How to store firewood outdoors in the UK
October is when winter log deliveries start arriving. If you are searching for how to store firewood outdoors, how to keep kiln-dried logs dry, or what a log store should do, the job is the same: keep rain off, lift the stack off the ground, and let air move through the wood.
Why outdoor storage still needs a cover
Outdoor storage is normal for UK stove owners. A garden pile without a roof is not. Rain wets the bark and the cut faces, and damp wood then spends its first heat boiling off water instead of warming the room. That is the same moisture problem described in our guide to Ready to Burn firewood.
In England, wood sold for domestic use in volumes of less than 2 cubic metres must be certified Ready to Burn. GOV.UK says that certification confirms a moisture content of 20 percent or less. The Ready to Burn scheme, run by Woodsure for Defra, uses the same moisture rule. Certification tells you the wood was dry at sale. It does not keep a stack dry if you leave it open to October rain.
A roofed log store, an open-sided shed, or a cover that protects the top and leaves the sides open is enough. The aim is a dry stack with moving air, not a sealed box.
Raise the stack off the ground
Ground moisture soaks the bottom layer even when the top looks dry. Sit the logs on pallets, timber bearers, or a store that already has a raised floor. Leave a gap under the first row so water can drain and air can pass underneath.
GOV.UK tells suppliers to store wood so they do not sell it damaged or wet, and lists storing it indoors, off the ground, or under cover. The same three ideas apply at home: a roof, a raised base, and no sitting on soil.
Air flow versus a sealed tarpaulin
A tarpaulin wrapped tight around the whole pile is a common winter shortcut. It keeps rain off and also traps the moisture that wood and soil already hold. Condensation then sits against the logs.
Give the stack air. Slatted sides, open ends, and a little space between rows work better than a plastic wrap. If a tarpaulin is all you have, cover the top like a roof and leave the sides open so wind can dry the faces.
For wood that still needs drying, the official customer notice for sales of 2 cubic metres or more says to dry it in a sunny, well-aired space for at least two years, keeping rain off in the winter. That notice is for larger loads that are not sold as Ready to Burn. The storage lesson still holds: sun, air, and a winter cover.
Kiln-dried and seasoned logs once they are stored
Kiln-dried logs should arrive ready to burn. Seasoned or barn-dried logs may still be losing moisture, depending on how they were stored before delivery. Our guides to kiln dried logs in Sussex and hardwood versus softwood cover how to compare those products. Once the bags are in your garden, both types need the same cover and airflow.
Kiln-dried wood is not rain-proof. Leave a bulk bag open on a driveway and the outer logs take on water again. Keep bags under the store roof, or empty them into a stacked, covered pile as soon as you can.
Published listings show how different the delivered product can be. Home Farm Logs lists kiln dried mixed hardwood in bulk bags, barrow bags and nets for a local East Sussex radius. EG Logs lists seasoned mixed ash, oak and beech barrow bags around East Grinstead. Wealden Firewood lists barn-dried and seasoned mixed hardwood, plus kiln-dried kindling, with Ready to Burn claimed and delivery across the Weald, Tunbridge Wells and East Sussex. Check each listing for the current product and published price before you order. Storage does not fix an unclear bag size or a wet delivery.
How much to keep next to the stove
Keep a small indoor batch so tonight’s fire is not fed with cold, damp logs from the garden. Leave the main winter stock in the outdoor store. Bring in enough for the next few fires, not the whole delivery.
A porch box, a hearth basket, or a dry cupboard near the stove is enough for that indoor batch. The same habit helps pizza oven wood, as we note in best wood for pizza ovens: a small ready-to-use pile indoors lights faster than a wet outdoor stack.
If you are still waiting on a delivery, see how to choose a log supplier near you and firewood delivery across Sussex, Surrey and Kent. Ask whether the load arrives covered, and have the store ready before the lorry does.
Common outdoor storage mistakes
- Leaving nets or bulk bags on soil or a wet patio, so the bottom layer sits in water.
- Wrapping the whole stack in a sealed tarpaulin and trapping moisture inside.
- Stacking against a north-facing wall with no roof, where rain and shade keep the wood wet.
- Treating kiln-dried or Ready to Burn logs as weather-proof once they leave the supplier.
- Ordering a winter bulk bag before the store, pallets or cover are in place. Buying earlier in the year gives you time to stack properly.
If you need a local supplier rather than a storage lecture, start with the county supplier hubs, then the listings for East Grinstead, Forest Row and Tunbridge Wells. Published prices and delivery notes live on those supplier pages and in the supplier database.
Common questions
Can kiln-dried logs be stored outdoors in the UK?
Yes, if they stay under a roof or cover and off the ground, with open sides so air can move through the stack. Kiln-dried logs arrive dry, but rain and damp ground can wet them again. Keep a small indoor batch for the next few fires and leave the main winter stock in the outdoor store.
Should I wrap outdoor firewood in a sealed tarpaulin?
No. A sealed wrap traps moisture and stops air moving through the logs. Cover the top so rain stays off, and leave the sides open. A roofed log store with slatted walls is better than wrapping the whole pile.
What moisture content should firewood have in England?
GOV.UK says wood sold for domestic use in volumes of less than 2 cubic metres must be certified Ready to Burn, which confirms a moisture content of 20 percent or less. For larger volumes, suppliers must give customers the official notice that wood should not be burned until it has a moisture content of 20 percent or less.
How much firewood should I keep next to the stove?
Keep a small indoor batch so the logs you burn tonight are dry and not sitting wet from the garden. Leave the main winter delivery in the outdoor store under cover. Bring in enough for the next few fires rather than the whole order.