As the proud owner of a modern wood-burning stove, you naturally want proper firewood storage to keep your home warm throughout winter. You have probably seen those neatly arranged stacks of firewood elsewhere. In this article, we explain how to stack firewood in the most effective way.
Before you start stacking, it is best to split the firewood. This prevents the natural crack from slowing down the drying process. Keep in mind that wood needs around two years of drying time before it is suitable for your stove. You can also read our article on how to dry firewood properly.
Split the logs into pieces of about 12–16 inches (30–40 cm) in length and roughly fist-thick. This size works well for most modern stoves.
We recommend working with separate compartments to keep batches apart. Our modular wood storage system is ideal for this, as it allows you to track how long each batch has been drying. Naturally, it is wise to stack as compactly as possible to minimise the risk of the stack collapsing.
Always ensure the wood stays dry and is accessible to airflow from all sides. Good ventilation helps the wood dry faster. In addition, always keep the logs off the ground to prevent rising moisture and wood rot.
Because wood shrinks while drying, the stack will gradually settle. Firewood should contain no more than 20 percent residual moisture before it is suitable for burning. Once your stack is in place, you can hang our analogue moisture meter to see when the wood has dried sufficiently.
Another way to check dryness is the “dish soap method.” Apply a bit of dish soap to the end grain of a log, then blow through the other end. If the wood is dry, you will see bubbles appear. You can also use a digital moisture meter.
In general, we do not recommend stacking firewood directly against a wall. You may stack it close to the wall, but always make sure there is enough space between the wood and the wall to allow airflow. The further the stack is placed from the wall, the faster the wood will dry, as the wind can reach it from all sides.