Proper storage of firewood for a stove or fireplace: basic methods, requirements and equipment

Where to locate the firewood storage

Our ancestors built a warehouse for firewood next to the wall of the house, under a canopy, not far from the front door.
This was done not only because it was the fastest way to get to the woodpile. An important factor was the constant heating (and, accordingly, drying) of the wood with the heat of the wall of the heated house. The heat influx was very small, but stable, which made it possible to stack the firewood more densely without fear of molding. Naturally, the firewood was stored along the blank wall of the house. Firstly, it did not spoil the overall appearance of the site, and secondly, the storage did not block the light.

What’s interesting: firewood stacked along the wall additionally serves as a heat-insulating layer for the home.

In modern realities, when there are windows in almost all walls, firewood can also be laid around window openings. It looks peculiar, but there is a certain meaning in it. In this case, the roof overhang should be significantly increased, and large stones laid along the wall are used as a kind of “foundation” - firewood is piled on them.

If we’re not talking about a woodpile, but about building a full-fledged woodshed with our own hands, then they recommend placing it:

• near the back wall of the house or in a part of the site invisible from the street;
• at a distance of at least two meters from sources of open flame and sparks. For example, if there is a specially equipped place for cooking over a fire or coals, the woodcutter should be away from it. You cannot set up a welder’s or metal cutter’s workplace next to a woodpile;
• at some distance from beds, flower beds and other plantings. Since the woodshed, as a rule, is quite large, it also provides a lot of shade, which is not always beneficial. However, shade-loving plants can be planted in its shade;
• away from water sources and places where it is splashed.

In addition, it is not recommended to place the woodshed, even the most spectacular in appearance, in the center of the site - after all, it should not be the main decorative element.

Place for a woodpile

You need to start with the storage location; it should be convenient for the owner of the house and comply with the rules that will help the firewood last for several years without losing its quality and healthy aroma.

What you need to consider for the convenience of the owner

1. We must not forget that firewood will have to be taken in winter, when the yard is completely covered with snow, which means that the woodpile needs to be made not far from the entrance to the house or even along its wall.

2. To avoid problems with sawing and chopping firewood in winter, all this must be done in advance. If this condition is met, in cold weather you will just need to leave the house and collect the required amount of prepared firewood.

3. It is very important that the firewood is dry, and for this you need to provide a suitable structure, and if this is not possible, then stack the logs in a special way.

What you need to consider to save firewood

1. The firewood must be dry, which means that the woodpile must be protected from rain from above and from collecting moisture from below. Therefore, the base for laying firewood should be located on a hill to prevent storm or flood water from flowing under it, which will lead to wetting and rotting of the lower layers of the firewood stack.

2. The top of the woodpile should be under the roof, or the firewood should be stacked in such a way that water will flow along its top layer, folded like scales, and will not get inside the main mass of wood.

3. The entire structure of the woodpile must be well ventilated, so the firewood is stacked so that through gaps are formed between the logs, which will allow air to penetrate, drying the chopped wood.

Air gaps must be left between the firewood

4. You need to know how long it will take for the firewood to dry thoroughly. Wood harvested in winter dries much faster, about five to six months. It is not recommended to prepare firewood in spring and summer, since the wood will be of low quality and will have to dry for a long time - the time until complete drying can be from ten months to a year. The length of this period will depend on air humidity, weather, the number of sunny days, the location where the woodpile is installed and the prevailing temperature outside.

Rules for storing firewood

Warehousing and storage rules will depend on the location chosen for the woodpile.

• The best option would be to store firewood under a roof in a woodshed - there they will be in shelter and protected from all external negative influences - sun and precipitation.
• Whatever types of wood are stored, the brought logs must be sawed and split, but you should not rush to put them in the woodpile; it is better if they lie in the sun for a while and dry out.

Since it is better to harvest wood in winter, it is better to saw and chop logs for firewood in the spring. Over the summer they will dry well, and closer to autumn they can be put in a woodpile.

You need to know that if you stack raw firewood in rows, when it dries, the woodpile will shrink and simply fall apart.

• You cannot stack firewood on the ground, as it will absorb moisture from it. Therefore, trellises made of long and even, small-diameter trunks or metal pipes are first laid on the soil. The first row of chopped firewood is laid so that its ends lie on two trellises, and not on the ground, and are raised a few centimeters above it.

If the woodpile is located in a woodshed with a floor, then there is no need to lay anything under it.

• When planning to stack several rows of woodpiles, it is necessary to provide a small distance between them for air circulation. Each of them should be installed with a slight slope towards the previous one.
• When installing woodpiles in an open space, you will need to strengthen each of them with vertically installed pipes or thick fittings. For the base, trunks, pipes or bricks are laid on the soil for firewood, as mentioned above.

You can strengthen the woodpile with vertically driven pipes or fittings

In the latter case, firewood is stacked on the sides of the woodpile - one row along, the other across. Such a system will help make it more sustainable.

• The top of such a woodpile is covered with sheets of slate, metal or thick waterproof film, which will protect the firewood from rain and snow.
• Another way to stack firewood for storage is in the form of a stack. But it is not very popular in our country, except in some areas. Basically, woodpiles are laid in this way in rural areas of Germany, Sweden, Norway and other countries.

Beautiful examples in the interior

The design of the fireplace area can become an expression of the excellent taste of the owners if the combination of textures and shades of materials fits perfectly with each other. Stone, wood and metal are combined into a single impressive ensemble. The grand panel on the entire wall is lined with stone, the fireplace bench is entirely stone, and the firebox is made of metal. Two identical metal firewood boxes filled with fuel are located symmetrically on both sides of the firebox. The shade of wood emphasizes stone and metal, natural materials form a single composition.

