Keeping Firewood Safe and Dry

One of mankind’s earliest learned achievements was the ability to make fire around 800,000 years ago. Although many varied alternatives to creating heat and light have been invented, the fire remains prevalent and is used both practically and to entertain. Along with oxygen and heat, a burning material is needed for fire to take place and the most common material is wood. Once chopped, firewood needs to be stored in a cool and dry place to ensure that it burns to its optimum ability. Inside the home this is easily achieved as it is sheltered, but when stored outside a problem arises. There are several designs of outdoor log storage devices on the market ranging from wicker baskets to wooden racks and covered compartments. All styles can be used both indoors and outdoors to protect the wood from mould and damp adequately although wicker baskets should be kept under a shelter. Firewood racks are typically two planks of wood which make up the base, with supporting ‘book end’ style planks at either edge, which allow the logs to be stacked up the middle. With no sides, a through breeze can be created, which stops the wood suffering from a stuffy environment and stops fungi and mould particles from settling. These styles of firewood storage are usually made from woods such as cedar or cypress as they contain their own natural resins and oils, which protect the wood from weathering and repel pests such as termites and moths. It may seem as if the properties of a wood rack are not particularly important considering its’ structure is open plan, but this is not the case. If the firewood that you are storing develops mould or fungi then the solution is simple- just throw it out. However, if the firewood rack itself becomes infested with bugs or mould then the problem is permanent, and will transfer onto any wood that you store inside it. One way to fully ensure that a firewood rack remains durable and dry is to treat it with a specific varnish. This seals the wood from the elements and is for best results repeated every couple of years. Non-wooden firewood racks are also a popular choice, made from steel tubing which is light yet just as strong as wood. This choice doesn’t look natural as wood does, but it does fit in with modern surroundings and doesn’t require treatment. Racks are available in all sizes, from small which suits an average living room fireplace to industrial. Specially fitted canvas covers are available to fit neatly over a firewood rack so that rain, sleep, snow and hail simply rolls off the top leaving the wood underneath untouched. Each corner of the canvas slots over the corners of the rack so that it doesn’t slip off. Whether you have an outdoor fire or indoor furnace, a firewood rack is incredibly useful in keeping the fuel neat and tidy, saving the user the hassle of making sure they stack up properly.