The family tradition of gathering in front of a cozy fireplace in the winter, and building a bonfire with friends during the summer is one that many people share. Even if you don’t have a fireplace or live to far from your nearest wooded area, there are plenty of ways to enjoy this tradition. One way is by storing firewood outdoors! In this blog post we will discuss how to store firewood outdoors so you can get your campfire going all year round!
What do you need to know before storing firewood outside? It’s a question that many homeowners ask themselves. But, there are some things you should know before storing wood outdoors. For example, is your home in an area with extreme winter temperatures? Is it located in a high-humidity area? These are just two of the factors that can affect whether or not you should store your firewood outside or not. In this article, we will explore these considerations and more so that you can make the best decision for your needs!
What is Firewood and why do I need it?
- Firewood is wood that has been cut to be used as fuel for fire. When camping, having a bonfire or just staying home with the fireplace on, you need Firewood! It’s always better to buy it than spending time cutting your own.
- Firewood is usually split into smaller logs. These are the pieces you will need to start a fire. It can also be used for cooking outdoors on an open fire, especially in camping situations or other remote locations where conventional ovens may not be available.
- I would recommend buying firewood at least a few days before you will be needing it. Firewood can take up to two weeks to dry, so don’t try and use wet wood! It won’t catch fire, and it could even cause a smoky smell.
How to store your Firewood Outside?
- Purchase high quality firewood.
- Stack the wood under an overhang or tarp, where it is protected from rain and snow.
- Place your stack against a wall to prevent wind damage.
- Keep the pile away from potential sources of sparks, such as your house and other flammable objects.
- Stack wood no higher than two feet off the ground to prevent bugs and moisture damage.
- Cover any exposed dirt or grass with a tarp so that it does not become mud if you get rain or snow on top of it later.
- Soak both ends of split logs in water for 30 minutes before stacking them outside – this prevents insects and fungus infestation. This will also prevent fires when burning them at home! You can stack these wet logs next to dry ones without worrying about rot setting in since they won’t be touching anything but each other (and air). Alternatively, soak firewood overnight before cutting and splitting it to get rid of any fungus or insect problems.
- Use a moisture meter to test the wood’s humidity level after you’ve been stacking your firewood outside for at least three months, then add more water if necessary!
- Stack wood in a single layer, but not too crowded.
- Place small pieces on top of large ones to create ventilation and prevent mold growth – this also reduces the risk of spontaneous combustion!
- Cover your stacked firewood with plastic sheeting to prolong its life if you plan on storing it outside for longer than one year (this is especially important when stacking green or wet logs).
Store your Firewood in a Dry and Shady Area
When storing firewood, it is important to keep your wood away from direct sunlight and rain. Your firewood should be stored under the shade of a tree or in an area with good air circulation so that it can dry out after rainfall or snowfall. If you are stacking your wood on the ground, make sure there is enough dirt between each log so water doesn’t pool around them. This will help prevent mold growth as well as rot-causing insects like termites and carpenter ants!
The added benefit of storing your firewood outside is that it allows the air to circulate around each piece. Air circulation will help dry out any moisture in the wood so you won’t have to wait as long for a flame when starting a campfire or fireplace. If there are logs stacked on top, make sure these logs get good airflow too!
Tips for storing Wood in a shed or Garage
- Wood should be stored upright for best drying, do not lay it flat.
- Large pieces of wood such as logs and split firewood can take up a lot of space in your shed or garage. You want to ensure that there is enough room so you don’t have to move the wood around too much when looking for other items inside. For example, if you need something behind the stack of firewood and find out its leaning on boxes containing eggs which break because they were pushed over by the weight of the firewood – this could cause quite a mess! So always make sure you’re stacking things properly without getting them mixed together with any other items inside your storage area/shed/garage etc…This will also help with the rot and prevent bug infestations that can cause your firewood to break down early.
