How to store firewood so it actually burns

The 20% rule

Firewood should burn at 20% moisture or below. Fresh-cut "green" wood is over 50%. Burning wet wood means most of the fire's energy boils off water instead of heating the room. Plus smoke, creosote, and a chimney fire risk.

How long seasoning takes

• Softwood (pine, fir): 6 to 12 months.
• Hardwood (oak, beech, eucalyptus): 12 to 24 months.
• Very dense hardwood (ironbark, hickory): 24+ months.

If a supplier sold you "seasoned" wood, don't take their word for it. A moisture meter costs $25 from any hardware store. Stab the freshly-split face of a few logs and see.

How to stack

1. Off the ground. Use a pallet, bricks, or a metal rack. Break ground contact.
2. Bark side up. Bark sheds water like roof tiles.
3. Loose enough for air. You should be able to slip a finger between most pieces.
4. Cover the top only. A tarp over the top, sides open. Wrapping the whole pile traps moisture and the wood rots from the inside.
5. Pick the sunny, breezy side of the house if you have a choice.

The free moisture test

Knock two pieces together. Dry wood makes a sharp tock. Wet wood makes a dull thud. Look at the ends too. Dry wood has cracks radiating from the centre.

Indoors

Bring one or two days' worth inside at a time. Stack it near the fire but not touching anything hot. Wood brought in from cold weather sweats. Give it an overnight to acclimatise before you burn it.

Splitting weather

Splitting wet wood in wet weather is asking for mould. Open Window Today's UV, wind, and humidity cards tell you when conditions are right for chopping and stacking.

Why wet wood is a false economy

Freshly cut "green" wood can be half water by weight, and burning it is a waste on every level. Much of the heat goes into boiling off that water instead of warming your room, the fire is hard to light and smoky, and the unburnt compounds coat your chimney in creosote, which is the leading cause of chimney fires. Properly seasoned wood, dried to below 20% moisture, lights easily, burns hot and clean, and is far safer. A cheap moisture meter pressed into a freshly split face tells you instantly whether wood is ready.

The four rules of a good woodpile

Seasoning wood is mostly about giving it air and keeping rain off. First, get it off the ground, on pallets, rails, or a simple frame, so ground moisture does not wick up into the bottom layer. Second, cover only the top, with a sheet or a sloped roof, while leaving the sides wide open. A fully wrapped pile traps moisture and never dries. Third, stack it loosely with gaps so air can move through the whole pile. Fourth, put it where sun and wind can reach it, ideally with the long axis facing the prevailing wind.

How long seasoning really takes

Most hardwoods need a full 12 months of proper seasoning, and dense species like oak want closer to two years. Softwoods dry faster, often in six to nine months. The calendar is only a guide, though; what matters is the moisture reading. Split a piece and test the fresh inner face, because the outside always reads drier than the core. Wood that splits easily, has cracks radiating from the centre, and sounds hollow when two pieces are knocked together is usually ready.

Frequently asked questions

Can I cover my woodpile with a tarp?

Cover the top only. A tarp draped over the whole pile traps rising moisture and stops the wood drying. Leave the sides open to the air and just keep rain off the top.

How do I know if firewood is dry enough to burn?

The reliable way is a moisture meter reading below 20% on a freshly split face. Without one, look for end cracks, a greyed colour, light weight, and a sharp hollow knock when two logs are struck together.

Is it bad to store firewood against the house?

It is best not to stack large quantities directly against an external wall, because it traps damp against the building and can invite insects and rodents indoors. Keep the main store a little away from the house and bring only a few days' worth inside at a time.

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