparing Your Firewood Logs
Seasoning your firewood is important to a successful burn and there are several ways to do this. First, you can split your logs and let them dry out for a few months. This will take the longest, but it’s the most reliable way to season wood. The best way you can achieve this is by using kinetic log splitters, especially if you have a large pile of firewood. Then, stack your logs off the ground and cover them with a tarp. The logs will dry out over time, but it may take longer than if you were to split them. Also, burn greenwood. This is wood that has not yet been seasoned can still be burned, but it won’t produce as much heat as seasoned wood and it may cause your chimney to get dirty more quickly.
Types of Firewood
There are a few different types of firewood that you can use in your fireplace or woodstove. The most popular type is oak, which burns slowly and produces a lot of heat. Other types of wood include cherry, ash, and hickory, which are all great for burning. Be sure to avoid using pine or cedar, as these woods produce a lot of sparks and creosote.
- Oak – slow-burning, produces a lot of heat
- Cherry – good for burning
- Ash – good for burning
- Hickory – good for burning
- Pine and Cedar – not recommended, produces a lot of sparks and creosote
Storing Your Firewood
Once you have seasoned your firewood, you need to store it properly. The best way to do this is by building a firewood rack. This will allow your logs to dry out evenly and will keep them off the ground so they won’t get wet. You can either make your rack or buy one online. Just be sure to measure the height of your fireplace opening so you purchase the right size. If you’re not able to build or buy a firewood rack, you can store your logs in a covered area, like a shed or garage. Just be sure to keep them off the ground and away from the walls so they won’t get wet.
How To Make A Firewood Storage Rack
Building a firewood storage rack is a fairly simple project that can be completed on a weekend with basic carpentry skills. The rack will keep your wood off the ground and organized, making it easy to grab what you need when you need it. To build it, you need to:
- Cut four pieces of 2×4 lumber to the desired length. These will be the uprights for the rack.
- Cut four more pieces of 2×4 lumber to the same length as the first four, but with a 45-degree angle cut on one end. These will be the crosspieces that go between the uprights.
- Drill four 3/8-inch holes at each end of the crosspieces, two on each side.
- Assemble the rack by putting the crosspieces between the uprights, and securing them with 3-inch screws.
- Paint or seal the rack if desired.
Build A Shed For Storage
If you have a lot of firewood to store, it’s important to do it in a way that protects it from the weather and makes it easy to access when you need it. One option is to build a shed specifically for this purpose. If you don’t have the time or skills to do this yourself, you can always hire a contractor.
- The first step is to decide on the size of your shed. It should be big enough to hold all of your firewood, but not so big that it takes up too much space in your yard.
- The next step is to choose a location for the shed. It should be in an area that gets plenty of sunlight and is close to your home so you can easily carry the firewood inside.
- The foundation of the shed should be made out of concrete or cinder blocks. This will help keep it stable in bad weather. The walls and roof can be made out of wood, metal, or plastic.
- Make sure the roof is waterproof so the firewood doesn’t get wet.
There are several different ways to store your firewood, and it’s important to do it in a way that is safe and easy to access. By following the tips in this article, you can be sure that your wood will be dry and ready to use when you need it.
