Our top wood storage and wood burning tips

Wood needs to dry out and allow the sap to evaporate out of the heart of the timber. Drying wood, although sounding a simple process, has a few rules which need to be followed. The woodshed must be outside and have a sound roof/covering. Inside a garage sounds a good idea, but the wood can sweat without a wind blowing across the timber which can lead to damp and mouldy wood. The wood should be stored off the ground. An old pallet is ideal for this, ensuring that air can pass from below as well, and the sides need to be partially open to allow the wind to blow through, and around the logs. The wood should be positioned on its side, not stood upright, so any driving rain or dew should run off the logs and not be soaked up. This timber should then be given time to dry, which will take at least 12 months, but more likely around 24 months. Once dry, the moisture content, (which is the natural saps from within the tree), should be no greater than 20%. A simple moisture meter can be used to check this figure. An experienced hand can usually tell this before checking with the moisture meter, just from the weight of the wood. The logs will also be starting to split across the end grain.

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