Whether you’re a heavy wood burner who owns a wood stove or you have a fireplace that you only use a few times a year, a firewood rack is a wood-burning necessity. They do so much more than just burn firewood. They also help to season wood and protect it from pests.
Buying a firewood rack seems easy — after all, it’s just some steel bars that hold wood, right? But, as it turns out, there are a lot of questions customers have about firewood racks that complicate the purchasing process more than you might expect.
We know that because, at HY-C, we manufacture firewood racks. We’ve heard plenty of questions about purchasing, using, and maintaining firewood racks. And we want to address them for you here.
In this guide, we’re going to cover 8 of the most frequently asked questions about firewood racks. By the time you’re finished here, you should know everything you need to know to find the right firewood rack for your home.
8 Frequently Asked Firewood Rack Questions
Do I Need a Firewood Rack?
Let’s start with the basics: Do you even need to store your firewood on a rack? Can’t you just pile wood in the yard? Why waste the money on an expensive firewood rack?
Well, believe it or not, storing your firewood without a rack is actually much more expensive in the long run.
If you stack your firewood on the ground, the logs on the bottom will gather a lot of moisture, leading to rot. The entire stack will season much more slowly, too, resulting in an incomplete and inefficient burn that can cause creosote and damage to your appliance.
Logs without a rack also gather pests like termites, beetles, ants, spiders, roaches, and more. These insects can ruin your entire load of wood fuel easily.
Storing your firewood on a rack isn’t a rule or a law, of course. But if you do, you’ll avoid all sorts of issues and enjoy healthier wood fuel that burns hotter and cleaner.
What Is the Best Material for a Firewood Rack?
Some folks prefer to make their own firewood racks out of two-by-fours. And that certainly works in some situations. But a large load of firewood can weigh thousands of pounds, and a DIY firewood rack may not be able to support that kind of weight.
That’s why the best material for firewood racks is steel. Not only will it hold up well against corrosion from the elements, but it can also handle the massive weight load from a full cord (or more) of firewood.
Should a Firewood Rack Be Covered?
The answer to this question is yes — but there are some nuances to consider.
The best thing to do is to use a tarp (or buy a cover made by the manufacturer) and cover the top of the rack only. This leaves the sides open to airflow, allowing moisture to evaporate naturally from the wood.
The only time you should cover the sides of a firewood rack is if you’re expecting a strong storm. Covering the sides of the rack in severe weather will keep the logs shielded from rain that’s blowing around or coming down sideways.
After the storm clears, though, be sure to uncover the sides again to allow for natural airflow.
Is It Ok to Store Firewood Against My House?
There’s certainly no “rule” against storing firewood against your house, but it will work out much better for you if you store it elsewhere.
As we’ve covered, it’s important to allow air to flow through the stack of wood to promote and facilitate the seasoning process. Storing wood against the side of a home completely cuts off airflow from one side of the stack, which may cause it to retain more moisture than is acceptable.
There’s another reason not to store firewood against your house: insects. Beetles, ants, termites, and other bugs that like to live in wood will very likely find their way into your home, leading to an infestation.
How Far Away Should I Keep Firewood from My House?
So, you shouldn’t keep firewood stacked next to your house. But when it’s cold out, you (understandably) don’t want to trudge across a cold, snow-filled yard to retrieve a few logs. How close to the home, then, can you keep your logs without having to worry about insects?
Most wood burners have found that 30 feet is a happy medium between warding off bugs while keeping wood fuel within a reasonable distance.
Can I Keep Firewood in the Garage?
You certainly can keep firewood in your garage, shed, or a similar structure. If you’re going to, though, you have to make sure you do it the right way.
For one, you have to make sure the structure is well ventilated (or at least kept open as often as possible). Again, this is to promote proper airflow to extract as much moisture from the wood as possible before you burn it.
If the structure is attached to your house, you’ll need to keep your guard up to ensure the firewood doesn’t attract any insects. If you start experiencing bug problems, it may be time to move your rack and wood out into the yard.
How Much Firewood Does an 8-Foot Rack Hold?
Firewood racks come in all shapes and sizes. One of the most popular, though, is the 8-foot rack. And the amount of wood that a rack this size can hold depends on its height.
Our Shelter Extra-Large Log Rack, for example, is 8 feet wide and 45 inches tall. This rack can hold up to a third of a cord of firewood (also known as a “face cord”).
Our Shelter Extra-Large Tall Log Rack, on the other hand, is 8 feet wide and 60 inches tall. This rack can hold a half cord of firewood.
Firewood racks of the same width can store the same amount of wood horizontally but different amounts vertically. When it comes to the storage capacity of a rack, it’s important to take into account both width and height.
How Do I Stack Firewood on a Rack?
The way you stack your wood on your firewood rack does make a difference, and there are best practices that can help you to get the most out of your wood.
Your first impulse may be to stack the wood as tightly as possible so you can fit as much as you can on the rack. This impulse makes sense, but it doesn’t work well in practice.
Stacking wood too tightly will cut off airflow to the stack, retaining moisture in the wood. Firewood that is too moist won’t light easily and will put off less heat.
Instead, it’s wise to stack firewood on a rack neatly and loosely in overlapping rows. Start with a layer on the bottom and then stack more wood in the gaps in the first row, making sure to leave some space between each log. Repeat the process until your rack is full.
Which Firewood Rack Should You Get?
There you have it — 8 of the most commonly asked questions about firewood racks with answers to match. At this point, though, you may be wondering, “Which firewood rack should I get?”
If that thought is on your mind, be sure to read our guide to our Shelter log racks. The entire line is comprehensive, with racks covering everyone from light to heavy-duty wood burners.
The guide will help you decide which rack is the right choice for you, your heating appliance, and your burning cadence.
