Log Stores

After having a wood burning stove installed I decided that I needed to build myself a log store in order to keep my logs neat and tidy, but more importantly, to ensure that my logs seasoned properly. Seasoning is the process by which the moisture content of the logs is reduced to a level which supports efficient burning.  I researched the process involved and have produced a hybrid design based on a Swiss and Norwegian method. 

It is vitally important that fresh air can circulate through the logs to get the all-important residual moisture content down below about 20% (dependent on the type of wood you are burning).  If you try to burn un-seasoned logs you end up wasting most of the calorific value of the fuel boiling away the residual water contained in the logs' cells. This inefficient burning produces lots of smoke (and steam) and also deposits potentially harmful soot and tar in the stove's flue. You need to be aware that some suppliers describe their logs as "dry" which means that they have probably been kept under a waterproof sheet to keep the rain off them so they are dry on the surface, but they will likely be un-seasoned. You need the supplier to tell you the moisture content.

I design the stores to suit any location, as you can see from these before and after photos.

The design of the store also takes into account the size of your stove's grate and the optimum log size to suit. It's important to specify to your supplier the length of the logs you need.

I have found from experience that it is more economical to have a store that has enough capacity to contain sufficient logs to last through 2 winters.  This means that at the end of the first winter you can re-fill half the store with un-seasoned logs (which are much cheaper than seasoned logs) and then, at the end of the winter, they will have seasoned and be ready to burn and you can re-fill the other half with cheaper un-seasoned logs to ensure continuity of supply.

My Log Stores are all individually designed and erected on site.  They start at about £150 for a small model (1.2 m long x 0.5 m deep x 1.75 m high).