For a living room in a classic elegant style, a good solution would be to decorate the fireplace with tiles and marble, and it is better to decorate the fireplace grate and additional accessories with decorative forged elements. The firewood rack, stand and fireplace maintenance kit, grate, are made in the same style. Guests will be delighted and enjoy relaxing by this beautiful and warm fireplace. The flame is visible through the grille and transparent screen, additionally reflecting from the back wall of the firebox, lined with fire-resistant tiles.

During the Christmas holidays, a country village house and the surrounding forest turn into a fairy-tale kingdom. Having played enough snowballs, children and adults sit down with hot tea by the fireplace and indulge in friendly communication and relaxation. The atmosphere of comfort and closeness to nature is created by wicker baskets filled with firewood, wood chips and pine cones. The baskets are specially aged and assembled into a picturesque still life in the fireplace corner. Wicker chairs are in harmony with the firewood, and decorative elements with a Christmas theme add completeness to the interior.

An absolutely cold and minimalist interior - with a full-length window and a feeling of open space, made in icy tones. The dark blue wall, finished with textured plaster, was conceived by the designer as an ideal backdrop for the fireplace, the flames of which look sunny and hot. A vertical niche filled with firewood creates a warm accent, enlivening the wall and giving it a lived-in look.

To learn how to make a firewood rack with your own hands, see the following video.

Storing firewood in the apartment: choosing a good place

The construction of artificial and real fireplaces in houses and apartments is now becoming increasingly popular. But it happens that an artificial fireplace may not look very good, as if it is unfinished, and the real one needs to be stoked with something. In this case, the question arises of where and how to store firewood in a living space so that it is not only functional, but also beautiful. We'll tell you how to stack a woodpile most effectively in your home and how to bring a faux fireplace to life.

In addition to the fact that storing firewood should be aesthetically pleasing, one should not forget about fire safety. How can you make a woodpile?

Woodpile by the fireplace

The easiest and most convenient way is to store firewood directly by the fireplace. It can be seen quite often in country houses, where this element of the interior is regularly used for heating. Stacks of logs by the fireplace always look appropriate and relevant. The fact that it is very convenient is undoubtedly, but how beautiful can it be?

To ensure that storing firewood in this way is also aesthetic, you can paint its edges, aimed at everyone to see, in different colors. Thus, neatly folded logs will serve as an original interior decoration. To maintain safety, it is better to place the woodpile to the side of the fireplace to avoid sparks and flames from touching it. Plus, you can easily get to the logs and throw them on the fire.

Of course, this method will increase your cleaning time. After all, the woodpile is placed directly on the floor, so the sawdust will have to be removed quite often.

Forged woodpiles

An excellent option for storing and organizing firewood can be a forged log, which will also serve as a work of art. It can be made in the shape of a house or a basket. It is better to fill such storage with small logs of the same length. Thin logs made from birch will look especially beautiful, the bark of which will decorate the entire interior.

A rectangular forged steel woodpile can become an unusual element of the interior. Firewood is usually stacked in such a structure. To reduce the amount of dust and dirt from the logs, the entire woodpile can be covered with a special cover. This will serve as an additional way of safety, especially if there are children in the house.

Fireplace with woodpile

Storing firewood is possible inside a non-working fireplace. Since such logs will not be used for their intended purpose, but will only be a decorative element, it is better to process them initially. To do this, you need to remove the peeled bark, clean it of dirt and apply insect repellent to the surface.

In a similar way, you can use a false fireplace to store firewood.

A niche with firewood will look more impressive if there are other wood products or wooden wall decoration in the room. Thus, storing firewood also becomes an excellent decorative element. Moreover, the use of rough, untreated wood in the interior is now very fashionable.

Storing firewood in baskets

To ensure warmth and comfort in the house during the cold season, you need a sufficient supply of logs. But how to store firewood? If you don't want to think about how to stack a woodpile, then this method is just for you. Take a special basket or box and carefully place the logs there. And then they will not only be in place, but also beautifully decorated. In addition, the basket is very convenient to carry by the handle, which makes it more convenient compared to other types of woodpiles.

This option for storing firewood does not leave any debris in the room. All dust and sawdust remain at the bottom of the basket, which is very practical. Such baskets can be made of rattan or burlap, presented in the form of metal buckets or forged boxes. If the weaving of the basket is not tight enough, then it is better to prepare a bedding for it in advance, on which the debris will fall, which will make the cleaning process easier in the future.

Wall niche

Firewood can be stored in a wall niche. They are ideal for those who want to store large supplies of firewood for the winter fire. To give a beautiful look, it is better to place such niches symmetrically on both sides of the fireplace. Their size can be any - the entire height of the walls or lower ones.

This method will undoubtedly allow you to store a large amount of firewood and is the best for houses that are often heated by a fireplace. In order not to disturb the beauty of this view, it is better to remove logs evenly from both niches, maintaining symmetry

Round woodpiles

An interesting way to store firewood is to build a round woodpile. To do this, you need a fairly large area of ​​free space. Lay the logs in a circle until they reach the height you want. When you reach the desired height, the center can be made a little higher, then there will be the effect of a tower of logs. The top can also be decorated with hay, straw or painted logs. The walls can be decorated with funny drawings and applications. Remember to make sure that the woodpile is held firmly and does not wobble. If its stability is in doubt, supports can be made. Knowing how to put together a round woodpile, you can easily decorate your home in such an unusual way and surprise your guests with a non-standard decor and approach to storing firewood.

Metal woodpiles

The woodpile can be made of various materials. The most convenient way to store firewood is in a metal container. You can choose any one based on its appearance, it will still pleasantly surprise the audience.