- Keep wood off of the ground as much as possible for longer life because moisture tends to settle on it more often when touching dirt or grass, this will help with bugs such as termites getting into it sooner than later if not treated by heat treatment (if you plan to store it outside).
- Wood should always be stored in a dry area, the absence of moisture will cause it to rot. Also ensure that you have enough room so logs and wood pieces are not being pushed up against each other as this can also promote rotting if there is no air circulation.
- Wood should be stacked off the ground at least a foot to prevent bugs and fungus from appearing. Also stacking it higher than just a few feet is also recommended for best results.
- Keep firewood away from moisture as this will promote rot, insects, mold or even worse termites which can cause your wood to break down quickly! Try not to stack them too close together because they might get pushed up against each other if you’re moving around items inside of your storage area/shed etc… This could result in broken pieces that need repairing so again – always ensure there’s enough room with proper air circulation between logs or split firewood.
- If you want to store larger cut sections of hardwoods such as oak, maple etc..it’s best to split them into smaller pieces by using an electric splitter.
- Never store firewood with poison ivy or oak because they might spread the oils onto it and you don’t want that happening.
If possible, keep your storage area/shed locked up if there is no one living nearby just in case someone decides they want to steal some of your hard earned wood!
Do you have enough space for a pile of Logs?
It is important to consider how much space you have in your yard for a pile of logs. You should also take into consideration the quality and type of wood that you will be storing because it can affect the size that you need.
If you are new to keeping firewood, then it is essential that you read through this guide. It will help ensure that your wood keeps dry and lasts for as long as possible.
After reading the following tips, if you still have some questions about storing logs outside, feel free to leave a comment below!
How to stack your Firewood neatly and Securely ?
- Place the first stack of firewood logs across from your stacking area. If you live in a windy location, place them on top of each other to help prevent them from blowing away. Keep in mind that it will be difficult for two people to make a good pile when they are both working at opposite ends of an extended log.
- Place the next stack of firewood logs on top of the first, lining them up side by side to make a level surface. Continue stacking your wood in this manner until you reach the height that will allow for easy access and removal at any time during storage season.
- Make sure each piece is secured with two pieces of cord or twine that are looped around it before you tighten all cords securely into place! You can use heavy duty fence wire if necessary; just be aware that some barbed wires will leave rust stains behind once they’ve been exposed to rainwater over time. It’s best not to cut corners when storing firewood outside because moisture can build inside unsecured stacks very easily which makes it impossible to burn.
- Using your level, make sure each stack is perfectly balanced and stable before moving on to the next piece of wood! You don’t want it falling over onto anything or anyone that may be nearby when you’re not expecting it! If one end seems heavier than the other after balancing, place small stacks of firewood around its base until everything becomes balanced once again. The last thing you want is for someone to get injured because they made a bad assumption about how well something was stowed away in storage ! It’s always better to take an extra couple minutes now than lose sleep later wondering if things are safe… That said, there should be no cause for concern as long as you follow all these instructions carefully so keep working towards completing the next step as you make your way through this guide!
- In order to prevent any problems from arising, always use a cord or twine that is just enough length for the job. If it’s too long, things will become unbalanced and dangerous over time because the cords can fray apart at their ends which increases risk of injury. The last thing you want is a pile of firewood logs falling on someone out in public where anyone could be affected by such an accident! You wouldn’t believe how many people have been hurt while stacking wood so take our advice here seriously if nothing else throughout this blog post seems relevant… That said, there should be no need to worry about anything at all once these easy storage methods are implemented properly so let’s get back to completing all the necessary steps here!
- If you live in a windy area that experiences heavy snowfall, we suggest using some sort of roofing material like plastic or metal sheeting if possible. It will prevent large amounts of weight from accumulating atop your stacks while also allowing for other debris such as leaves and twigs to fall off without sticking around long enough to cause problems. You can even add an extra layer over top them every so often when there is no risk of it blowing away due to strong winds present at any given moment. If one piece falls, hopefully none will follow behind it later on down the line which would only make matters worse than they already are… Instead, just take this advice and apply it to the next step so we can finish this blog post already!
