Stacking firewood artfully is not only a practical idea, but the most impressive too. Thus, we have discussed some rules on how to stack it in such a way that it becomes a part of your landscaping decor.

1. How to Artfully Stack Your Firewood

2. Keeping a cord of firewood handy in case of a
storm, or just to get your hygge on through
the long winter months makes sense. In
addition to getting the right wood, and setting
up an appropriate space to store it in, you can
take your game one step beyond and stack
your wood in such a way that it becomes a
part of your landscaping decor!

3. Here’s another thought: if you have someone
on your Christmas shopping list who is
IMPOSSIBLE to shop for and has a wood
burning stove, consider buying them firewood
and then stack it for them. Once it’s been
delivered, you want to get it off the ground
and stacked nicely, so that’s a gift and a half
that even Santa would love.

4. 3 Steps To Start You Out Right
Step 1: Set up the perfect dry spot to store
your firewood, near enough to the house to
be retrievable even in the worst storm but far
enough so that any mice that decide to take
up residence are not right next to your house.

5. Ideally, that will be a spot that has a way to
keep the wood off the ground, with a partial
roof, large overhang and / or a tarp, to keep it
dry. If you burn a lot of wood every winter, a
woodshed with a raised floor is a great idea.
You can always store a week’s worth at a time,
closer to the house, on a porch for example.

6. Step 2: Get a perfectly seasoned, dry face cord
of firewood delivered to your home (If you’re
in the Mississauga area? We can help you with
that!) Properly dried wood has been stacked
for at least six months to two years.

7. Most firewood delivered by reputable
companies will arrive in 12” pieces but cut
down any that you feel are too long or too
wide in circumference before you stack.
Always stack with the cut ends facing out
(west winds) and bark facing up (which acts as
additional protection against moisture), with
airflow around and between the pieces.

8. Step 3: Bring the wood in you’re going to need
for any given day, 24-48 hours before you burn
it. Room temperature works best for a fine
merlot and excellent firewood.

9. What You Need To Know About
Firewood
Freshly cut wood contains 50%+ moisture,
which is too green to burn effectively or safely.
Burning wood that is too green contributes to
creosote build up in chimneys, which can
result in a chimney fire.

10. Wood that has been stacked and seasoned for
at least two years is your best bet. Avoid
buying your firewood from a place that just
has it in a pile, instead of properly stacked.
Odds are, it will be wet. Well seasoned
firewood will have darker ends, with visible
cracks or splits.

11. How Do You Know If Your Wood Is Too
Wet To Burn?
If you see steam, bubbles and / or can hear a
hissing sound as the firewood heats up, it’s
too wet to burn. Make sure you pull your
firewood from the most seasoned part of your
stack, even if it means that your artful design
will be a little off kilter! Better that than wet
wood in your stove.

12. What’s The Best Type Firewood To
Have?
You want wood that burns hot and long,
rather than woods that burn hot and fast.
Smoldering fires aren’t safe either.
Maple, beech, cherry and oak are all varieties
that give long duration burns, instead of a
short burst of high heat and then embers.

13. On To The Artful Outdoor Stacking
A standard stack of wood is utilitarian but not
necessarily very attractive. Now that you
know the basic details you need about
firewood, here are five examples of artfully
stacked wood that would make your
neighbours stop and take notice!

14. Gary’s Owls — Gary
Tallman from
Montana has taken
artful stacking to a
new level, sorting by
colour in the spring
so he can create
mosaic art!

15. Alastair Heseltine, an artist from BC,
called this one ‘Meta Tree’.

16. A new take on tiny houses!

17. By Olle Hagman of Sweden

18. And finally, the most impressive of all,
if not a little impractical, created by
Michael Buck:

19. And Indoors?
To stack some wood inside, and let it warm up
to room temperature for a day or two, you
need a good, safe place to put it. While some
will use a rack or a large bucket, these designs
from Decoist.com might inspire you to be
more ambitious with your indoor wood
storage.

20. Left: Old crates in the corner add elegance to
the setting.
Right: A shelving unit keeps things tidy.
However you stack it, follow our few rules and
you’re investment in dry, seasoned firewood
will carry you through the winter in style and
comfort.