How To Prepare Firewood For Winter Fuel

Strictly speaking about the popularity of wood burners, it has maintained its growth in the last couple of years. This, in a way, has also put forward the demand and need of firewood. Honestly, nothing gets better than warm and crackling fire on a chilly winter night.

Wood heat is a lot more practical than the investment we make on electric furnaces. They are less expensive and we can even use it for fulfilling the cooking purpose in a lot of areas. The demand for firewood continues to grow, the use of it grows proportionally as well.

The firewood that goes inside the burning stove needs a lot of processing. Preparing and storing the firewood are some of the preliminary needs. There are lots of ways using which one can prepare the firewood. All of this will lead to burn the firewood with its maximum efficiency.

Storing firewood in an effective manner is very important. If one fails to do so, then there are chances of a lot of firewood to go to vain and that too without any use. If you store the firewood in a bad storage, then there are chances that it will turn out to be damp and wet. This can cause smoking followed by smoldering. None of this will serve you the best heat that you have been craving for.

Furthermore, these poor woods can turn out to be a shelter for insects, snakes, and termites. Termites can further put their efforts to destroy houses. Along with all of this, the improper storage of wood will also welcome a lot of unpleasant smell and make all the firewood worthless for use and even for burning.

Therefore, the conclusion is that, if you want to use your firewood effectively, you must provide it with a better storage option. 

How to Store Firewood for Winter Properly

It is very easy to store firewood. If stored properly, it gets very easy to use them during the winter season. The basic principles of storing wood are as follows:

#1. Split the wood properly

Before you direct to store wood, splitting the wood in an effective manner is very crucial. Understand and remember your fireplace’s dimensions and cut the woods accordingly.

#2. Dry the wood

In order for the wood to last, it is necessary that they are dry. Hence, the drier it is, the lifespan of the wood lasts more.

#3. Keep the wood clean

Never put insecticides or chemicals on the wood. This can increase the combustibility and can cause out of control fire.

How to Prepare Firewood for Winter Fuel

Here are some of the points that will help one to prepare firewood for winter fuel and will keep one warm throughout the winter time.

#1. Keep the length of the wood appropriate

Cut the wood accordingly and in the right length so that it fits the stove. At least spare three inches to bring out the best burning implications.

#2. Use a wood splitting maul

A wood splitting maul serves the purpose of splitting the wood just right. They are fat and probably a better option than axes. An axe apart from being thin helps in cutting and chopping. Wood splitting maul is exceptionally cheap and is a better option for splitting wood.

#3. Welcome winter in spring

Make sure to finish all the initial preparations of splitting your wood in the springtime. The woods need a total of six months for seasoning. Some of the woods even take more than a year to dry off.

#4. Cover the wood

Covering the wood is the best way to keep the wood safe and clean. If you reside in a damp area, then covering the wood should be your top priorities. Use a corrugated iron to cover the top of your wood. Don’t cover the sides as it might stop ventilation.

#5. Stack the wood in a row 

Always opt for an open place to stack your splitting wood. It is important for the wood to get hold of sunshine. This will help in wiping of humidity and moisture. For proper ventilation, build a straight and single row to place the wood. Keep the height of about 4-feet to experience best results.

Conclusion

Well, now that you know the basics of how to prepare firewood for winter fuel, make sure to use the principles given above. Storing and preparing firewood goes hand by hand and it is necessary to know the basics. Furthermore, understand the concepts of cutting and placing wood using the wood splitting maul to get supreme results.

Author Bio:

Hi! I’m Eric Parker, Author of Tools Freak, a craft handyman with the passion for DIY projects and obsessed with home improvement tools & equipment. I share the DIY experience I have and the best tools you need.