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Storage

How to store firewood so it stays dry

Dry logs burn well, wet logs do not. Where and how to store firewood, from a full winter's stock to the few logs you keep by the stove.

3 min read · Updated 9 October 2026

In this guide
  1. The three rules
  2. A good outdoor stack
  3. Kiln-dried logs
  4. Checking your stock
  5. Storing other fuels
  6. A few safety points
  7. Planning space

You can buy the driest wood in the country and still end up burning damp logs if you store it badly. Wood is like a sponge: it takes up moisture from rain, damp ground and humid air. The aim of good storage is simple: keep the rain and the ground off the logs, and let the air through.

The three rules

  1. Off the ground. Never leave logs directly on soil, grass or damp paving. Use pallets, bearers (timber lengths laid across the ground) or a purpose-made log store, so air can circulate underneath and moisture cannot soak up from below.
  2. Covered on top. Keep rain off with a roof, a shed, or a cover over the top of the stack. Cover the top only.
  3. Open at the sides. Moving air carries moisture away. Do not wrap the whole stack tightly in plastic; it traps damp and the logs can get worse, not better.

A good outdoor stack

  • Choose a spot with some breeze, and sun if you can.
  • Stack neatly and firmly, with the ends facing out, so the stack is stable and does not topple.
  • Keep it a short distance from walls, fences and your house. Stacks right against a wall can hold damp and invite pests, and you want fuel kept sensibly away from buildings.
  • If you have a lot of wood, make several smaller stacks rather than one tall, unstable one.

Kiln-dried logs

Kiln-dried logs arrive dry, and the job is to keep them that way.

  • Crates and bags: if your crate is wooden and open-sided, put it somewhere under cover. Do not leave a crate on wet ground or in the open in the rain.
  • Bagged logs: keep the bags closed, off the floor, and indoors or under cover. Moisture can get into a bag that is left open or damaged.
  • Move some in: bring a few days' worth into the house (a basket by the stove, say). It warms through and loses any surface chill, which helps it light.

Do not store large quantities indoors in living areas if you can avoid it; a dry shed, garage or covered store is better. If you must store inside, make sure there is nothing damp under or around the logs.

Checking your stock

Before you burn from a store you have not used for a while, check a log or two with a moisture meter on a freshly split face; see Ready to Burn explained. If the readings have crept up, give the logs time to dry with better airflow.

Storing other fuels

  • Briquettes and heat logs: keep them dry, indoors or under cover. See our guide to briquettes.
  • Smokeless fuel and coal: keep bags off the ground and under cover.
  • Wood pellets: pellets swell and crumble if they get damp, so keep the bags indoors or in a dry, covered place, off the floor.
  • Firelighters and kindling: keep them dry too; damp kindling is frustrating to light.

A few safety points

  • Keep fuel clear of the stove, flue and any heat source; check your stove manual for the clearance it requires.
  • Do not stack wood against the flue or chimney breast.
  • Do not store fuel where it blocks a doorway or escape route.

Planning space

If you buy a large crate, decide where it will go before it arrives, with firm, level ground and cover. See preparing for a crate or pallet delivery.

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