Twisted woodpiles will look especially elegant. You can store firewood in a metal mesh. Moreover, it can accommodate bars of different sizes. You just need to think about laying the floor in advance so that the sawdust falls onto the mat, which is easy to clean.

Following particularly fashionable trends and styles in the interior, you can use a glass woodpile. It will look very modern. Its only drawback is safety. Pay attention to the thickness of the material. It should be quite large.

The imagination of recent designers has complemented the variations of woodpiles by using strong rope or rope to store logs. You can choose colored materials that match the color scheme of the fireplace. Due to its easy flammability, it is better to place such a woodpile away from open fire.

You can store firewood in any way, and you can even come up with your own unique method. For example, take an old bag, decorate it to match the style of the room, and if placed correctly, it can fit into the overall look of the mantel and make a great woodpile.

If these options seem ordinary to you, we offer you another way to store firewood. You can lay out logs against the wall, periodically placing metal or other dense rectangles and squares in different places in the “wood wall”, which will serve as shelves for storing things and souvenirs. There are a great many ways to store firewood. Many of them have not yet been translated into reality by any designer. To choose the right woodpile just for you, do not limit your imagination, take into account the overall interior design. And then your home will not only be cozy from the fire and crackling wood in the fireplace, but also fashionable and stylish.

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Varieties and characteristics

Woodsheds can be of different designs:

• open, made of wood in the form of a canopy;
• frame made of bars;
• from old barrels;
• from pallets;
• made of timber, metal, boards, plywood or PVC sheets.

In urgent cases, owners of personal plots cast a concrete platform or lay reinforced concrete slabs. This work is not cheap, but such wood burners are reliable and of good quality. The most common option is adding gravel; this is quite enough if you place a woodpile of firewood on sheets of roofing material. The site is also most often fenced with a border made of reinforced concrete blocks or timber impregnated with primer or antiseptic. The beginning of work begins with the development of a plan diagram of the future facility and calculation of the materials that will be required.

A wood shed usually has three walls and a roof. You can make a woodshed-shed in the form of a gazebo. The design has a claim to originality; it can be decorated by attaching decorative details. The roof is made at an angle of at least 20 degrees so that moisture flows freely onto the ground. This design will reliably protect the firewood. Good ventilation ensures that moisture in the form of condensation does not accumulate on the wood. Such a facility can be built next to the main house or erected behind the bathhouse.

The advantage of such small woodsheds is also that there is no need to cast a strip foundation; it is enough to install two pillars in the corners of the site. The material for such supports can be:

• corners "6";
• wooden logs;
• profile pipes 150 mm;
• timber

The walls can be made of boards 20 mm thick. Between the vertical fastenings from the inside, diagonal and transverse fastenings should be made. During the cold season, snow will accumulate on the roof, therefore, the load on the roof and vertical supports will increase. It will be necessary to strengthen them with spacers and fastenings. Also, a rigid frame from corners should be made under the roof. This element will also provide additional rigidity, connecting all elements into a single support unit. You can make such a structure in a couple of days, but the woodshed can last for decades. You only need to periodically carry out small preventive maintenance.

Among modern materials for building a woodshed, polycarbonate is popular. Its sheets are durable, do not corrode, do not deform due to changes in temperature and humidity, reliably protecting the material from precipitation. Sheathing the walls with polycarbonate is not a bad idea. The weight of such a structure will be minimal, the walls will be strong and the fuel will not rot due to changes in temperature and humidity. For better ventilation, gaps of 2-4 cm in size are often left between the sheets. Some homeowners decorate such woodsheds with forged fragments. The most important thing in creating such structures is to create a structure with high-quality natural ventilation.

Professional builders recommend building a woodshed on the north side of the house. The reasons for this are:

• no direct sunlight;
• the northern side is traditionally cold and the woodshed can be an additional “heat” zone.”

An important point when creating a roof is that it should protrude by 25 centimeters, no less, so that moisture, when drained, does not fall on the firewood. The roof is made using the following materials:

• slate;
• roofing felt;
• metallic profile;
• polycarbonate

Woodsheds are also built on a pile foundation, which is not inferior in strength to a strip foundation. Its advantages:

• making a pile foundation is much easier;
• no shrinkage time required;
• its cost is four times lower.

You can buy any piles in a store or make it yourself. Alloy tubes (piles are usually made from them) are easily screwed into the ground, their service life exceeds 50 years. Between the piles it is necessary to make a “cushion” of gravel, lay the gaps with timber or concrete blocks of 20x20 cm, make transverse fastenings, then sheathe the walls with sheets of polycarbonate or flat slate.

Before constructing a facility, the groundwater level should be studied. If the site is located in a lowland, then groundwater may approach the surface. In this case, you should make a “pillow” of gravel 20-25 cm high. The tools that will be needed in this case:

• Boer;
• Bulgarian;
• pliers;
• hammer;
• small sledgehammer;
• drill;
• screwdriver

Many people make various additional structures on the roof of the woodshed:

• terrace;
• flowerbed;
• a small greenhouse.

When creating a woodshed, it is important to correctly arrange the logs, which at the same time can become a decorative element. Forged cast iron products go well with wood

Do-it-yourself wood firewood

You can make a wooden stand yourself. In this case, improvised means or purchased material are used. The presented design can be assembled in 2 hours.

Required tools and materials

For the simplest wooden firewood you will need:

• 2 long boards of 150 cm and 4 short boards of 34 cm for the lower frame;
• 4 long bars of 150 cm each and 2 short bars of 34 cm each for the side posts;
• 2 boards 145 cm each;
• miter saw;
• jigsaw;
• roulette;
• level;
• carpenter's pencil;
• drill and bits.

