Are you struggling with getting your fire started or keeping it going once it is lit? First thing you are going to want to check is your firewood. Is the wood that you are burning dry and properly seasoned? If your firewood has not been properly seasoned it is not going to burn efficiently. If you cut your own firewood you will want to stack it and let it stand for approximately 1 year to ensure that it is completely dry. If you purchase your firewood from a local seller ask for last years cut make sure before you purchase the firewood that you inspect it to ensure the quality that you are purchasing.
The Dangers of Wet Firewood
Firewood’s moisture content should not be higher than 20%. If it is then it is not dry enough to burn. Firewood that has not been properly seasoned is not only going to burn inefficiently but it is going to be dangerous. Burning wet or green firewood is going to increase the amount of creosote build-up in your chimney flue. This will in turn increase your risk of having a chimney fire occur. Wet or green firewood is obviously going to contain higher levels of moisture which when this wood is place into a burning fire the evaporating moisture is going to cause it to crackle and pop harder than normal. This creates a hazard of hot embers popping out of the wood stove while you are tending to your fire.
Properly Season Firewood
The best way for you to ensure that your firewood is properly seasoned and remains dry until you are ready to use it is by stacking it neatly in a firewood rack. Firewood should be stacked in a single row off of the ground in a location that the sun will be shining on it and the wind can blow through it. The sun is going to heat the wood up causing the moisture to evaporate and the wind blowing through will aid in the drying process. There are many firewood rack options that will all work great for stacking your firewood in. However, if you are looking for a more cost effective option we have a great DIY Firewood Rack for you. The Stack-N-Store Log Rack Brackets and some pre-cut 2x4s is all that you will need!
DIY Firewood Rack
The Stack-N-Store Brackets are four (4) heavy-duty steel corner brackets that let you build a two-by-four (2×4) firewood rack in any convenient size with no hassles. Stack-It Bracket’s unique design keeps your valuable firewood up to five inches above ground level and safe from harmful ground moisture, pests and decay. You can add screws or nails in the pre-drilled bracket holes for added stability but they are not a necessity if you choose not to. The size of the rack that you build is completely dependent on your needs. Just keep one thing in mind, if your need the rack to be longer than 4-5 feet you may want to consider making multiple racks so there is no sagging from the weight of the firewood.
Steps for creating your own Firewood Rack:
- Gather your supplies: 2 (A) – 2x4s cut for the depth, 2 (B) – 2x4s cut for the width, 4 (C) – 2x4s cut to the height, 1 set of Stack-N-Store Firewood Rack Brackets, Optional Screws or Nails
- Layout the 2×4 pieces for the bottom of the frame
- Place one Stack-N-Store bracket on each end of the (A) pieces
- Slide the (B) pieces into the slots on each of the brackets. Make sure that each bracket is placed directly across from the other so the rack is symmetrical.
- Place one (C) piece in each corner.
- Secure with long wood screw or nails, this step is optional.