How to Pile Firewood

Ask four different diligent wood burners about how they stack firewood and you'll probably get four very different answers. There are a few points of consensus, however, and by no coincidence these are also the most important issues you must observe to get your firewood to burn efficiently and also to avoid the possibility of bringing mold or bug infestation into your house.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

2 6-inch-diameter wood poles
2 3- or 4-inch-diameter by 5 or 6-feet-high wooden poles
4 6-foot-or-longer pieces of twine

Step 1

Lay two 6-inch-diameter wood poles out to create an elevated base for your wood stack, or use cement blocks or any other solid material to elevate the stack off the ground. The base should be about as wide as your wood is long. For example, if your wood is cut to about 8 inches long, the rails should be about 7 inches apart. The length of your base determines the length of your stack.

Step 2

Drive a 3- or 4-inch pole into the ground at each end of the stack-to-be. Tie a piece of twine to each pole about halfway up--approximately 2 feet off the ground.

Step 3

Pile wood between the poles, stacking it with the edges as even as possible. Stack all the way across one layer at a time as much as possible. Every three or four layers, wind the twine attached to the end poles around a piece of wood near the end of the pile, and leave the excess twine dangling near the pole. Stack more wood on the twine, then wind the loose end through the pile again. Affix the extra pieces of twine to the poles once the first ones run out and continue the winding and stacking process until the pile reaches near the top of the poles.

Tips & Warnings

Ideally the woodpile should be located under cover to help protect it from snow, ice and rain; it can be covered with a tarp if necessary, but locating it under cover in the first place will both protect it and make it easier to get to during inclement weather.

Article Written By Marie Mulrooney

Marie Mulrooney has written professionally since 2001. Her diverse background includes numerous outdoor pursuits, personal training and linguistics. She studied mathematics and contributes regularly to various online publications. Mulrooney's print publication credits include national magazines, poetry awards and long-lived columns about local outdoor adventures.

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