Types of firewood for private houses and cottages

A wood log for a fireplace or other heating unit can be made from a variety of materials, but most use metal or lumber. Also, some home craftsmen use barrels, concrete rings for building wells and other items available on a country plot to create firewood.

The choice of material and available items depends on the place where the device for storing logs is supposed to be placed - inside the building or outside.

Firewood racks can be divided into 4 categories:

• stationary;
• portable;
• for premises;
• for the street.

Regardless of the choice of manufacturing material, it must solve a number of problems, including:

• ensuring the circulation of air masses between logs;
• reliable protection of firewood from precipitation;
• ensuring convenient operation.

An outdoor firewood shed is similar in appearance to an ordinary shed. But its walls should not be tightly closed to ensure high-quality ventilation. The floor of the building must be raised above the ground so that the wood does not become damp. For the home, it is better to use designs that have graceful shapes.

You can build an openwork forged firewood rack for a fireplace - a stove that is small in size. It is usually assigned an aesthetic function and only a few stacks of firewood are placed in it. Depending on your desire, this stand can be made mobile or stationary. To make forged firewood, hot or cold forging is used.

Also, the indoor product must match the interior of the room, be stable, safe and easy to use. At the same time, a forged firewood logger for a fireplace can have an original, intricate design. If desired, it can be rearranged to any convenient place in the room.

An outdoor log storage facility should have a completely different appearance. When stocking up on firewood for the cold period of the year, it is necessary to ensure that the fuel is preserved until the onset of spring.

When constructing such a structure, you must adhere to certain rules:

1. There should be at least 10–15 centimeters of distance between the ground and the surface on which the firewood will lie. If this is not followed, the bottom layer of logs may become saturated with moisture.
2. When you plan to store a substantial supply of fuel, it is desirable that the structure have several floors, which will make it easier to maintain order in the building, ensure natural air circulation and thereby create an optimal level of humidity.
3. It is necessary to build a canopy at a slight slope and then precipitation will freely leave the roofing and condensation will not collect.
4. When constructing a structure for a significant supply of solid fuel, care must be taken to provide a strong foundation. Otherwise, under the weight of the firewood, the floor of the building may sag, and then the moisture coming from the soil will certainly spoil the lower layers of wood. To strengthen the firewood, strong beams are screwed into the soil.

You can weld a small firewood rack using corners and install it tightly to the wall of the house. Thanks to this, there is no need to close the back wall of the structure. The top of such a building is covered with a roof that protects it from precipitation.

A simple solution would be to build a frame with a roof made of wooden beams. But this option has a significant drawback, which is the absence of a back wall, as a result of which all the firewood can be flooded with water in rainy weather.

Therefore, it is advisable to use a metal shield made from a profile to protect the structure. Polycarbonate is considered a good solution for covering such a firewood box. Through such a coating material, sunlight will begin to freely penetrate into it, and the firewood will always be well dried.

To mount this structure, first of all, you need to determine its location and prepare a reliable foundation by filling the soil with gravel and compacting it. After this, the rings will not be able to budge. A multi-level design will look even more attractive.

A budget option for arranging a firewood shed is a structure made from ordinary barrels. To do this, take one barrel, lay it on its side and securely fix it with wooden slats. From several barrels you can make a multi-level structure for storing firewood.

What secrets do you need to know for proper storage of firewood?

There are several basic options for properly storing a woodpile. All of them will differ in location and type of structure for the woodpile. Let's consider these options, and tips on proper storage for each case separately.

One of the best options is that the woodpile should be stored in a woodshed. The advantage of this option is that the firewood will be practically protected from all unfavorable conditions (sun and rain). When preparing firewood, regardless of the type and type of wood, you need to saw the brought logs and split them into logs. After this, it is not recommended to stack the logs immediately until they dry out. If you take the advice and carry out the preparation of logs in the winter, and cutting and chopping for firewood in the spring, then over the summer the logs can dry out well and by the fall you can begin to stack the woodpile. Be sure to pay attention to the following rules:

• You cannot put raw logs in a woodpile, as when the logs dry, it will shrink and fall apart;
• When laying the first row of logs, it is impossible for them to lie on the ground, as they will draw moisture from the ground and rot. To do this, before you start stacking logs, you need to lay trellises (long, even and small-diameter logs) or can be replaced with metal pipes. After this, you can stack the first row of logs. In this case, it is necessary that each log lies on a trellis. There must be a gap between them and the ground for ventilation.

There are woodsheds that have a floor in their structure. This design simplifies the laying, since the logs are placed directly on the floor and there is no need to underlay anything.

When laying a woodpile in an open space, it is necessary to install vertical supports in the form of pipes or the like, which must be driven into the ground in order to prevent the woodpile from collapsing. First of all, trellises are placed on the ground under the first row, as mentioned above. With this design, each row of logs is laid across the previous one, which will give the woodpile stability. From above, all this is covered with a canopy made of any waterproof material (slate, metal, film, etc.) to provide shelter from rain and snow.

The next way to lay a woodpile is to lay it in the form of a stack. It became widespread in rural areas of countries such as Germany, Sweden, Norway. It is especially used for storing unsplit logs, but if necessary, it can also be used for ordinary firewood. The basic principle of moisture protection of this method is a canopy that will protect the logs from rain and snow. In order to build such a stack, first lay a base of stones or bricks on the ground below, which are laid out in a circle. Firewood is placed on top of the base in a circle, sometimes moving it perpendicularly for stability. When installed correctly, these structures have great aesthetics and beauty.

The next storage option is storage in a wall-type woodshed. The woodshed is installed against the wall of the house. It has a canopy, a floor and ventilated sides.

All of the listed methods and places for storing firewood outside cannot guarantee complete drying, so you need to think about and choose a place in the house for a small supply of dry firewood. A good solution for this could be a small stand or a specially made niche in the wall near the stove or fireplace.

