Yes, you generally need to cover firewood stored outside, especially to protect it from precipitation, though ensuring good airflow for drying is equally important.
The Dual Purpose of Firewood Storage: Drying and Protection
Storing firewood outdoors presents a challenge: how to keep it dry enough to burn efficiently while also allowing it to season properly. Ideally, firewood should remain uncovered so it can be properly dried by air and sun. However, this ideal is often not practical, as rain, snow, and ice can quickly saturate your woodpile, particularly in colder months. Therefore, a strategic approach to covering is crucial.
Why Covering Firewood is Essential
While initial drying benefits from full exposure, covering your firewood becomes a necessity to protect it from the elements once it has begun to season. This prevents the wood from reabsorbing moisture, which can reverse the drying process and lead to various problems.
- Rain: Prevents logs from becoming waterlogged, which makes them difficult to burn.
- Snow and Ice: Protects the wood from heavy snowfalls and freezing rain, which can penetrate deep into the pile.
- Humidity: While not a complete shield, a good cover can help reduce the direct impact of prolonged high humidity.
- Maintaining Dryness: Crucial for keeping seasoned wood ready for burning, especially during the winter.
Best Practices for Covering Firewood Effectively
Simply throwing a tarp over a woodpile isn't enough; proper covering techniques are essential to balance protection with continued airflow for drying.
- Cover the Top Only: A good cover over the top of your woodpile will protect it. This is the most critical step, as it shields the wood from direct precipitation while leaving the sides exposed to allow air to circulate freely. Airflow is vital for drying and preventing mold.
- Slanted Cover: Be sure the cover is slanted to shed moisture away from the pile's base. This prevents water from pooling on top and seeping into the pile. You can achieve this by elevating one side slightly or by securing the cover in a way that creates a slope.
- Elevate the Woodpile: Always stack firewood off the ground. Using pallets, cinder blocks, or a dedicated firewood rack prevents ground moisture from wicking into the bottom layers of wood and deters insects.
- Allow Airflow: Do not completely wrap your woodpile. Sealing it off traps moisture, creating a perfect environment for mold, mildew, and rot. Always ensure the sides are open to the air.
- Choose the Right Material: Heavy-duty tarps, dedicated firewood covers, or built-in wood sheds are good options. Ensure the cover is durable enough to withstand weather conditions.
Benefits of Properly Stored Firewood
Investing time in proper firewood storage pays off with a superior burning experience and safer conditions.
- Efficient Burning: Dry, seasoned wood burns hotter and more completely, yielding more heat with less fuel.
- Reduced Smoke and Creosote: Less moisture in the wood means less smoke and fewer harmful deposits (creosote) in your chimney, reducing the risk of chimney fires.
- Pest Prevention: Dry wood is less attractive to insects like termites, carpenter ants, and beetles, keeping them out of your woodpile and, by extension, away from your home.
- Prevents Mold and Rot: Air circulation and protection from moisture inhibit the growth of mold, mildew, and fungi that can degrade wood quality.
- Easier to Start: Dry wood ignites much more easily than wet wood.
Risks of Improper Storage
Neglecting proper storage can lead to several undesirable outcomes:
- Wet, Smokey Fires: Uncovered wood will absorb moisture, leading to fires that smolder, produce excessive smoke, and provide little heat.
- Mold and Fungus Growth: Trapped moisture without airflow creates an ideal breeding ground for mold and fungi, which can render wood unusable and release spores when burned.
- Pest Infestations: Damp, rotting wood is a beacon for various pests that can then migrate into your home.
- Reduced Shelf Life: Wet wood rots faster, significantly shortening its usable life.
Firewood Storage Options
Different methods offer varying levels of protection and drying efficiency.
| Storage Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Fully Uncovered | Maximum airflow, fastest initial drying (if no rain) | Highly susceptible to rain, snow; rapid re-wetting |
| Covered Top Only | Protects from precipitation, excellent airflow | Sides still exposed to splashing rain, some elements |
| Wood Shed / Dedicated Firewood Rack | Best overall protection from elements, optimal airflow | Higher initial cost, requires space, less mobile |
| Tarp-Wrapped (Incorrect) | Appears to protect fully (but doesn't) | Traps moisture, encourages mold/rot, impedes drying |
How to Tell if Firewood is Seasoned
To ensure your efforts in covering are worthwhile, knowing when your wood is ready to burn is key. Seasoned firewood typically has a moisture content below 20%.
- Sound: Clap two pieces together; seasoned wood will produce a hollow, ringing sound, while wet wood will give a dull thud.
- Weight: Dry wood is noticeably lighter than green (freshly cut) wood.
- Appearance: Ends of seasoned logs often have visible radial cracks, and the bark may be loose or peeling.
- Color: The cut ends of seasoned wood will usually appear darker, sometimes with a grayish tint.
- Smell: Seasoned wood loses its strong, sappy aroma, becoming much milder.
For more detailed information on seasoning and storing firewood, you can consult resources from university extensions or forestry services. For instance, Virginia Tech provides guidelines on seasoning and storing firewood.
