How do I stack firewood so it dries?

Firewood dries through its split faces and cut ends, and only as fast as moving air can carry the moisture away. Split it, raise it off the ground, stack it loosely in the open and cover just the top, and most wood is ready in six months to a year. A heap on the ground, or a stack wrapped in a tarp down to the dirt, can still be wet a year later.

Why dry wood matters

Wood burns best at a moisture content below 20 percent, and EPA's advice is to check it with a wood moisture meter before you burn it.^[2] Wet wood can create excess smoke, which is wasted fuel.^[1] It also dirties the chimney: Prince William County's fire department warns that soft, moist wood increases creosote buildup in the chimney.^[6] Good stacking is an easy way to avoid that.

Choose the spot

Look for an open, sunny place where the wind can reach the stack, on ground that does not puddle. EPA's guide says to build the stack away from buildings.^[1] Virginia Cooperative Extension also advises against storing firewood beside a house or on a front porch,^{[4] [5]} for a practical reason: wood cockroaches are sometimes carried inside with firewood.^[4] A spot a short walk from the door is a fair trade for fewer bugs in the house.

Build a base

Never stack straight on soil, which wicks moisture into the bottom layer and invites rot. EPA's guidance is to keep wood off the ground by stacking it on rails,^[1] and a base under the stack also cuts down on pests and moisture.^[3] Two lengths of lumber laid on blocks, an old pallet or a row of concrete blocks all work. What matters is that air can move under the bottom row.

Split before you stack

Split wood dries much faster than whole rounds,^[1] because splitting opens the wet interior to the air and the bark no longer seals it in. Split to a range of sizes that fit your stove or fireplace, no larger than 6 inch wedges, plus some small pieces for kindling.^[1] If your wood arrived as unsplit rounds, splitting is the first job, not something to do next winter.

Stack it in a single row

Stack in a single row with the split side down,^[1] and leave room for air to circulate through the stack.^[1] A single row exposes every piece to moving air. A deep pile keeps the wood in the middle damp for months. If you need more than one row, leave a gap between rows wide enough for air to pass, and run the rows in the direction of the usual breeze if you can.

The ends are where stacks usually fail. Start each end against a sturdy post, or build a small tower of pieces laid crisscross in alternating directions, and keep the row's height to what you can reach from the ground. A stack that leans or wobbles when you push it should be rebuilt before it falls on someone.

Cover the top, not the sides

Cover the top of the stack to keep off rain and snow, leave space between the cover and the wood, and keep the sides open.^[1] EPA warns that covering the sides "traps in moisture."^[2] A sheet of metal roofing or a few boards across the top layer works well; a tarp pulled down to the ground does not. If you build a woodshed instead, EPA suggests a roof large enough to overhang the wood, sloped so water does not collect.^[3]

How long to leave it

Plan on about 6 months for softwoods and about 12 months for hardwoods.^{[1] [3]} Wood cut and split in spring is usually ready for the following winter. For the full timeline, see how long firewood needs to season.

You can judge it roughly by hand. Dry wood is lighter, darker in color and sounds hollow when knocked against another piece.^{[1] [2]} For a firm answer, split a piece and test the newly split face with a moisture meter; properly dried wood reads 20% or less.^[1] The outside of a log can read dry while the middle is still wet, which is why the fresh face matters.

Bringing it inside

Carry in only what you will burn in the next day or so, and keep the rest outside. Shake or knock pieces before you carry them in to dislodge insects,^[4] and wear gloves and long sleeves when moving firewood that has sat undisturbed, since spiders can hide in anything left undisturbed for a length of time.^[5]

If your fire still smokes after all this, the wood may not be the problem; see why firewood smokes and is hard to light.

Stop and call a pro if

• Dry, tested wood still smolders, smokes or blackens the stove glass. The stove, flue or chimney may need attention, and fire safety officials recommend having heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected each year by a professional.^[7] See how often a chimney should be cleaned.
• Smoke spills into the room from the fireplace or stove.
• You find termites or other insects tunneling into wood that touches the house, deck or a wooden fence.
• The wood still has to be cut from a standing or storm-damaged tree. Felling and chainsaw work on trees is a job for a tree service.

More seasonal answers are under snow and seasonal services. You can browse firewood delivery and seasonal services around Blacksburg, or describe the job once and local businesses quote it.