Tips for choosing

Before choosing a firewood box, you should find a convenient place for it and decide on the volume of firewood that will be in it.

Volume

For a summer cottage, you will need few logs, therefore, the woodshed will be small. A small amount of material will make the structure more expensive, with beautiful decor.

Location

The choice of woodcutter design depends on where it will have to be located. When looking for a suitable location, you need to consider the following important points.

Firewood will be delivered by vehicle, and after unloading it will be placed in the woodshed. If you do not want to drag logs manually across the entire site, the place for storing them should coincide with the unloading location. Large woodsheds cast a shadow; this should be taken into account and the structure should not be placed near the garden. On a small plot, the woodpile will have to be attached to the house. When starting construction, it is better to immediately find a flat area than to level it. A firewood shed built in a low-lying area will be subject to flooding during rainy seasons. Small woodpiles are installed in the recreation area at a fire-safe distance from the grill or stove. It is better to hide a firewood rack made from scrap materials from prying eyes behind the house, but beautiful products, forged or stone, can be installed in a visible place. Outdoor woodpiles, even small ones, are strikingly different from indoor ones. The second ones are installed indoors near the stove or fireplace

It is important for them to match the interior design.

Design

Knowing the volume and location, you can proceed to choosing a design. Any of them must have a roof and floor. The floor is raised from the ground a short distance. Walls can be erected from one to four (optional)

It is important that they are not blind, have gaps for air movement, but at the same time protect the structure from bad weather conditions. Sometimes woodpiles look like gazebos

For large quantities of firewood, long sectional structures are built.

Home firewood

Home firewood, as mentioned earlier, can be portable or stationary. The first option is the most mobile. Also, some fireplace portals initially include one or more compartments for storing logs.

Eco-friendly variations made from wood or wicker are very popular. Handmade products and wicker models are the most expensive. The simplest option, which you can make with your own hands, is a firewood box made from boards.

A forged firewood box looks original and expensive, especially if it is made according to your individual design.

Stationary models - large-sized models for installation in the house are made mainly of steel and cast iron, while outdoor devices are assembled from wood. Such a stand will not only be an excellent decoration and addition to the stove and fireplace, but also to the barbecue, grill or barbecue.

Portable firewood stands are very miniature and lightweight. They can be moved from place to place. This option can be either more expensive and durable metal and forged, or more budget wicker or wooden. Portable structures allow you to store a small amount of fuel near the stove or fireplace, which is enough for just a few bookmarks.

Additional accessories

Let's consider useful additional things that will help when operating fireplaces and stoves.

Types of firewood

Depending on the original design of the fireplace, a firewood rack can be installed. Some products initially already have a technological niche for storing logs, but in its absence, you have to store the firewood either simply on the floor or near the fireplace. Freestanding firewood boxes can be of several types: stand, box or basket.

If you have the materials, time and desire, you can easily make such an element with your own hands, and use the main directions of the interior of the room where the fireplace is installed as decor. Forged accessories for the fireplace are in demand; they resemble products of past centuries, adding a special character to the design.

The firewood box is located in the immediate distance from an open fire and does not come into contact with the flame, so there are no special requirements regarding manufacturing materials for it.

Ignition accessories

Most specialty stores stock fireplace matches and lighters for biological analogues. The main difference between such matches and ordinary products is their length, and it reaches 20 centimeters, which will not allow you to burn your hands. Accessories can be packaged in boxes with interesting designs or original glasses.

Manufacturers offer kits consisting of special rolled paper for ignition and matches. To store paper, it is better to purchase a holder that will allow you to easily unwind the desired piece and ignite the flame.

Flame protection

If you have an open firebox, it is necessary to install protective equipment for fireplaces, represented by screens and grilles. These accessories are made exclusively from materials that are resistant to open flames and high temperatures. Most often, people prefer products made of tempered glass, with a metal frame, or without a frame at all.

Some interiors are more suitable for grilles, which also perform a protective function. They are made of durable steel and decorated with forged elements.

Depending on preferences and design, you can create a screen of any size and shape: flat, convex, round, square, oval, double-leaf, etc. Metal products can be installed as close as possible to an open fire, but glass screens are best moved away from the firebox by about 30 centimeters.

Cleaning accessories

An essential tool for the fireplace is a scoop or brush. These accessories are essential for cleaning up ash and coals after the fire has gone out. If you do not clean it, the firebox will soon clog.

It is best to choose a brush that has natural hard bristles or a fairly thin wire. When using accessories with artificial bristles, there is a possibility that incompletely extinguished coals will simply ruin the accessory.

To select the ideal proportion, you should start from the formula: the length of the handle is at least 20 centimeters greater than the depth of the firebox.

Vacuum cleaners

There are now many vacuum cleaners available in stores, the main task of which is to remove soot and ash. It works exactly like a typical household appliance, but is made from special, heat-resistant materials. The design is also significantly different.

The maximum temperature that vacuum cleaners can withstand is 50°C, which makes it possible to clean even before the coals have completely cooled. The devices have high suction power, and their containers reach volumes of 20 liters.

What accessories the fireplace needs is up to the owner to decide. Every detail plays an important role in the selection process: quality of materials, product design, manufacturing company, etc. Therefore, before going to the store, you should answer these questions for yourself, then the purchase will definitely bring joy, and the accessories themselves will be used constantly and for their intended purpose.

Types of woodpiles

Woodpile under a simple canopy

This is a traditional way of storing firewood, especially if it is still in logs, but ready-cut firewood can also be stored under such a shed. The most important thing is that they are closed at the top, and water does not have the opportunity to penetrate inside the woodpile, which means that there will be no reason for mold to form there, and the firewood will not quickly deteriorate.

