Now that we are approaching the latter of the winter months it’s probably a good time to start cutting firewood in preparation for next winter.
Wood is traditionally cut from January until early March largely due the moisture content of the wood being at it’s lowest during these months. Tree sap remains at the bottom of the trunk throughout winter and leaves begin to draw it up when they sprout in spring therefore it is crucial to get cutting before then to maximise dryness. Wood is also much easier to cut in cooler temperatures.
Once you’ve cut your firewood, the hard work then begins in the drying and storing process. Seasoning wood improperly can lead to rot and decay so in order to avoid disappointment we’ve compiled some top maintaining and storing wood tips for you -
1. Split the Wood
First things first you must split the wood,
- Splitting the wood before seasoning increases exposed surface area which subsequently speeds up drying time
- Use either an axe or a maul, position the wood on a chopping block and split along the radial lines
2. Stacking Up
Next it’s time to stack,
- When stacking, make sure you leave enough space in and around the wood to allow air to circulate
- Refrain from stacking wood directly onto ground, this will discourage creepy crawlies. Either use a pallet to the stack the wood onto or some of our heavy duty layered tarpaulin
- If you don’t have a wood shed or a large drying area, why not try storing the wood in aventilated log bag. Ventilated log bags are ideal for drying large volumes of wood and will prevent mould and decay plus they are much easier to transport
3. Summer Sun
- Dry spells during the summer months can help with the seasoning process
- For best results lay firewood out on tarpaulin sheets and leave to dry in direct sunlight but remember to keep an eye on the weather forecast a sudden downpour could easily undo all that seasoning
4. Check for Moisture
- The best way to check if your firewood is dry enough is by knocking two pieces against each other, if it makes a hollow ringing sound then the wood is ready to burn. A dull thud indicates that there is still moisture in the wood.
- Radial cracks at the ends of the wood also indicates dryness.
5. Secondary storage
Now that your wood is all dried out, you may want to separate it out into user friendly net bags. Net bags are strong, durable and perfect for packing small amounts of firewood. They are easy to transport and their mesh construction provides adequate ventilation.
Alternatively if you need to transport large amounts of firewood to hard to access areas, our Barrow bags provide the perfect solution. Barrow bags are designed to be loaded onto a sack barrow making manoeuvring the firewood through gardens, paths and narrow corridors stress free
So all that’s left to do enjoy the warmth and burn it all away!
Visit our online shop to see our full range of log sacks www.weirbags.co.uk/shop/. Want to know more? Call 0151 934 1250 and speak to one of our friendly sales team.
