How to Season Your Firewood

How do you go about getting wood ready to burn in your wood-burning woodstove or fireplace? Well, you can’t do with a snap of your fingers or rush the process. It is a bit of a waiting game.

Plan ahead for an area to season your wood and cut it the year before you plan to use it. Wikihow had a good article on the how-to’s, so I included it below. Finally, remember that Rich’s for the Home is stocked and ready for you if you still need to purchase a stove. PLUS, right now you can save 20-60% in celebration of their anniversay. Happy shopping!

1. Chop the wood. It's best to get the pieces down to no more than 6-8 inches in diameter. 18" long is a common size. Store the wood outdoors.

2. Stack the wood so it isn't sitting directly on the ground or right up against a wall. If you don't have a wood shed, cut two saplings to use as a the base to keep the firewood from contact with the ground as shown in the image above. Pallets are also a great alternative.

3. If you don't have or don't want to make side supports, you can stack the ends by turning the direction of wood 90 degrees with each layer and the end stacks will be self supporting.

4. Allow space between your stack and a wall to allow air to move. Ideally you would have a moisture barrier such as a tarp below the wood, and/or have it spaced up off the ground to allow air flow.

5. Ensure that the top of the wood is covered to allow rain to run off without soaking the wood, but the ends of the stack are uncovered to allow air to circulate and moisture to escape.

6. Bark acts like a lid on firewood. On split wood, stack the wood with the bark side on the bottom to allow the wood to dry faster. If you are storing the wood without cover, stacking with the bark side on top will prevent some of the rain from soaking into the wood.