Storing wood for the stove

Zola.

We have ordered our first ever stove but it wont be getting installed until September. I know quite a few here have stoves so hopefully some can give advice on the following:

- Where do you store your wood?

I was thinking the garage but I heard that can be a bad idea due to the risk of bugs in the wood creating a problem in the garage.

We have a small shed but I have seen a door warp over time at a family members house when wood was stored there for some time.

- What type of axe / hatchet is best for chopping logs?

Ebe_Scrooge

The best way to store wood is in a semi-enclosed container, something like this : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Large-Wooden-Store-Firewood-Storage/dp/B004LOL712


( I'm not saying that particular one is any good, it's just to give you an idea ).


What you're aiming for is to keep the rain off, but at the same time let the wind get to it. That's probably why a shed is a bad idea - it's enclosed, so the moisture from the wood will find its way into the structure of the shed.


And the ultimate MSE way is not to buy a wood store, but to build one yourself from old pallets scavenged for free from a friendly building site ( please DO ask permission first !!! ).

jblessing

If you are buying logs they usually come ready-split. Personally I have found that buying logs to run a wood-burner is more expensive than sticking the gas central heating on, and I live near the New Forest so you'd think firewood would be cheap. Of course the best wood is free wood. In which case you will probably need a chainsaw to get them to the correct length and what is called a maul (basically a blunt axe) for splitting them. A sharp axe would only get stuck in the log.

A._Badger

The advice about wind is good. I store mine in a car port, which keeps the rain off but lets the wind in.

Even so, it can be a slow process, and I echo the comment from the New Forest dweller. Wood isn't cheap and the quality of much that is sold commercially can be very poor - at best it can be damp and at worst it can be very damp and not even good wood for burning.

Take care what you buy.

savemoney

I store mine in a garage and its fine I do keep door open when its nice weather usually around Summer when I buy seasoned logs up to Autumn. I now buy wood briquettes as they give off more heat and take up slightly less space. No need to dry them off as long as its not wet/damp. I tend to buy wood/briquettes in Summer when its quieter and often the briquettes are cheaper around £30 less. Home bargains sell briquettes reasonable cheap if you haven't got much space

This is what I order you can get smaller sizes. As you can see price as gone up to £230 I get them when on offer

https://www.luxurywood.co.uk/heat-logs/960kg-pallet-of-bio-blaze-heat-logs-detail

You can easily and cheaply make a wood store as shown above with pallets and some felt to keep rain off

Have a look at this one done that way

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=20343549&postcount=6

Ectophile

Zola. wrote: »

- Where do you store your wood?

At the risk of sounding glib - in a wood store. It was bought from a local shed company. It's about the size of a bike store, but has no doors on the front, and gaps between the slats at the side. It wasn't cheap, and many people make their own.

I originally tried storing logs in the garage. They all went mouldy. I had never seen so many different colours of fungi before!

The two important characteristics of a log store are:

1. Lots of ventilation.
2. Keeps the rain off.

One of those on its own isn't good enough.

I tend to allow about two years for freshly cut green wood to season adequately. I made the mistake of scrounging loads of free green wood, and scrabbling around in the log store to find something fit to burn a year later. I now buy in some seasoned logs, but even then I prefer to buy in spring to allow another summer for the logs to season properly.

Smiley_Dan

Another option is to talk to local tree surgeons and buy green wood off them. Either that or buying briquettes in the summer is best value if you don't have access to free wood.

Ectophile

Zola. wrote: »

- What type of axe / hatchet is best for chopping logs?

For chopping wood to length, use a bowsaw. Hacking at it with an axe will take ages and leave you with a huge pile of wood chips.

For splitting logs, I use a log splitting maul. It's a big, heavy thing, about the size of a sledge hammer. The angle at the edge is nowhere near as acute as a normal axe. The problem with a traditional axe is that if the log doesn't split, the blade can get stuck in the end of the log. The maul's broader edge will either bounce off or smash the log in two.

Here's a little trick I learned off the internet. To stop the logs flying everywhere when you split them, obtain an old car tyre. Lay the tyre down and jam as many logs in as you can. Then whack the ends with the axe/maul. Because the logs are all wedged in, they can't fly off.

silverwhistle

I started collecting wood the year before I got my stove although I do buy a few briquettes for convenience.

Storage is a low rack along the back wall (but not touching), two wood stores made from pallets and other recycled wood at the bottom of the garden partly sheltered by a pitosporum, a pile of logs and large rounds along the fence which I'll process for the winter after this and another uncovered stack on a pallet under a tree.

I break up pallets for kindling and quick burns and although I've a cheap electric chainsaw I've only used it once as so far I rather appreciate the exercise of bowsawing logs to length. Aldi occasionally sell cheap splitting axes; at least that's the one I use even if a hand-forged Swedish one would be more of a joy to use. I'd also recommend getting a moisture meter. My wood tends to be at 15% or less, although commercial stuff is often a fair bit wetter. Buy it now for a few months drying before use.

I've saved money having a wood-burner, but then I haven't costed my own timescrounging, sawing and splitting wood.

Davesnave

I store my wood in outdoor sheds made from overlap board, with corrugated iron roofs no doors and lots of ventilation spaces.

I have learned to get wood in early summer, because even if seasoned, it will take +6 months to dry, or more if from a farmer!

I cut up trees/branches I fell myself using a Screwfix chain saw attached to one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Portek-LOGMASTER-PORTEK-SAW-HORSE/dp/B0056MLPP6

Brilliant bit of kit.

My own logs are stored for about 2 years, but I have loadsa room.

sma11person

We store our wood in stores like the one in the amazon link (except we built ours from sturdy pallets). Wouldn't be without our stove. Our annual heating bill has dropped considerably compared with gas prices.