All about street firewood and alternative options for storing firewood on the site

A country house or dacha needs to be heated in winter, the question arises, where to store stocks of firewood? Even with gas heating, logs may be needed for a fireplace. You can put firewood on the street, however, then you have to suffer with the ignition. Therefore, it is important to consider storage space.

There are several options.

• Outdoors is not a very good option, as raw woods are poorly kindled and burned.
• It is better in a closed outbuilding than on the street, but there are no conditions for the woodpile to dry out.
• Under a special shed or in a wood-burning stove, where the firewood is protected from precipitation, but ventilated and does not rot. A beautiful and neat firebox is also able to decorate a personal plot.

The option with a firebox has its advantages:

• there is no litter on the site, and the woodpile is neatly laid in the place designated for this;
• if the firewood is stored correctly, they will be dry, then it will not be difficult to make a fire;
• it is convenient to take firewood without fear that the woodpile will fall apart;
• the original design of the firebox can become the main decoration of the site.

It is not difficult to make a street firebox yourself. It can be made of metal or wood. You can use scrap materials: old barrels, well rings, metal sheets. Requirements for a wood log:

• firewood should be well protected from precipitation, otherwise the structure loses its meaning, the roof should not run;
• should be easy to use so that the set of the next portion of fuel does not turn into a quest each time;
• good ventilation must be provided - this is the main difference from a closed shed, otherwise the logs will damp and rot;
• it is desirable that the construction be done neatly and decorate the site.

Depending on the amount of fuel stored in the winter, the firebox can be a small structure for one woodpile or a full-fledged spacious shed. To create the necessary conditions for the correct storage of firewood, you must take into account a number of rules:

• you cannot put the woodpile directly on the ground, it is better to build the floor by raising it from the ground by 15 cm, otherwise the lower layer of firewood will dampen;
• walls must have holes for good air circulation;
• the roof of the building should be sloped so that precipitation does not linger and does not form condensation;
• if it is necessary to store a large amount of firewood, you need to equip a reliable base that can withstand the weight of the firewood.

For a small supply of firewood, you can build a frame from bars, covering it with a roof. Any roofing material can be used for the roof: corrugated board, metal tile and even polycarbonate. The floor can be laid from pallets.

Using a tree has its advantages:

• processed wood will last long enough;
• it is easy to saw off the required sizes;
• wooden structures are quickly assembled and disassembled;
• low price;
• due to the lightness of the material, it is not necessary to make a foundation for a structure made of wood; a brick can be used to arrange the base.

The frame can also be welded from metal corners. They should be treated with a rust remover.

Pros of a metal frame:

• long service life;
• reliability of the structure with the correct fastening of the elements;
• resistance to fire and adverse environmental factors, most importantly, to protect against rust.

You can approach the issue of building a firewood outside the box and get original options. It is not necessary to purchase materials for the firewood, you can try to use existing stocks. If there are old leaky barrels, you can build a firewood from them. To do this, the barrels are laid on one side and well secured using wooden blocks. Having secured the bottom row of barrels, the next one is stacked on them in a checkerboard pattern. Thus, you can build an original pyramid.

A similar structure can be made from concrete rings. True, this option will require help - the rings are quite heavy.

If there are no buildings for storing firewood yet, and winter is coming, you need to protect the firewood from bad weather. First you need to put them in a woodpile:

• in one row;
• in several rows;
• round.

When stacking firewood, it is important to remember a few rules:

• if possible, it is better to lay the woodpile along the wall or fence, so there will be a support at the back, it is also better to install supports on the sides so that the firewood does not crumble;
• dry logs are highly flammable material, so they should be located away from sources of fire and other combustible materials;
• the woodpile must be blown through so that the firewood dries out, and if several rows are laid, an indent must be made between them;
• laying firewood directly on the ground is not the best option, since they will absorb moisture from the ground, at least you need to cover the place of laying with a tarpaulin or a sheet of metal, but it is better to build a raised base: you can lay boards on bricks or use pallets;
• the finished woodpile should be covered with a tarp to protect it from rain and snow;
• firewood from a woodpile should be easy and convenient to take, without the risk of overturning them.

Why you shouldn't store firewood outdoors without protection:

• rain will wet the logs, so it will be much more difficult and longer to melt a stove or fireplace with them, and they will burn worse;
• winter snowfalls will hide the woodpile under a snowdrift, and in frosty weather you will have to look for firewood;
• in spring, when the sun begins to warm up, the snow accumulated on the wood will begin to melt, and the night frosts will firmly bind the woodpile into one piece.

In order for winter to please with fluffy snow and crackling of poles in the stove or fireplace, it is better to take care of the firewood in advance and store it properly. You can put firewood in neat woodpiles and under the open sky, be sure to cover it from the weather. And it is better to build a full-fledged firewood stove, which will last more than one year and will help you store firewood neatly and correctly. And the original design can be a decoration of the site.

The next video will tell you how to make a beautiful metal wood burning stove with your own hands.