How do I build a log store?

Firewood dries by evaporation, which needs moving air far more than it needs shelter. A log store is a roof on legs, not a cupboard — and the commonest mistake is building something too enclosed, which holds moisture in and grows mould on the logs.

What you'll need

• Treated timber for the frame — 75mm x 47mm or heavier
• Battens or pallets for the raised floor
• Corrugated sheet, felt or board for the roof
• Concrete pads or slabs for the feet
• Exterior screws

Step by step

1. Choose a position with wind, not shelter.Open to the prevailing wind, ideally with the open face pointing away from driving rain — in most of the UK that means the open side facing south or east. A store tucked against a north wall never dries.
2. Set the store off the ground on pads.Concrete pads or slabs under each leg keep the frame out of the soil. A frame sitting on grass rots and wicks damp up into the bottom logs.
3. Build a raised, slatted floor.Bearers with battens across at 100-150mm spacing, at least 100mm clear of the ground. Air has to move up through the stack from below, and the gap keeps the bottom row out of splash.
4. Keep the back and sides mostly open.A back panel with a 25-50mm gap behind it, or open slats, keeps rain off while letting air through. A solid enclosed box holds moisture against the logs.
5. Roof it with a decent overhang and a fall.The roof should oversail the front by 100-150mm and fall to the back or the side, away from the open face. Corrugated bitumen or metal sheet is easier than felt on a small store.
6. Size it for the way you burn.A cubic metre of stacked logs is roughly a season's occasional use for a small stove. Two stores are more useful than one big one — one seasoning, one in use.
7. Stack for airflow, not for volume.Bark side up on the top row to shed water, ends of split logs facing the open side, and a small gap between rows. A tightly packed stack dries from the outside only.
8. Check the moisture before burning.Freshly cut wood is 50% water or more and needs a year or two under cover. A cheap moisture meter on a freshly split face should read 20% or less before it is worth burning.

Tips

• Season in one store and burn from another closer to the house. Carrying logs is the job you will get tired of first.
• A pallet makes a serviceable raised floor and costs nothing, provided it is heat-treated rather than chemically treated.
• Do not stack logs against a house wall. It bridges the damp-proof course, holds moisture against the brickwork and gives rodents cover.

Common mistakes

• Enclosing the store with solid sides and a door — Logs then sit in still, humid air and grow mould instead of drying. A log store is a roof and a floor with open sides.
• Covering the stack with a tarpaulin all the way to the ground — It traps ground moisture rising through the pile. Cover only the top, and leave the sides open.

If it doesn't work

Questions people ask