As chilly weather approaches, so does your hankering for a nice wood fire. Just the smell of that wood smoke is enough to make your home and outdoor space feel fall-ish and festive! Before you can enjoy that wood fire, though, you need to have plenty of firewood on hand— along with a dry place to store it. Here's our take on the proper way to store firewood, whether or not you have a shed available.
A Woodshed
The number one way to keep your firewood in good condition is to build or buy a woodshed. A woodshed protects your firewood from the elements, provides a barrier to pests, and offers enough space for you to keep plenty of logs on hand at all times.
Woodsheds come in a variety of sizes and designs, from completely enclosed options to more open versions. Investigate thoroughly and plan ahead so you can choose the design that works best for your lifestyle and firewood usage.
Drainage Availability
Wherever you put your woodpile, make sure that it's in a spot where it will stay dry. Place it on higher ground where water can't pool under your platform and reach the wood, and where water flowing from a hill or slope won't wash over it.
Basic Firewood Platform
The one thing you never want to do with your firewood is to place it directly on the ground. That's a recipe for moisture entrapment, and you'll soon find your wood beginning to rot. Plus, laying it on the ground is basically an invitation for ants and bugs to move right in.
At minimum, create a simple wooden platform with treated lumber 4x4s to keep your woodpile off the soil. If you have a smaller stash of firewood, you can use a pallet. And in a pinch, if you can't make a platform, throw down some well-drained gravel on which to stack the firewood.
Coverage for the Firewood
You should cover your wood to protect it from rain and heavy snow. Build a simple roof or lean-to over the pile, or tie a plastic tarp over it. The tarp needs to be strong enough to handle wind and weather.
However, be careful not to tie the tarp too tight, or the air won't circulate properly and moisture will become trapped aside. That's a recipe for rot.
Stacking the Firewood
Whether you have coverage or not, stack the firewood with its bark side up. Bark acts as a natural moisture barrier, so stacking this way will prolong the life of your firewood.
Additionally, try to stack the wood in rows that correspond to the way wind usually blows past your house. You want the wind blowing through the woodpile lengthwise, creating small wind tunnels between the pieces and drying them more effectively.
At Kurtz Bros., Inc., we sell firewood cut from local hardwoods. The length of each piece is 16 inches. If you're needing a supply of firewood for the fall and winter months, go online and stock up at our website. We provide bundles, 1/3 cords, and full cords of firewood, depending on your needs. Plus, we sell Fatwood firestarters to help you get that blaze going. If you have any questions about your firewood supply, feel free to contact us anytime and we'll be happy to help.