How To Season Wood

There is a little known tip to getting the most out of your firewood that I would like to share with you today. That is learning how to season firewood. While you can get seasoned firewood at most retailers, there are a few things you need to know if you plan to cut and store wood yourself.

Learning how to store firewood properly, so it has time to season, is the first step of this process. You need to cut your wood and stack it on a fire wood rack so that it is elevated off the ground and covered.

Doing this will keep it protected from the elements and give it time to "season". The term seasoned firewood basically means firewood that has been set out long enough to dry and have a moisture content of less than 20%.

Wood that isn't dry enough will be tough to light and if it does catch fire, it will put off a lot of smoke. At best, if you are outdoors, the excess smoke will be super annoying. At worst, if you are indoors with a wood burning fireplace, this could cause your entire living space to be smokey and dangerous to sit in.

Burning extremely moist wood also increases the buildup of creosote in your chimney. This causes you to have to clean it more frequently because built-up creosote can cause damage and potential chimney fires. So, smoking wood is just no good.

That's why is important for you to keep your wood off the ground and covered for about a year while it dries out. If you need help deciding when is the right time to use your wood, a wood moisture meter is a great tool. With this tool you stick four prongs into a piece of wood and a digital reading displays on the screen.

If the wood has 20% or more moisture content, it is best to let it "season" longer. If it has less than 20%, you are ready to take it off the rack and enjoy it in your fireplace or fire pit.

wood moisture meter

Those are the basics of how to store firewood so it seasons properly. We hope this article has been helpful. If you have any more questions, please reach out to our NFI certified techs at 800.203.1642