Neat wall-mounted woodshed

Such a woodshed, built according to all the rules, is called wall-mounted, since it is located near the wall, under the roof canopy or, as in the presented case, in a specially constructed structure. Despite the fact that the firewood is not stacked on the ground, the structure has a lower shelf, which is raised above the yard covering by about 10-12 centimeters, which promotes air circulation and ventilation of the firewood from below. The woodshed is located under the roof and has non-solid retaining walls on both sides. The structure for storing firewood looks very aesthetically pleasing and even decorates the wall of the house, since the natural color of the firewood is very picturesque and harmonizes well with the surrounding colors.

Almost ideal storage for firewood

This is another version of the woodshed, but with a much larger area. It is designed for large quantities of wood fuel. Naturally, such a structure can be built if space on the site allows. It is convenient for the owners in that the firewood will always be dry and suitable for burning, and they will not have to go far to get it, since the woodpile is located next to the house.

The woodshed is also good in terms of design - it was built in the style of a Russian hut and can decorate with its presence any area of ​​private property.

Woodpile in the form of a sheaf

An exotic way for our country to store firewood, although such sheaves can be found in the courtyards of some regions of Russia. It should be noted that the method is quite convenient. Its only drawback is that you can only store firewood this way for one year, since long-term storage in this way leads to rotting of the wood. From this we can conclude that they should not be made large.

In order to stack firewood in a sheaf, you need to prepare the base well. It can serve as stones or bricks laid out in a circle. There can be two or three such circles, depending on how many layers of chopped firewood will be laid.

The firewood is laid in a circle on the prepared base, occasionally they are placed perpendicularly with logs laid to strengthen the structure. Such woodpiles look very original and are similar to designer decorations of local areas. If there is a place for such a “sheaf” and a desire to put your efforts into this art, then you can quite take a risk and try to arrange such beauty on your own site.

Original woodpiles - “mushrooms”

Another interesting way to stack firewood, which can also be found in Russian open spaces. For example, this is how firewood is stacked in Karelia. The work is carried out in the same way as laying sheaves. But to remove the form of the fungus, you need a certain skill and split wood in a special way. Each log is not triangular in shape, but flat, resembling the shape of a board. We must agree that coming across a clearing with such “mushrooms” will be very unexpected, but at the same time very beautiful: the warm color of the wood will look bright against the snow-white cover in winter.

This is how firewood is traditionally stacked, for example, in the Bryansk region

A method of storing firewood similar to the one described above is traditionally used in the Bryansk, Smolensk and Kaluga regions.

From the field of records - the highest woodpile

An interesting fact is that the tallest woodpile pyramid was erected in the Yaroslavl region. Local craftsmen raised it to a height of 22 meters, and its base is 10.5 meters in diameter. The platform at the top is as much as three meters. So Yaroslavl residents found a way to attract tourists to their region.

Firewood stored outside, no matter what conditions are created for it, still absorbs moisture from the air, so it must be brought into the house in advance for final drying. For this purpose, a firewood stand is installed near the stove or a special niche is made in the wall.

Mobile Home Woodpile Stand

Such a mobile shelf on wheels will fit perfectly into a corner near a heating structure - a stove or fireplace, and will become an excellent design element. Firewood, being warm and drying quickly, will fill the room with a fragrant forest smell. If you have a fireplace in your home, you cannot do without such an accessory, and it can have a variety of designs and shapes. You can choose a stand to suit every taste from the specimens presented in the store, and for a skilled owner who has carpentry, plumbing and welding skills, it will not be difficult to make it yourself, according to your own idea.

Stationary niche for home firewood storage

Another option could be a stationary niche. By filling it to the top with aromatic firewood, you can also get a healthy, environmentally friendly microclimate in the room. In addition, the picturesqueness of the poles will decorate an interior decorated in any style.

How to strengthen the frame

When stacking firewood at a great height, the entire system may become unstable over time. This can happen arbitrarily due to drying of the wood and changes in its geometry. The woodpile can “play” both in the longitudinal and transverse directions. That is why the frame must be securely fastened.

Lateral loads can be significant. To perceive it, the racks are immersed in the ground at least 50-80 cm. If these are metal pipes, they are hammered with a sledgehammer to the required depth. To protect the metal from corrosion, the bottom of the profile must be coated with mastic and dried.

Wooden supports are buried in holes, having previously been treated to prevent rotting. The easiest way is to use a special antiseptic impregnation. But if there are no special equipment at your dacha, you can use the old fashioned way:

• burn the bottom of the pillar at the stake;
• dip in liquid clay;
• install in the hole, fix and fill with the same clay.

This frame will last 5-8 years.

Niche storage

A convenient option is to place the logs in a special niche next to the fireplace or stove. It may seem that building such a recess is quite simple, but in fact you will have to put in some effort and perseverance. But the result will be a secluded and safe place in which firewood will always be at hand, without interfering with movement or blocking the space. If you take into account all the parameters and choose the right size of the niche, you can avoid firewood falling out and dumping deep into it. Such a solution will look as organic as possible next to the fireplace and can even become an addition to the interior design. In addition, the wood itself benefits from such an arrangement - the heat from the fire will dry the material well and prevent it from becoming damp. As a result, the firewood will burn much better, which will affect the quality of heating.

Storing firewood in a niche Source remsk.net

Design

Once upon a time in the villages there was no philosophizing about the construction of woodpiles - the simplest and most convenient construction from boards suited everyone. Today, for many, the dacha is not so much a garden as a place of relaxation, and the attitude towards it has become accordingly. A beautiful facade of a building, outbuildings in the form of log houses or aesthetic stone structures, landscape design of the territory - all this suggests a woodpile made of stone or log wood, convenient and effective. Entire projects are being developed to create such beauties. The photographs show the best of them.

