How to Store Firewood in 7 Simple Steps

A roaring fire. The one thing we all fantasize about on a cold winter’s day.

You dream of snuggling up in front of the fire with a giant mug of hot cocoa and a good book.

But this dream comes screaming to a halt when you realize you don’t have enough firewood stored away!

Not to worry.

We’ll keep your dreams alive with this indispensable guide on how to store firewood…

1. Location, Location, Location

Carrying heavy logs to your fireplace is hard work. To make life easier, store firewood a close but safe distance from your house.

Your stack is an inviting hiding place for snakes and spiders, so construct it away from children’s play areas.

2. Give It Some Breathing Space

Experts recommend keeping your firewood storage at least 5ft from any other structure.

Stacking highly flammable wood against your home is a major fire hazard. If the stack catches fire, it will spread to your house.

It also invites termites, ants, and even rats to gain access to your home.

3. Raise Your Game

Never stack the wood on soil or grass as the wood absorbs moisture from the ground. Instead, store your wood a few inches off the ground using a firewood rack or an elevated, slotted foundation.

The slotted air gaps will allow for good airflow, helping the wood on the bottom of the pile to dry out.

If these options aren’t available, store wood on concrete, gravel, or asphalt.

4. Build a Good Foundation

Poorly constructed stacks are unstable, restrict airflow, and are prone to insect infestations.

Wood should be stored with the cut ends exposed. Place larger logs at the bottom to ensure good weight distribution.

For maximum stability, lay your wood in an overlapping pattern, the same way you would lay bricks.

Stack your wood loosely to allow air to flow between the logs.

Store split wood with the bark facing up. This allows water to run off the curved edge.

5. Keep The Wood Dry

Keeping your firewood stack dry is tricky.

You need to protect the wood from moisture while maintaining good air circulation to dry properly.

If you have space, garages or sheds are perfect places for storing firewood for the winter. Alternatively, place a tarp or small roof over your wood stack.

Cover the top of your stack to protect it from moisture, but leave the sides open so the wood can breathe.

6. Let’s Take This Outside

Firewood can be home to a variety of bugs.

Storing large quantities of wood inside gives these pests the chance to infect your house. Termites and carpenter ants, in particular, can cause severe damage to wooden structures.

Only bring in enough wood for 1 or 2 days.

7. The Right Type of Wood

Well-dried or seasoned, wood burns longer and hotter, heating your home more efficiently.

Dry wood is lighter in weight and often has cracks along the surface. It sounds hollow and darkens as it dries.

Harder woods such as oak, ash, hickory, and black maple, are better than softer wood variants like pine.

P’n’D Logging and Tree Service sell custom quality firewood to suit your individual needs.

How to Store Firewood Like a Pro

Cold, miserable winter days are a thing of the past!

Now that you know how to store firewood properly, you can keep your house toasty and warm all winter long!