- If you have a roof over your head, chances are that it is not very deep and does not provide any sort of coverage for firewood stacks. This means things will remain dry during storage season unless they’re covered up properly. We suggest using sheeting or other plastic coverings in order to keep everything safe from excess moisture which may build inside unsecured piles due to rain and snowfall conditions outside. Sometimes leaves and twigs get caught on top as well but these materials tend to blow away after time if there’s no place for them to stick around long enough… The last thing anyone wants is their entire supply of logs wasted because rodents felt compelled to make a nest inside it! If you simply follow this guide carefully, there should be no need to worry about anything negative happening whatsoever so let’s get started with the next step now.
- Use your shovel or any other sharp tool in order to cut small holes through the top of each stack. Be sure they are all evenly spread out and make them large enough for air flow but not too big that rainwater can build up inside at a later time when things get bad outside! You don’t want rodents like mice or squirrels coming along and building homes within stacks because wood is one of their favorite food sources… The last thing anyone wants is an infestation on their hands which leads us into our final steps here: adding firewood coverings to the stack!
- We recommend using old wood pallets or other thick wooden boards to cover up firewood stacks. Make sure they are long enough to completely cover everything while also adding some extra protection for any twigs and leaves that may fall off later on down the line. Even if it looks like your supply is safe from weather conditions, debris can always build back up over time so be proactive in this department by covering things with a roofing material at all times… If you do not have anything available around your home, try asking friends and family members if they would donate an item because these sorts of materials don’t cost much money anyway unless you get something extravagant which isn’t necessary whatsoever. Just remember to take our advice here seriously and do our blog post justice so we can finally conclude this article and call it a day.
Preventing moisture from getting into your Woodpile
This is probably the most important step to remember. If you let your wood get wet, then it will be much harder for it to dry out again and therefor take longer before you can start using it. We recommend covering your firewood pile with a tarp or similar cover so that water cannot seep through easily.
Remember, covering your firewood with a tarp will not prevent it from getting wet if you live in an area where rain is plentiful. In those conditions we recommend stacking the wood on raised pallets so that water can run underneath easily and thus, allowing for good air circulation as well as preventing mold to grow inside of the pile.
One way or another though, make sure that any moisture stays away from your firewood!
Environmental Protection
Environmental protection is a widespread concern these days, and it has been for quite some time. It’s not always easy to do your part, but if you pay attention every step of the way in how you store firewood outside then there are a few things that can be done that will help out tremendously.
Safety Tips for Firewood
- Never leave a fire unattended, always put it out when you’re done.
- After the wood has burned down to coals and any hot embers have died, douse them with water or smother them by carefully placing dirt on them. You can also add sand to make sure they don’t reignite once you’ve left the scene of your party. Be careful not to get burnt when extinguishing fires!
- Keep the wood at least 20 feet away from your house.
- Make sure you keep a hose or bucket of water nearby in case there’s a fire emergency and you need to extinguish it quickly. Also, make sure that kids aren’t playing too close to where you’ve stored the wood. They could accidentally start a fire if they play with matches near it!
- Store dry pieces of split firewood off the ground on large flat surfaces (not smaller logs). Make sure there is good airflow between each piece of wood so that moisture can escape properly. Keeping them separate will also prevent bugs crawling into gaps when one log collapses onto another over time through disintegration caused by rot/dampness etc.
- If you want to prevent insects from getting into your firewood, use a product like insecticidal soap before putting it away for storage. This will help kill any bugs that could infect the wood and make it unusable as an energy source (fire). Also remember not to stack pieces too high – just enough so they’re supported by each other! If you don’t have space outside to store them off the ground then at least keep them in a dry place but still keeping good airflow between all logs.
- Store small amounts of split or cut firewood inside and cover with tarp/plastic sheeting if possible because there is less moisture risk indoors than outdoors. It’s better to be safe than sorry when storing something valuable like firewood!
