Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

Drying firewood is necessary to reduce the moisture content in them, and so that they, accordingly, burn better. They are usually dried in specially designated places where they can be stored for a long time. Whether you use wood in your house or use it for a fireplace, you should dry them first, as they will burn longer and will produce much less smoke. Drying wood is very easy and you will save a lot of money if you do it yourself. You will find out about this in our article.

Steps

1. 1 Buy or cut firewood ahead of time before you plan on using it. Some experts recommend storing firewood for a year in advance, but some types of wood can be burned after 6-8 months.
2. 2 Saw the brought logs into chunks with a length of 30 to 40 cm. The standard log length for most fireplaces will be 40 cm.
3. 3 Split the chops into logs of different widths, from 8 to 15 cm. If you bought firewood from the store, you may also have to chop it into smaller pieces, as they often cannot be used right away for a fireplace or stove.
4. 4 Put the wood in the woodpile. The woodpile should be no more than one and a half meters high and its width should be equal to the width of your logs.
   • Air must circulate freely between the woods in the woodpile. Do not cover it with a tarp or blanket.
5. 5 Also, the place for the woodpile should be in a place well protected from rain and snow.

Tips

• There must be a roof above the woodpile, which will protect it well from rain and snow.
• A well-dried log has large cracks and makes a special dull sound when hit against another log.
• Stack the woodpile on a concrete slab or wooden planks.
• When choosing firewood, consider the season as well as the climate in your area.
• Hardwoods such as oak and maple are best used in winter because they burn longer. Softwood firewood such as aspen, willow, spruce, or pine is best used in mild climates. They burn faster and give a lot of heat.
• The more air and light your wood gets, the faster it will dry.
• Your woodpile must be stable. Try to make something like a hut out of several logs, putting them crosswise. Only the logs should be the same size. Fill the middle of the hut with other logs, placing them on top of each other. Or you can drive a pair of stakes into the ground next to the woodpile to support it.

Warnings

• Please note that you can dry out your wood. Wood that is too dry burns too much, which can damage your stove. Your wood should retain 15-20 percent moisture.
• Do not store firewood near your home. They can attract termites or become a breeding ground for mold.
• Never stack wood directly on the ground. Insects and mold will start in them.