Firewood has to be seasoned, or allowed to thoroughly dry out before it’s burned. Keeping firewood outside under a tarp is one way to season it, but a seasoning shed can help the wood dry out faster.
Why It’s Important to Season Firewood
Wood contains moisture. Burning wood that hasn’t had an opportunity to dry out can be problematic.
First of all, you might have a hard time getting it to light. Also, burning wood that’s damp releases more creosote than burning dry wood. Creosote is a flammable substance that can build up inside a chimney.
Wood that has been properly seasoned burns longer than damp wood. If you burn dry wood, you won’t have to get up as often to put another log on the fire, and your supply will last longer.
How to Season Firewood
For wood to dry out, it needs to be stored in a way that allows it to get plenty of air circulation. Logs should be stacked and covered to protect them from rain and snow, but the cover should be loose. If it’s too tight, that can restrict airflow and keep moisture trapped in the wood.
Seasoning firewood takes time. Depending on the moisture content in the wood, when it was cut, and how it’s stored, it might take several months to a year, and possibly longer, for wood to dry out enough to be used in a fireplace or wood stove.
How a Seasoning Shed Can Help Wood Dry out Faster
A seasoning shed from Portable Garage Depot has a translucent polyethylene cover that lets sunlight in and traps heat. A seasoning shed has a vapor barrier to protect firewood from moisture in the ground, as well as two zippered polyethylene door panels with screen vents that allow air to circulate freely.
Where to Put a Seasoning Shed
When selecting a location for a seasoning shed, look for a spot that gets plenty of sunlight and airflow. Avoid a site near a wall or another structure that blocks wind.
Make sure that your seasoning shed is a minimum of five feet away from your home. If it’s too close, termites and other pests that are drawn to the wood pile will be able to easily travel to your house. If they get inside, you can have a serious problem on your hands.
Store Your Firewood in a Seasoning Shed
A seasoning shed traps heat, protects firewood from moisture, and maximizes air circulation. Wood that’s stored inside a seasoning shed can dry out in a fraction of the time that it would take if the wood were simply stacked outside and covered with a tarp.
Portable Garage Depot sells seasoning sheds that can create the ideal conditions for wood to dry out quickly. Order a seasoning shed today.