How to Age & Store Fire Wood

Properly stacked firewood can make an insulating wall that serves as a wind break.

People have burned wood as a method of generating heat for centuries. It is cheap, simple and effective, which makes it the ideal heating choice for many. It is literally as easy as being able to safely maintain a fire in a desired location.



The fuel for wood fires is typically split-up logs known as cord wood. Cord wood is usually aged before being burned. This allows the sap to dry out so the wood produces a hotter, more consistent heat.

Things You'll Need

• Chainsaw
• Splitting maul
• Tarp or plastic sheet

Instructions

1. Cut the wood to the length required for your fireplace or wood-burning stove with a chainsaw.

2. Split the wood once you've cut it into pieces of the proper length. Split each piece in half several times with the splitting maul until you are left with 6 to 8 smaller pieces.

3. Stack the firewood according to specific measurements so it is easy to estimate how much wood is available. Start stacking the wood against a tree, fence post, building or other object that can brace the weight of the wall you construct.

4. Cover the wood with a large sheet of plastic or a water-resistant tarp. You don't have to fortify the wood or keep it 100 percent dry as long as it is partially covered.

5. Let the firewood sit undisturbed for no less than one year; two years is considered ideal.

Tips & Warnings

• Firewood is commonly cut to 18 inches for wood-burning stoves, although some models will accept wood up to 20 inches long, and up to 24 inches for fireplaces.

• A splitting maul is similar to an ax but it has a heavier head designed to deliver a lot of force into the wood.

• The standard unit of measure is a cord, which is 4 feet wide by 4 feet tall by 8 feet long. Stacking your wood 4 feet high and 8 feet long will be 1/3 of a cord. Three rows side by side will make a full cord.

• Some people prefer to put plywood, rather than plastic, on the top of the wood stack to block the rain.

• Hardwood trees need to age longer than softwood trees. For example, pine firewood will typically age in one year, while oak will take two to three years to cure.

• Allowing the wood to age for two years will give it enough time to dry and for the sap inside the wood to disappear. The wood will burn more evenly without a lot of cracking or popping.

References

• End Times Report: Storing Firewood
• Oklahoma State University: Cutting Firewood Safely
• Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Stay on the Right Side of the Law with Your Firewood