Anyone who buys firewood and simply dumps it somewhere is giving away heat. Wet or poorly stored wood burns inefficiently, produces more smoke and burdens stove and chimney more than necessary. Yet good storage is no rocket science. It takes the right place, a clean stacking technique and some lead time. Anyone who understands this once heats more relaxed and more cheaply.
Why dry firewood makes such a difference
Freshly felled wood contains up to 60 percent water. It is only ready for the stove from a moisture content below 20 percent. The difference is clearly noticeable when heating: dry wood gives off considerably more energy, produces less soot and protects the entire system.
With wet wood, a large part of the combustion energy is lost to evaporating the stored water. The combustion temperature drops, tar and soot condense in the chimney, and the unpleasant smell of smoke remains. In short: anyone who skimps on storage pays extra when heating.
An inexpensive wood moisture meter gives reliable information. It costs less than twenty euros and removes all uncertainty.
Choosing the right storage location for firewood
The storage location largely decides whether firewood actually gets dry and stays dry. Three factors are decisive: air circulation, weather protection and ground clearance.
Outdoors or indoors?
Storing outdoors works well and even has advantages, because wind speeds up drying. Prerequisite: the wood is not left unprotected in the rain. A simple cover of corrugated sheet, wooden slats or a sturdy tarpaulin is enough. The sides should remain open so air can circulate.
In the cellar or a closed garage, wood dries considerably more slowly because air circulation is limited. These places are good as short-term storage for already dry wood near the stove, but not for drying the annual supply.
What makes the difference in location
- Covered but open at the sides: air must be able to pass through
- Prefer the south side: solar heat speeds up natural drying
- Keep at least 10 cm from the house wall: this protects the facade from moisture and prevents mould
- No direct ground contact: wood lying on soil draws moisture from below and is quickly infested
Stacking firewood properly
A tidy woodpile is not a beauty project. It is a working basis. Anyone who stacks well protects the wood, optimises drying and keeps track when heating.
The base decides
Wood must never lie directly on the ground. Concrete slabs, old pallets, wooden beams or metal supports as a base provide the necessary clearance. At least 10 cm of ground clearance is recommended so air gets under the stack and ground moisture has no access.
How high and how wide?
As a rule of thumb: a stack should not be higher than 1.50 metres. Above that it becomes unstable and the wood inside gets too little ventilation. The width is freer to choose, but the narrower the stack, the better the ventilation.
Logs are stacked lying down, with the cut faces (end grain) facing outwards. There the pores of the wood are open and release moisture particularly efficiently. Anyone who turns the round sides outwards unnecessarily extends the drying time.
Cross-stacking at the ends
Anyone who sets the ends of the stack in a cross pattern saves an additional support structure. The alternately crossed logs give the stack lateral stability and hold up even in wind.
How long does firewood need to dry?
That depends on the wood species and the specific storage conditions. As a guide:
- Softwood (spruce, pine, poplar): 1 to 2 years
- Hardwood (beech, oak, robinia): 2 to 3 years
Anyone who buys fresh wood in autumn and plans to burn it the same winter will be disappointed. Good planning means: always think at least one annual ration ahead. Anyone who stores today heats relaxed and efficiently next winter.
Kiln-dried firewood: ready immediately, no waiting
Anyone who does not want to plan two to three years ahead or simply wants to be sure the residual moisture is right goes for kiln-dried firewood. In kiln drying, the wood is dried under controlled conditions until the moisture content is reliably below 20 percent. The result: firewood that can go straight into the stove.
HEIZFUXX® offers kiln-dried firewood in two variants:
Softwood: quick lighting, lively flame
The softwood variant relies on spruce, pine or poplar, among others. Softwood catches quickly, develops a lively, bright flame and is ideal for lighting or for evenings when the stove does not need to run all day. The burn time is slightly shorter than hardwood, but the calorific value is decent and thanks to kiln drying the wood hardly smokes and soots little. Perfect for the transitional period in spring and autumn or as a quick source of warmth in between. Anyone who combines the softwood variant with a reload of hardwood gets the best of both worlds: a quick fire followed by long, calm embers.
Hardwood: long burn time, high embers
The hardwood variant is the choice for anyone who heats regularly and efficiently. The classic fireplace woods birch, beech or oak are used. Beech is the classic in the fireplace: it burns evenly, develops high embers, gives off reliable heat for hours, smokes little, smells pleasant and leaves hardly any ash. Oak burns more slowly and particularly long. A well-stocked stove keeps the warmth through the whole night. This makes the hardwood variant ideal for continuously heated rooms in the coldest months and for overnight burning with minimal reloading.
Delivered kiln-dried, with guaranteed residual moisture below 20 percent. This saves you years of storage. No guesswork, no measuring, no waiting.
The complete range can be found at heizfuxx.com/brennholz.
Common mistakes when storing firewood
Many heating problems arise not at the stove but in storage. The most common:
- Stacking wood directly against the house wall without a gap
- No cover on top although the location is exposed to rain
- Mixing old and fresh wood without marking what is already dry
- Never measuring the moisture content and heating on the off chance
- Stacking too high until the stack tips or the wood in the core does not dry
Conclusion: good storage costs little, brings a lot
Storing firewood properly requires no great effort. A suitable location, clean ground clearance, air circulation from all sides and the right stacking technique are enough. The rest is time. Anyone who has set this up once benefits for years, with dry wood, a clean stove and warmth you can rely on.
HEIZFUXX® · SIMPLE. CLEVER. HEATING.
Wood pellets, wood briquettes, firewood, kindling, peat briquettes and hard coal – by the bag at DIY stores, by the pallet online. Where to get HEIZFUXX®.