Firewood Seasoning Guide

Seasoning is the process of drying freshly cut (green) wood to a moisture content below 20%. Green wood can contain 50–60% moisture by weight, which means more than half the log’s mass is water. Burning green wood wastes a significant portion of its energy evaporating that water instead of heating your home. It also produces excessive smoke and accelerates creosote buildup inside your chimney, which can lead to dangerous chimney fires.

Properly seasoned wood burns hotter, cleaner, and more efficiently. You will notice less smoke, longer-lasting fires, and dramatically less residue in your flue. If you want to compare how different species stack up once seasoned, check out our BTU comparison chart to see the heat output, weight, and burn quality of all 70 species side by side. Not sure how much heat your home needs? Our BTU calculator gives you a quick estimate.

How you stack your firewood matters almost as much as how long you let it sit. Stack wood off the ground on a rack or pallets to prevent moisture wicking up from the soil. Leave the top covered with a tarp or metal roofing to shed rain and snow, but keep the sides completely open for airflow. Restricting ventilation traps moisture and invites mold.

Choose a sunny, breezy location — south-facing spots with good wind exposure dry the fastest. Cut and split wood to final burning size before stacking; smaller pieces expose more surface area to air and dry significantly faster than full rounds. On the top row, stack pieces bark-side up so the bark acts as a natural rain shield for the wood below.