How to store logs outside in a small yard and keep them dry

To store logs outside, keep them off the ground, put a waterproof cover over the top and leave the sides open so air can move through. That is Defra's advice, and it works in a small yard as well as a big garden. Indoors, keep only a couple of days' worth, well away from the stove. Kiln-dried logs arrive dry, and good storage is what keeps them that way.

How to store logs outside: the basics

Defra's guide to buying and seasoning wood says that whatever firewood you buy, you should store it under cover and in the dry before you burn it. For a stack outside, the same guide describes what good looks like: logs stacked on bearers, off the ground, under a waterproof cover with open sides, in a well-aired spot where ideally the wind blows through.

In practice that comes down to three things:

Sources for the table: Defra and HETAS.

HETAS gives the same advice and explains the reasons: ground contact wicks up moisture, and sealed sides trap moisture and can encourage mould. Burnright puts it simply: store and stack your logs so they are well ventilated.

Storing logs in a small yard

You don't need a big log store. A few options that fit a terraced yard:

• A slim wall-mounted or free-standing store. A narrow store with a roof and slatted or open sides takes up little floor space. Leave a small gap behind it so air can get round the back.
• A rack and a top cover. A metal or timber log rack keeps the logs off the ground. Add a sheet or tarp over the top only, weighted down, with the sides left open. HETAS says a quality tarp is a good solution for keeping the weather off.
• Under an existing roof. A lean-to, the overhang of an outbuilding or an open-fronted shed all work, as long as the logs are raised and the air can move.

How much room do you need? HETAS says a 2 cubic metre supply stacked about a metre high needs space roughly the size of a small wardrobe. If your yard only has room for part of the winter's wood, buy what fits and top up with bags as you go.

What to do on delivery day

If you buy bags

A bag left out in the open will catch rain. Either put the bag somewhere covered, or empty it into your store the same day. If you are stacking them, put the logs in loosely enough that air can get between them.

Our Large Bag is 80 x 80 x 80cm, so measure where it will sit before it arrives. The Barrow Bag is a better fit for very small yards.

If you buy a pallet

A Small Pallet is a lot of wood to keep dry. Plan where it is going before you order, and move the logs into your covered store rather than leaving the pallet out in the weather. If access is tight, read getting a pallet of logs with no back garden access first.

Don't burn the pallet itself once it is empty. Defra says not to burn treated waste wood such as old furniture, pallets or fence panels.

Keeping logs dry near the coast

If you live near the sea in Southport, Crosby or West Kirby, you will know how often the rain comes in sideways. Defra's guide suggests that the prevailing wind should ideally blow through the stack, which helps it dry. On an exposed plot the same wind can drive rain in, and a cover that only sits on top won't stop it. A roof that overhangs the stack well, and a solid panel on the side that takes the worst of the weather, keep the rain off while leaving air free to move through.

Our Southport, Crosby and West Kirby pages say more about storage in those spots.

How to store logs inside

HETAS advises that you only bring wood into your home that will be burned over the next two days. Keep it in a basket or rack, off the floor, and a suitable distance away from your stove or open fireplace. HETAS also says never to stack logs on, beside or against the stove, and never to keep anything that burns on the hearth.

How long do kiln-dried logs stay dry?

As long as you keep them dry. Defra says kiln-dried wood should be 20% moisture or less and, if stored and packaged correctly, will be ready to use on the day you buy it. Stored badly, it soaks water back up: HETAS warns that wood delivered at 20% moisture can be back above 25% by spring. Defra's practical guide notes that moisture meters are cheap and easy to use, so you can check where your logs are. Our post on kiln-dried vs seasoned logs explains why 20% matters.

Common mistakes

• Wrapping the whole stack in plastic. It keeps the rain off but traps moisture. Cover the top and leave the sides open, as Defra advises.
• Stacking straight onto the ground or paving. Use bearers, a pallet or a rack.
• Packing the logs in tight against a wall. Leave gaps so the stack stays well aired.
• Bringing the whole bag indoors. Two days' worth is enough, kept away from the stove.
• Ordering more than your store holds. Wood left uncovered for the rest of the winter will burn worse than a smaller order kept dry. Our guide to how long a bag of logs lasts helps you order the right amount.

Questions people ask

Can I store logs outside without a cover?

Not if you want them to stay dry. HETAS says rain, sleet and snow undo prior drying and raise the moisture content. At the least, cover the top.

Should I cover logs with a tarp?

Over the top, yes. Don't wrap the sides, because the stack needs air moving through it.

Can I store logs in a shed?

Yes, if the shed is dry and has some airflow. Keep the logs off the floor and don't pack the shed so full that air can't move.

Can I store logs against the house wall?

You can, but leave a gap between the stack and the wall so air can get round it, and keep the top covered.

Logs that start dry

All our logs are kiln-dried to 20% moisture or below, so all you need to do is keep them that way. For small yards the Barrow Bag and Large Bag are the easiest to fit in. If you have a covered store with room to spare, the Small Pallet is the way to stock up. Delivery is free across Merseyside, West Lancashire and the Wirral.