The owner combined the fence with the firewood shed into a single building. The result is a beautiful, practical, ergonomic and environmentally perfect structure.

Storing firewood for ignition

It is logical that some of the firewood will be stored in the house, since running after every stash is inconvenient and irrational. For maximum comfort, next to the fireplace, as a rule, a small area for storing firewood is organized, which is constantly replenished with new “portions” of logs ready for kindling. It is recommended to use this “portion” of firewood a day after it was brought into the house. The most convenient thing is to put the logs for kindling in a special firewood rack, which, in addition to its practical function, also performs a decorative one. Thus, firewood racks can be made of different materials - steel, cast iron, light metal, they can be wicker baskets, and have original designs, colors and designs. Using a firewood holder as an accessory gives a beautiful look to the interior of the entire fireplace area, emphasizing and complementing it favorably. At the same time, many models of fireplaces and stoves have built-in firewood holders, which are also incredibly convenient for storing fuel.

After using the fireplace, you should immediately bring the required supply of firewood into the house for the next kindling.

Adviсe

In order for the fireplace to delight you with warmth, and the firewood to always be dry and at hand, you must follow the recommendations of manufacturers and specialists: properly care for the fireplace and store fuel for it. Before firewood is brought into the room, it is usually stored outside.

It is recommended to make an outdoor woodshed from wood, on a wooden base, under which a drainage cushion of sand and crushed stone is poured. This way you can reduce humidity and eliminate contact with the soil so that the lower layers do not begin to rot. A canopy is required to protect the firewood from rain and snow, because wood absorbs moisture well. Before installation, all fuel material must be thoroughly dried to avoid the formation of unwanted condensation. To prevent the wood from becoming rotten and rotten, there must be sufficient ventilation in the woodshed.

It is better to stack firewood in the following order: place the largest and thickest logs at the bottom, gradually lay out smaller firewood, and place thin kindling on top for ignition. The wood chips can be placed on a separate shelf or in a specially designed sector of the woodpile. A canopy or terrace attached to the house will allow you to store fuel near the entrance for easy replenishment of the indoor firewood in bad weather.

Fire safety is a very important aspect of the operation of a fireplace, so a log burner with dry fuel should not be placed too close to an open flame or faulty wiring: the slightest spark can lead to a fire. But with knowledge and compliance with safety measures, these problems can be prevented. Under the fireplace and in front of the firebox there must be a platform made of non-combustible and fire-resistant material: metal, stone, concrete. A platform is also made under hanging and wall-mounted models. The wall behind the fireplace, located in the wall space, is also finished with heat-resistant, non-combustible materials. Special glass screens and doors, fireplace grates prevent sparks and embers from reaching the floor surface.

Another piece of advice on properly packing fuel for the winter: as you pull logs out of the woodshed, it is unacceptable for the woodpile to fall over or warp, and for the firewood to spill out of it. Large logs must first be chopped and wood chips prepared for ignition. Additional supports should be installed on the sides so that the rows of firewood do not subsequently fall apart and crumble. Stack stacking is possible, where logs are laid out row by row around a circumference. As a result, a stack of fuel is formed.

Special long-burning briquettes have been invented as fuel for the fireplace. They are sold in packaging and stored dry in a firewood rack.

How to conveniently store firewood?

You need to understand that the need for logs may arise primarily in winter, when the yard is covered with snow. Therefore, you need to make sure that the woodpile is located close to the house, for example, along the wall of the house.

It is advisable to prepare firewood before the beginning of winter, so that you can simply go outside and take the required amount of firewood, rather than having to deal with chopping or sawing it.

A good solution would be to build a building or at least a shed that will keep the logs dry. If this building is missing, it is recommended to stack the logs in a special way.

It is imperative to store firewood dry. To do this, it is necessary to protect the woodpile from moisture coming from the ground and getting wet from rain. To do this, it is necessary to install the woodpile on a hill, which will not allow moisture from waste and storm water to accumulate at the lower level of the woodpile and will not lead to the formation of rot and mold in the lower layer of the woodpile.

There should be a canopy over the woodpile, or the logs should be stacked in the form of scales. With this type of installation, you can protect the woodpile from water that will flow from the upper rows to the lower ones. Under no circumstances should water get inside the woodpile.

Everywhere in the masonry of the woodpile there should be gaps for good ventilation. To do this, the firewood is stacked in such a way that there are air gaps between them, through which air will penetrate and thereby dry the logs.

To decide when it is better to prepare firewood for drying, you need to know that preparing firewood in winter is more profitable. For this period, the drying time of wood reaches up to six months. Also, the drying time of the logs will depend on the following factors:

• air humidity;
• ambient temperature;
• how and where the woodpile will be stacked.

How to use?

With miniature wood burners everything is clear - put the logs in one row and use them. To properly maintain firewood in a large building, you need to know how to store it and the intricacies of using a woodpile.

• A large firewood shed is divided into sections so that the firewood does not lie too tightly and is well ventilated.
• The logs should be laid out so that the damp ones do not block access to dry firewood.
• The square building should be delimited in the center by a passage that abuts the opposite wall. This will make it easier to access the firewood and improve air circulation.
• In rectangular and extended structures, it is necessary to provide access to the firewood from both sides - this way they will be blown with air more intensively. Up to eight cubes of firewood can be stored in such woodpiles.
• If you don’t live in your dacha permanently and the property doesn’t have a bathhouse, you will need a small firewood rack, for a couple of cubes, no more.
• A heated house with a bathhouse will require an impressive supply of firewood. The woodpile will have to be built long, sectional. To prevent it from being wide, the dimensions are increased due to the height of up to two meters. The logs must be ventilated, so they are not placed right up to the ceiling, and the firewood box is easy for a person of average height to use.

