- Store it raised: on a pallet, beams or a rack, never directly on the ground.
- Let wind and sun reach the pile: air has to move between the logs.
- Cover the top only and leave the sides open. A tightly wrapped tarp traps moisture in the wood.
- Freshly split wood needs one to two years; oven-ready wood only has to stay dry.
- Goal: under 20% moisture. We deliver our wood at under 18%.
In this article
- The right spot for your firewood
- Store it raised: pallet, beams or rack
- How to stack firewood in five steps
- Covering: on top only, never all around
- How long does firewood need to dry?
- Is my wood dry? Checking the moisture
- The most common mistakes when storing firewood
- House wall, carport, balcony, cellar: where can firewood go?
- How to plan your winter supply
- Do not want to stack it yourself? We stack it for you
- Frequently asked questions about storing firewood
- In short: how to store firewood
The best way to store firewood is raised, airy and with a roof on top only: on a pallet or beams, in a windy, sunny spot, with the sides open. That keeps dry wood under 20% moisture, and fresh wood dries in one to two years.
Well-stored firewood gives more heat and burns cleaner: fresh or damp wood has a lower heating value because part of the energy goes into evaporating the water (EnergieSchweiz), and dry wood produces fewer pollutants (Holzenergie Schweiz). This article shows you how to store firewood: where to put it, how to stack it properly and how to tell that it is dry.
The right spot for your firewood
Holzenergie Schweiz recommends a spot exposed to wind and sun and protected from rain. Air must be able to move between the logs; only then does the wood dry and stay dry. Good places are:
- a porch roof or a carport with open sides,
- a house wall where wind and sun reach the pile, with a little distance to the wall so air can also move behind the stack,
- an open spot in the garden with a roof over the pile.
Less suitable are dark, still corners and the cellar: they lack wind and sun, so fresh wood hardly dries there.
Store it raised: pallet, beams or rack
Wood that lies directly on soil or paving draws moisture from below. So put beams, square timbers or a pallet under the pile so air can also move beneath it. The ground should be level and firm so the pile does not tip.
If you have us stack your wood, you tell us where the pile should stand: we stack it up to 50 m from the drop-off point.
How to stack firewood in five steps
- Prepare the baseLevel and firm, with beams or a pallet underneath.
- Stack in rowsLay the logs close together but not pressed, and leave air between the rows.
- Stabilize the endsStack the ends crosswise or set a post so the pile stays put.
- Do not build too highBetter wider than higher. If the pile sways when you add a log, rebuild it.
- Cover the topWith a roof, a board or a sheet of metal. The sides stay open.
Covering: on top only, never all around
Rain and snow do not belong on the wood, air does. So cover the pile from above only, for example with a board, a sheet of metal or a tarp that does not hang down the sides. A tarp wrapped tightly around the pile traps the moisture in the wood and stops it from drying.
How long does firewood need to dry?
That depends on whether you have fresh or oven-ready wood:
| Starting point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Freshly felled or freshly split wood | Store it for one to two years. Holzenergie Schweiz recommends at least two years and logs no thicker than 7 to 9 cm. |
| Oven-ready wood you buy (ours: under 18% moisture) | Keep it dry. Let it dry a few more days indoors or in the boiler room shortly before burning. |
Sources: Holzenergie Schweiz, FAQ (in German); EnergieSchweiz, wood energy (at least 1 to 2 years, moisture under 20%).
When you buy oven-ready wood, you skip the waiting. Then it is only a matter of keeping it dry, and everything above applies: raised, airy, covered on top.
Is my wood dry? Checking the moisture
- With a meter: a wood moisture meter is the most accurate. Split a log fresh and measure on the freshly cut surface, not on the bark.
- Mind the reading: the 20% limit refers to the water content (relative to the fresh weight). Most meters show the wood moisture content (relative to the dry weight): 25% wood moisture corresponds to 20% water content (WSL).
- Without a meter: dry wood is lighter, has cracks at the ends and sounds bright rather than dull when you knock two logs together. These are hints, not a replacement for a meter.
The most common mistakes when storing firewood
- Directly on the ground: the wood draws moisture from below.
- A tight tarp all around: the moisture stays in the wood and it stops drying.
- A still, shady corner: without air and sun, fresh wood hardly dries.
- Logs that are too thick: they dry too slowly. Holzenergie Schweiz recommends logs no thicker than 7 to 9 cm.
- Burning it too early: Holzenergie Schweiz recommends storing it for at least two years. Wood that is too moist burns poorly and gives less heat.
- Stacking too high and too narrow: a swaying pile will tip sooner or later.
- Measuring on the bark: measure on the freshly cut surface.
House wall, carport, balcony, cellar: where can firewood go?
- House wall: possible, with a little distance to the wall and a roof above.
- Carport or garage: good if air can move through.
- Balcony: a ster of beech weighs about 450 kg. Find out beforehand what your balcony can carry and what the house rules say.
- Cellar: unsuitable for fresh wood. You can store oven-ready, dry wood there for a short time.
Cantonal and municipal rules apply to fire safety and to distances from buildings or the property line. If in doubt, ask your municipality or your building insurer.
How to plan your winter supply
Fresh wood you store today and burn in one to two years at the earliest. Oven-ready wood, on the other hand, you order shortly before the season; with us, delivery time for firewood is usually 6 to 12 working days. How much you need is covered in What is a ster of firewood, and the full plan with a checklist is in Firewood for winter. A small supply for a few days is best kept indoors or in the boiler room, where the wood can dry a little more.
Do not want to stack it yourself? We stack it for you
With us, stacking is included in the price: we deliver oven-ready wood and stack it up to 50 m from the drop-off point, right where you need it. All that matters is that the spot is protected from above and that air can reach the sides.
Frequently asked questions about storing firewood
Should you cover firewood or not?
Yes, but only from above. That keeps rain and snow out while air still reaches the sides. A tightly wrapped tarp traps moisture in the wood.
Can you store wood against the house wall?
Yes, with a little distance to the wall, on a base and with a roof above. Cantonal and municipal rules apply to fire safety and distances, so if in doubt, ask your municipality or building insurer.
How do I stack a woodpile properly?
Start on level, firm ground with beams or a pallet, stack the logs in rows with air between them, stabilize the ends and cover the pile on top only. In Switzerland, stacking is called «schlichten» or «aufschichten».
How old can firewood be?
Fresh wood needs one to two years to dry. There is no fixed upper limit; what matters is that the wood stays dry and does not rot. Check old piles that have been soaked by rain before you burn them.
Can you store firewood in the cellar?
Not fresh wood, as a cellar lacks the wind and sun needed for drying. You can store oven-ready, dry wood there briefly. Holzenergie Schweiz even recommends letting wood dry a few days indoors before burning.
How long does firewood need to dry?
One to two years, according to Holzenergie Schweiz at least two, until the moisture is under 20%. Oven-ready wood you buy already has that moisture. We deliver ours at under 18%.
When is firewood dry?
When the moisture is under 20% (Holzenergie Schweiz). A wood moisture meter on a freshly split log shows it most accurately. Without a meter, dry logs are lighter, have cracks at the ends and sound bright rather than dull when knocked together, but these are only clues.
In short: how to store firewood
To store firewood, keep it raised, airy, with a roof on top only and the sides open. Fresh wood then dries in one to two years, and oven-ready wood stays dry. How much wood you need for your stove is covered in What is a ster of firewood, what it costs in Firewood prices in Switzerland. And if you would rather leave the stacking to us, you can order firewood stacked: we stack it right where you need it. You will find more answers in Firewood in Switzerland: questions and answers.
Send us a short message and we will work out the amount with you, before you order.
