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How to Season Birch Firewood
How to Season Birch Firewood. Seasoning firewood is the process of removing moisture from the wood, making it easier to burn and less likely to smoke or spark. Birch firewood is properly seasoned when the moisture content falls below 20 percent of the log's weight, according to the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Splitting the birch logs will...
Seasoning firewood is the process of removing moisture from the wood, making it easier to burn and less likely to smoke or spark. Birch firewood is properly seasoned when the moisture content falls below 20 percent of the log's weight, according to the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Splitting the birch logs will speed the process somewhat, by exposing more surface area to the air so that moisture can evaporate. Seasoning takes time, so be prepared to wait.
Things You'll Need
Wooden pallets
Transparent plastic tarp
Utility knife
Stakes
Cut and store birch firewood in the fall, one year before you will need it. Firewood split the same year will not burn well. If possible, fell birch trees in the summer and leave them intact on the ground for two to four weeks. Branches and twigs will pull moisture from the trunk, speeding the drying process.
Place wooden pallets in an open area, well away from homes or buildings. The pallets will allow air to circulate under the stack of birch firewood. Distance from buildings will reduce fire hazards and allow air penetration from the back of the stacked pile.
Stack the logs with each layer perpendicular to the one below it, to increase air circulation throughout the stack.
Spread a transparent plastic tarp over the stack of birch firewood. Secure it at the bottom on all sides with stakes. Pierce the sides of the tarp with a knife so that moisture can escape as the pile dries. Heat from the sun will be trapped inside the tarp, killing insects and their eggs, and preventing moisture from rainfall from entering the pile.
