How to Process Firewood
Prepare for the winter chills by stocking up firewood. Garages, farmers or hardware stores stock firewood, but it is easy enough to process yourself and you can save money. Turing dead trees into suitable firewood stacks is a simple task but it does require some physical exertion.
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Things You'll Need
- Safety goggles
- Sturdy boots
- Gloves
- Axe or splitting maul
- Chain saw
- Tarpaulin, five meters by five meters
Instructions
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Put on safety goggles, sturdy boots and gloves to ensure that you are prepared for the task.
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Remove all the branches off the tree. Begin with the smaller ones less than 1-inch thick. You may be able to do this manually but often an axe is necessary.
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Hold the axe with one hand at the base of the axe and the other 1-inch above this hand. Grip firmly.
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Stand about half a meter away from the branch you want to remove. Make sure your feet are more than a shoulder's width apart for better balance. Swing the axe and in one clean motion cut the branch off the tree. As the Natural Handyman suggests, cutting from above is the best technique.
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Stack the twigs, sticks and branches so that they are all faced the same direction in a neat pile. You can use these as kindling to get the fire going when you need to.
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Start the chain saw and cut down the tree. Use the weight of the chainsaw to gently encourage it through the wood. Do not force it. Cut a horizontal line a foot from the base of the trunk.
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Use the chainsaw to divide the large trunk into lengths of firewood. Make sure you cut small enough pieces to fit into your wood burner.
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Split the chunks into half or thirds using the axe so that they can be stored for use.
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Stack the branches and split wood in a dry, sheltered area. Inside a shed or in the garage would be suitable. The Natural Handyman suggests leaving them for 9 months to completely dry out.
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Cover the wood with a large tarpaulin to protect it.
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Tips & Warnings
Drink plenty of water while you process the firewood; it is strenuous work.
Take regular breaks and do not attempt to work in the dark.
If your chainsaw gets stuck, turn it off, unplug it and manually try and ease it free.
Look after your chainsaw by regularly checking its oil and fuel level. Make sure the chain is in good condition.
Make sure no is standing under the pathway of the falling tree when you cut it..
Only use the chain saw if you are experienced and know how it is operated. It is a dangerous piece of equipment.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Monkey Business Images Ltd/Valueline/Getty Images
