I have both a fireplace and fire pit that burns wood. In this article, I will explain How to Store Wood for a Fire Pit to have dry wood and get it close to your burn area.
Having a way to move your firewood is almost as important as your storage. I use the log caddy to move my firewood and it holds enough wood for night's enjoyment.
Why use a wood storage solution for your firewood? I will give you a few ideas that I have used and some ways to make your time around your fire pit more enjoyable.
Why do I need to store my firewood?
When I have a fire in my fire pit, it is normally a cool damp evening. Getting a good fire started and rip-roaring will take dry wood.
Storing my firewood with some kind of protection from the outdoor elements makes this task much easier.
Even if you just throw a tarp over your pile of wood, it would be a good thing. My firewood is stored on racks once it's split and ready to burn. I have one in the garage and one on a deck.
When the racks are not needed for wood storage, I break them down and store them in a small space in my garage. I do make sure that the hardware is taped to the rack so that I do not have to look for them when I need the rack again.
Where should my wood be stored?
Wood for burning should be stored where it is not damp and it will need to be easy to get to when you need a fire to keep warm. Having a weather cover if your firewood is stored outside is something you should really do.
My rack in the garage is protected from any rain or other weather conditions. The outside rack will have a tarp over it with some kind of tie-down to keep the weather from removing it or damaging it. I do not leave any firewood next to my firepit between fires.
Getting your firewood from the wood storage area to the place of the fire should not be a hard chore. I use a log caddy like the one in the picture to the right. I even store my firewood on this caddy next to my fire pit while I have a burn. For more details about moving your firewood, see my post on this log caddy here.
How big of a wood rack do I need?
I have several sizes of wood racks around my house as I also burn wood in my fireplace. I have 3 four foot racks, several other smaller racks, and a log caddy.
The log caddy is big enough to hold and move enough wood for an entire evening fire. You can use it for more than just moving your woodpile.
The 4-foot racks hold enough wood for a week's constant fire in the fireplace or fire pit. I normally have 10-12 all-day fires in my fireplace and 5-6-10 fires for about four hours in my fire pit each cool season.
The real size of the wood rack that you will need will depend on how much wood you are going to burn each year. Those that only burn a fire pit once or twice a year will only need a small amount of wood that one 4 foot rack could hold.
See some different sizes of fire racks in my post here.
Should I get a cover for my wood rack?
Rain and snow are a big problem for firewood. If the wood is damp it will not burn well or at all. I have a tarp over my outside woodpile to keep it as dry as possible.
Some of the larger racks will have a cover as an option or included in the purchase. The one on the right has a zippered cover that you do not have to remove to get to your wood.
Having a proper cover will allow your wood to stay dry. It does make for a dry place for some things to live during the cooler months. Mice and other small rodents will love this place to live if you let them be careful when you are getting wood from a covered woodpile.
What if I have an indoor fireplace also
When you have both an indoor and outdoor Fire producer, you will need a good supply of wood in the cooler months.
The biggest thing I found was that you need to have a simple way to get your wood moved to a burn area.
Fabric slings that can carry a handful of wood are ok, I prefer the log caddy that I have.
These are a few of my wood storage ideas
Your storage solutions for your firewood will be different than mine. You may not burn the same amount of wood that I use each year, so your storage solution may be a lot different. You can still use some of these ideas just may have to add or subtract some items to fit your personal needs.
If you have anything to add to this information or just have a question use the forms below and I will get back to you shortly.
