Firewood Tips

I always order my firewood delivery as early in the season as possible, that ensures the best prices before wood becomes scarce. I shop around for the best price, make sure that the wood is split to the length I need, and check that it is hardwood (oak, beech or maple) and that the price includes delivery. Often the stacking is extra, so I always do that part myself. I order one cord of seasoned wood and one cord of greenwood, which is less expensive, but will season nicely if you stack it well.

I spread a large plastic tarp on the side of the driveway on wood delivery day. Have the truck driver dump the wood loads onto the tarp. This helps with chips clean-up, and you get to easily shake the chips into a plastic storage bin, and the chips make good kindling!

You can easily make a wood drying rack out of long lengths of 2x4 lumber, this keeps the wood off the ground. Make your wood stack away from the house and garage, to prevent insect infestation. When you've stacked the greenwood, leave it open to the weather to dry in the wind. If the weather will be rainy for a few days, simply cover the wood stack with the plastic tarp, and secure it from flapping by placing a couple of logs on the top of the tarp at each end.

If you have old storage bins or see some on sale, these are the perfect solution to storing your seasoned (dry) firewood. I usually fill up the boxes and put them in the garage, so that in winter, I can just grab a box and take it directly to the fireplace, without going out in the snow. I do have a firewood storage cupboard built into the brick of my fireplace, and I fill this up first, making sure the wood is clean and insect free. You don't want to bring termites, ants or flies into your home and have them wake up in the warmth!

If you are fortunate, and have a stand of trees in your back yard, you can do a deal with tree service companies, when they come to prune your trees. Have them do the work when the ground is frozen and they need the work, you'll get a better price for their services during their quiet periods! They will take down your dead or leaning trees, and cut them up for firewood for you instead of hauling them away or chipping them up. Even pine trees can be used for outdoor fire pits and camp fires. This is almost like FREE firewood!

If you have Birch trees, the logs look pretty in the fire grate during summer, I use mine for decoration, together with a few big, fragrant pine cones. Then when it's time to light the fire, I put the decorative birch logs in a basket, and put the oak firewood in the grate, along with kindling and old candle stubs which I save in a box, to use as firelighters!

Happy Firewood Hunting!

By hilary from Exeter, NH