Fireplace Wood Storage Ideas

A common practice for people with a recreational fireplace is to purchase a face cord of wood, and then use it over the course of the next few years. Be careful when storing firewood, however, as there are bugs and other conditions that could affect your home if you store your firewood in the wrong way or in the wrong place.

Protecting Your Home

Try and keep stored firewood at least three to four inches off the ground to avoid rotting, and to help prevent insects from infesting your wood. It is inevitable that wood-eating insects will find their way into your firewood at some point, and this is why you should always store your firewood in an area away from your home and your garage. This is also why you only bring in firewood as you need it. A pile of firewood next to your fireplace looks inviting, but it also can be the home to destructive insects. Do not allow a wood pile to sit in your home overnight.

Duration

There is no hard-and-fast rule that outlines exactly how long firewood can be stored outside, but if it is properly protected from the elements, it could last a year or longer. A metal firewood rack is an ideal storage place for firewood, because it keeps the firewood off the ground, and it allows the firewood to be covered and protected against the elements. Remember that preseasoned firewood is firewood that has already been dried out for at least a year. Freshly cut firewood lasts much longer, but before you can use it, you need to dry it out by allowing it sit outside for several months.

Storage Equipment

Metal firewood storage units usually come as a U-shaped cart, or as the metal outline to a box. These units allow easy access to the firewood, and they keep it off the ground so the firewood lasts longer. They may come with a cover, or you can make a cover with an all-weather tarp. Stacking your firewood on the ground away from the house is a sure way to speed up the rotting process, and it also allows insects to infest the wood much easier. Use the proper firewood storage equipment and you will be able to enjoy your firewood for a long time.