Logs - storage & price

TBeckett100

Just took delivery of a woodburner and now I am looking for seasoned logs.

I don't have anywhere per se to store them so I guess I would need to buy a storage shed of somekind that was watertight - is that right?

What is the approx price I should be paying for logs , i am in west berkshire.

Magentasue

We used to store ours outside. We'd bring them in and let them dry out beside the fire before using them. If possible, we'd use the middle, drier ones to start the fire. The damp ones were fine when the fire was alight but you need dry ones to start with.

A._Badger

Try to store them somewhere where air can get at them. If you don't, they will start to go musty and, eventually, they will rot. Most 'seasoned' logs sold, in my experience, aren't really that well seasoned at all, so if you can find a way of storing them in a car porch or somewhere like that, they will, quite literally, improve with age.

As for the price - in the part of Kent where I am, the local free newspaper has any number of people selling logs for between £50-65 'per load' but what a load means is usually anyone's guess!

My advice would be to ask around and see if you can get a personal recommendation. There are some cowboys out there, sad to say!

Igol

At the risk of sounding obscesive, I knocked up a store from pallets.
2 for the base and then about 3 others to provide the 4 uprights and the wooden slats for the roof.
Cost to me was the price of some nails and plastic dpc to waterproof the roof. Its tucked into a corner so its only really open on 2 sides and it wouldnt win any prizes for looks but it does a great job with the advantage thet when it falls down I can burn it and knock up another for free too

moo2moo

I have a pallet store too only mines roofed with a 1/2 a fence panel that leapt out at me as I was passing a skip. Works a treat. Didn't invest in any nails though, its roped together with a length of washing line that was lurking in the shed.

There are usually lots of tree surgeons offering seasoned logs via E-bay. Prices vary from £40 for a 1 ton builders bags to £120 for a pick up truck load.

janken

Logs are best dried outside, keep them off the ground so they dont rot. You realy dont need any roof or sides- do not cover with any plastic sheeting as they will sweat and rot. Keep what you need for a week or two in the garage. If you want a log store make sure it is slat sided with plenty of gaps for air to circulate. Would recommed you build it yourself preferably on a concrete base as the log stores i have seen advertised can range from a couple of hundred to thousands and are not worth it.

Log prices can vary significantly and depends on demand in your area. Check out local tree surgeons who may deliver loads very cheaply if they have a lot of work on. They may deliver in large sections that you will need to cut yourself. My greatest investment in the last couple of years is a 7 ton vertical hydralic log splitter (£220 deliverd on ebay)

Good luck and if possible try and get hard wood as soft wood will require more chimney cleaning.

Re-read your post and definatly not water tight

PDM1

I bought a wood burner last year and can really say it has saved my gas bill on which i am now in credit with the gas company( first time ever!) yes they owe me money.
yes you have to pay for the stove and accesories but it does pay in the long term if you can be bothered to find logs ect.
the best present i was bought was a petrol chainsaw ( you need to be competent to use one and wear the saftey gear to use it). I also bought one of those garden storage shed, the green and cream plastic type you see in homebase ( £99) great for log storage although you need to leave the lid open slightly to let air circulate and logs to dry out. I left some logs outside to season over the summer ( yes it was summer!) and now put them inside the storage shed, I reackon I have enough now for this winter and I still have more to cut up. I am thinking of selling some as I will have more wood coming soon.
I really do recommend one if you have the cash but be careful and shop around. yo uneed to size it correctly as well because an oversized (Kilo Watts) burner is no good if you cannot sit in front of it. the one I have is a Hawker Hunter 4kw model and is great for my living room.
I bought mine on the internet and made a great saving!

Regards

Paul

Swipe

I made my own log store from pallets and some old roofing felt I had lying around and stained it with wilco's cheapo wood stain. I even reused the nails from the pallets.