A good firewood rack is practical, convenient, effective and fits organically into the surrounding space. And a poorly planned structure in the wrong location can become a constant source of irritation as soon as you have to go get firewood.

To learn how to make a firewood rack with your own hands, see the following video.

Garden structures and outdoor installations

A firewood rack, which can be purchased at any specialized online store, allows you to profitably decorate the space and at the same time make it more distributed.

The firewood rack, a photo of which can be found in this article, can be located not only inside the house or cottage, but also right in the garden. Such structures are large in size and in appearance resemble a barn or cattle pen. Firewood in this design is located under a canopy or roof. The firewood shed can be equipped with walls completely or partially.

The main material of outdoor firewood is wood or metal. The second option is higher quality, durable and reliable. A firewood rack, which you can make with your own hands inexpensively and using improvised means, allows you to store a large amount of solid fuel. A structure made of wood also has its advantages. Unlike steel, firewood is stored better in it due to the circulation of air flows.

The firewood rack can have either a standard horizontal or a more interesting vertical arrangement. The first option is large in size and takes up a lot of free space in the garden. The second option, namely forged firewood boxes in a vertical arrangement, are more compact. They fit well and harmonize with both classic and modern interiors, decor and landscapes.

How to make it yourself

If you wish and have minimal skills, you can make a beautiful and stylish woodpile with your own hands. The main thing is that it is functional and in harmony with the interior of the room and the style of the fireplace.

To independently make a simple firewood box from plywood, you will not need complex equipment; construction skills will also be of no use here - even a beginner can cope with it. You can take a finished product project as a basis and make a similar one.

You just need to study the technology and prepare the following tools and materials:

• ruler and pencil (construction marker);
• hacksaw, jigsaw, jigsaw;
• fastening material, screws;
• hot water, spacious basin;
• plywood;
• drill or screwdriver;
• wooden slats, wooden handle.

First, you need to take a sheet of plywood and draw an ellipse measuring approximately 90x40 cm on it with a pencil. Then use a hacksaw or jigsaw to cut out the figure along the drawn contour, carefully and accurately repeating the line.

Initially, plywood does not have plasticity, so it will not be possible to bend it without breaking. Hot water will help give it the desired properties. The cut ellipse must be placed in a container with hot water for 1 hour. After this time, the plywood will swell and become more flexible. Then it can be smoothly bent. If after 1 hour of soaking the plywood does not become flexible, you can keep it in warm water for another 30 minutes.

Now you can slowly bend the sheet until you get the desired spherical shape. After this, you need to insert the wooden handle into the previously drilled holes. For immobility, it is fixed with a dowel. Next, two slats are used to make runners for the firewood so that it stands firmly on the floor. They are fastened with a screwdriver and self-tapping screws. All is ready! Now you can store firewood in a beautiful portable stand made by yourself.

A sheet of metal can be bent into a rectangular or semicircular shape and painted in the desired color. This is a very simple way to create a simple and stylish firewood stand.

Tin buckets used as carriers for logs are very popular. They can be decorated in various ways: aged or painted, depending on the effect you want to achieve.

A simple and elegant solution, easy to implement:

• take old shelves or put together new ones;
• cover them with varnish or paint;
• place on the wall - on both sides of the fireplace - symmetrically or randomly.

A classic interior or Empire style is characterized by the use of natural or artificial stone for facing fireplaces. The woodpile can be decorated in the same style.

To do this you need:

• make a mold for filling;
• mix concrete mortar with reinforcing fiber for strength;
• pour into mold;
• wait for it to dry;
• cover it with artificial stone or mosaic tiles, glue plaster bas-reliefs (it is better to use the same shades and elements as in the decoration of the stove).

Building a woodpile with your own hands

The simplest firewood rack is based on a shelf for firewood and a canopy that protects it from precipitation. For construction, improvised materials are used: boards, timber, steel angle. It is better not to make the shelf solid so that the logs are well ventilated from below. In some cases, you can limit yourself to a couple of longitudinal poles. They maintain a distance that is sufficient to fix the logs. The fastening must be reliable and withstand the weight of the logs. To make the structure more durable, the pillars are buried 70 centimeters into the soil.

It is better to make the canopy under which firewood will be stored in the countryside gable. Even slate will do. In the case of a single-slope design, a slope is made forward when the building is adjacent to the house. The detached building has a rear canopy slope. The edges of the roof should extend beyond the boundaries so that running water does not fall on the tree. Such storage conditions will guarantee high quality wood fuel even in prolonged bad weather. There are two main conditions: excellent air circulation between the logs and a well-built canopy.

DIY firewood shed

Features of a firewood holder for a fireplace in the interior

If the room has a functioning fireplace, then there is a need to equip a place to store wood supplies. In order to avoid having to go out into the cold all evening to get logs, a special container is installed near the fireplace for storing them.

The firewood must be dry, so firewood racks are made open and installed in close proximity to the fireplace insert.

This way the firewood will dry out faster.

To prevent fire, these devices are installed on the side of the fireplace. In this case, sparks do not fall on the logs, and throwing them into the fire is much more convenient.

The presence of a fireplace or stove in the house requires organizing a place to store firewood

There are a number of requirements that are imposed on such structures:

1. It is advisable that the stand for storing firewood have a bottom or at least a stand. This is necessary to collect sawdust, dust and pieces of bark.
2. The design must fit harmoniously into the overall interior of the room.
3. The wood storage should hold enough firewood to last at least for an evening.

In addition to the storage function, the firewood box also serves as a decoration.

It is rightfully considered part of the design of the room.