FAQs
How long can I store firewood outside?
Firewood should ideally be stored one year after it has been cut. It's important to keep in mind that the moisture content of your wood should be 20% or less before burning. If you're working with seasoned hardwoods, they'll need at least six months and up to a whole year (at least) for air circulation and sunlight exposure. Unseasoned soft woods like pine will only need two – four weeks depending on their thickness. Hardwoods are typically better for heating purposes while soft woods burn faster but also release more heat per unit volume when burned so there is no wrong answer here! Just make sure you don't mix them together in the same structure as they will cause problems and produce a burn that is too fast.
How do I store firewood outside?
There are a couple of ways to go about storing firewood. The first is stacking it neatly against the wall or in rows, which can be good for keeping larger quantities under cover but isn't very efficient if you only need some at any given time. Another option is raising your wood off the ground using racks and platforms so that air flow underneath will help dry out the wood faster while also allowing water to drip through rather than pooling around them. If you have space available, consider building an open-air shed where your logs can sit on curing pallets until they're perfectly conditioned before being moved into storage bins. This way, there's no risk of rot because everything is being aired out.
How should I store firewood inside?
This is a question that comes up frequently because many people have limited space or don't want to leave their wood outside in the elements all year round. If you do need to bring your logs indoors, make sure they're well-covered so bugs and pests can't get at them and consider investing in an airtight container like a metal barrel with a lid (drill holes every few inches for ventilation). For larger quantities of stacked wood, it's best not to let them sit too close together as this will cause moisture buildup while also making it difficult for heat to circulate around them when needed during cold months. Also be aware that using treated wood could produce toxic fumes and leave a bad aftertaste in your food so you might want to stick to dry wood only. Just keep in mind that treated lumber will produce an extremely high temperature when burned which can be dangerous if there isn't enough room for it to expand before catching fire!
How do I stack firewood?
Start by laying down some sort of protective barrier (i.e., plywood or tarps) on the ground around your area where you'll be stacking all of the logs, especially if they're going outdoors during winter months. This way, any liquid runoff won't damage other surfaces like cement and asphalt while also protecting against moisture seeping into soil below (which could cause issues later on). Stack the logs in rows and don't leave any gaps between them. You can create a pyramid-style structure by stacking one row on top of another, adjusting for height as you go while also making sure that each ring is staggered so they're not sitting directly against one another (this will prevent moisture from building up). Use lighter pieces to fill in areas where larger trunks won't fit or stack shorter ones next to longer stacks if needed. It's best to check with your local firewood supplier since they'll know exactly how much wood their customers typically burn through during different seasons!
What about storing firewood outside?
There are a few things to consider when looking at outdoor storage options because it could be problematic if you don't choose the right strategy. For instance, storing your wood in an open space can lead to water saturation if there's no sun exposure (which could also cause rotting issues). On the flip side of this coin, keeping it covered up all year round will leave you with unusable sticks by summertime due to moisture build-up/condensation which results from temperature fluctuations during different seasons. If possible, try building a shed like structure where logs are stacked against walls but still have access to air flow underneath them so they're able to dry out quickly and evenly without attracting any pests or mold. Otherwise, consider investing in some type of container that sits on top of those curing pallets we mentioned before as long as you have enough room for it in your backyard. If you're dealing with extremely large pieces of wood, it's best to let them sit outside for at least one season before bringing them indoors so they don't crack or warp!
Conclusion
Now that you know all the different types of firewood and their uses, we will finally give some tips on how to store it outside. You should make sure to cut your wood into manageable pieces before putting them in storage. This makes it easier for transportation purposes, as well as allowing you space inside the container to stack more logs. Also, try not to pile up too much wood at once because doing so can cause damage due to dampness or other factors like mold or insects infestations. To avoid any type of defects with your stored firewood, be sure keep an eye out for bugs hiding under bark chunks while stacking it up—and if possible avoid storing the same type next each other (for example don’t put bark wood next to bark wood).