How to store logs so they stay dry.

Store logs off the ground, under a roof and with open sides so air can move through the stack. Keep the main supply outside in a log store, bring in only what you'll burn in the next day or two, and never stack logs on the hearth or against the stove. Kiln-dried logs arrive dry, so good storage is simply about keeping them that way.

Why dry logs still need looking after.

Wood takes on water. HETAS's advice on log storage points out that rain, sleet and snow undo earlier drying and push the moisture content back up. That goes for kiln-dried logs too, which is why Defra's guide to buying, storing and seasoning wood says to keep any wood fuel you buy under cover and in the dry until you burn it. Damp logs are harder to light, smoke more, blacken the stove glass and give less heat.

Four rules for storing logs outside.

1. Off the ground. Stack logs on bearers, a pallet or a slatted base so damp can't creep up from below.
2. A roof over the top. Keep the rain and snow off. If you haven't got a store yet, a waterproof cover over the top of the stack will do.
3. Open sides. Air needs to move through the logs. Defra suggests a waterproof cover with open sides, ideally where the prevailing wind can blow through the stack.
4. Sun and wind if you can get them. Defra recommends a sunny, windy spot for drying wood. A damp, shady corner behind the garage is the opposite.

The classic mistake is wrapping the whole pile in a tarpaulin. It keeps the rain off but holds the damp in. HETAS warns that stacking wood tightly together or in sealed spaces encourages moisture to build up. Cover the top, leave the sides open.

Stacking it well.

Stack logs neatly with a little space for air rather than tipping them into a heap. HETAS's advice on stacking firewood is not to wedge logs tightly together, and to keep the stack stable: a tall, unsupported column of logs can topple onto you. Put new logs at the back and use the oldest first. It's the same stock rotation GOV.UK asks log sellers to follow, and it works just as well at home.

Where to put a log store.

Pick somewhere firm and level, close to the door you'll carry logs through, and ideally where it catches some sun and wind. Leave a gap behind the store so air can get round it, rather than pushing it hard against a damp wall. It also helps to put it where a bulk bag can be left nearby, so you're not barrowing logs the length of the garden.

Our log stores.

We sell log stores of our own design, built by local joiners from treated timber and delivered fully assembled. There are three heights, all 1.2m wide and 0.78m deep:

• Small, 1.2m high: holds about one bulk bag.
• Medium, 1.5m high: holds about one and a half bulk bags.
• Large, 1.8m high: holds about two bulk bags.

See the sizes side by side on our log stores page.

When your bags arrive.

We deliver the logs in the bag and leave them where you've asked: on the drive, by the gate, in the garage. The sooner they're in the store, the better. If they're staying in the bag for a while, stand it on firm, dry ground, ideally on a pallet, and keep the rain off the top.

Sheds, garages and coal bunkers.

A shed or garage is fine as long as it's dry and has some air moving through it. In a coal shed, or anywhere with a damp floor, stand the logs on a pallet so they don't get damp underneath. Keep them well away from boilers, heaters and anything else that gets hot: HETAS says logs, like all combustible materials, should be stored away from sources of heat.

Storing logs indoors.

HETAS suggests only bringing in the wood you'll burn over the next two days, kept off the floor in a log rack or basket at a safe distance from the stove or fire. Don't store logs on the hearth, or on top of, beside or against the stove. If your stove has a built-in log store, follow the manufacturer's instructions for it. HETAS says house fires have been caused by logs kept too close to a stove, so this one matters.

A day or two indoors does logs no harm. The Forestry Commission's Wood as Fuel guide says bringing split logs inside for a few days before you burn them helps get the moisture content down.

Short of space?

Our kiln-dried logs also come in 40 litre nets of silver birch or ash, which are easy to carry and to stack in a porch or the corner of a shed. You can order 10 nets of birch or ash, or 18 nets of birch. See our log nets.

Kindling, firelighters and smokeless coal.

Keep kindling and firelighters somewhere dry, indoors or in a dry shed, and away from the stove. Smokeless fuel needs dry storage too: HETAS says damp smokeless fuel won't light properly and produces more smoke, so a weatherproof store is ideal.

If you think your logs might have got damp, our guide on how to tell if logs are dry shows you how to check.

Questions people ask.

What we'd suggest.

If you haven't got somewhere dry for your logs, a log store is the most useful thing you can buy alongside them. Pick the size by how many bags you like to keep in, or choose nets if space is tight. Delivery is free on orders of £80 or more, Monday to Friday, and we text or call you when your day is booked. See how delivery works, and our guide to choosing ash, oak, birch or mixed if you're deciding what to fill it with.

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  Log stores

  Our own design, built by local joiners and delivered assembled. Three heights.

  From £209Choose a size
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  Silver Birch Nets (10 nets)

  Handy 40 litre nets

  £110Add Silver Birch Nets (10 nets) to basket +