Using firewood to keep your home warm in winter is a good alternative to central heating. They often work better than anything else available, heating up your living room quickly and efficiently. You should see a good drop in your gas bill as well!
However, storage is often a big problem. It can be a little challenging to keep logs dry in winter. So here at BURY HILL LANDSCAPE SUPPLIERS we have made a guide that will give you a quick overview of the best way to store logs, keeping them usable for the duration of winter. Having dry logs makes a lot of difference to the amount of heat your wood burner will produce, so ensuring they are as dry as possible is extremely beneficial.
Split the Wood
Depending on how you get your hands on your logs, you may want to split the wood first. This means splitting your firewood into separate sections, which speeds up the drying process. This is due to an increased surface area being exposed to the air. Alternatively buy logs that are already split, this halves your work load and getting them from a reputable supplier means you will have the best quality wood, split in the correct way.
Contact Bury Hill for a quote or advice on split Hardwood logs – 01306 877540.
Allow Drying in the Open Air
If you’re lucky with the weather, we advise that you let your logs dry completely in the open air before storing them. The wind is a fantastic natural element that can help dry your logs out. It will speed up the drying process, ensuring your logs are in the best position possible before covering them for protection from the elements. It is important however to ensure that you time this right, the last thing you want is your logs sitting outside uncovered when a rainstorm comes. If your logs get damp then it is a long process to dry them out again.
Use Wooden Pallets for Storage
Keeping logs dry is more than just about protecting them from the elements above such as snow and rain. You also need to keep them dry from the bottom – that’s why we advise investing in wooden pallets, as it’s the easiest and cheapest way to achieve this. Many garden centres will give these away for free, so why not ask around in your local area? Using wooden pallets ensures that the logs are kept off the ground but also have plenty of circulation from underneath. Ventilation is key to keeping your logs dry which is what makes wooden pallets the ideal base for your log pile
Stack Properly
Stacking can take a little practice to get just right, but it’s an important part of the process. Your stacks should be around a metre tall and your pile should not be more than one log-length in depth.
The logs need to be stacked in such a way that you allow for plenty of circulation. Leave gaps between the logs and make sure none are left covered. You also want to store each layer in the opposite direction of the next one. This will ensure that the logs will have the best possible ventilation they can and ensure that they burn well and create the most possible heat.
Leave a Space
If you are looking to stack your logs next to a wall or shed, make sure you leave plenty of space, as this will allow for air circulation. This is a very important step that plenty of people forget. Stacking your logs up against a wall will often result in wet logs and termites, as well as other nasty creatures. Try to leave a 5-10 cm gap between the logs and the wall in order to achieve the best ventilation around your logs.
How to Use a Tarpaulin Cover
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is covering your logs completely. This will seal the entire pile and stop air circulation, allowing moisture to damage your supply, which will render it useless for burning. Make sure that the sides remain uncovered for proper aeration. If possible, build a shelter that can sit over the top of the logs, again ensuring there is a large amount of space for air to circulate in.
Remember before you start using the fire logs, bring them inside at least a day in advance. Keep them in a dry area of your home and they should be good to go the following day. Hopefully if you follow all of these steps you will end up with the perfect burning logs that create copious amounts of heat.
Make sure your have a large supply of logs ready for the winter. Order your logs at Bury Hill online or over the phone. At Bury Hill we sell Hardwood logs perfect for; open fires, multi-fuel stoves, pizza ovens and fire pits. We also sell Coal and Smokeless fuel.
Contact us today for advice and quotes – 01306 877540