The Benefits of Firewood Racks and Log Holders

Firewood racks come in all different shapes and sizes, from the smallest that are designed to hold just a few logs to larger models capable of storing and entire cord of wood (128 cubic feet, or in general terms a stack of firewood: 4’ x 4’ x8’) and which you choose depends upon how much wood you want to keep on hand. In fact, many people consider owning two racks: one for outside of the house to store significant quantities of firewood, and another smaller, more decorative rack capable of holding a few days’ worth of wood for beside the fireplace.

The most obvious benefit gained from buying a firewood rack to store your supply of firewood is that it keeps it organized and off the damp ground. There is little point in investing in a winter’s worth of high quality, seasoned firewood if you are then going to leave it lying on the ground to get wet, rendering it virtually useless for starting a good fire. Constant exposure to ground moisture will keep your firewood perpetually wet and will eventually cause mold to form and lead to the wood rotting.

Organizing your firewood in a storage rack makes your yard a safer place as well. However well you stack it, a loose pile of logs is a hazard, as it is a magnet for curious children and pets. By storing it securely in a rack, you’re ensuring that the firewood will not crash to the ground if a child decides it looks like a fun place to play.

Firewood racks also protect your firewood from the many insects and animals who would love to make your wood pile their new residence. Depending on where in the country you happen to live these can include ants, termites, mice, chipmunks and in some places snakes. Just taking the wood off the ground a few inches can prove nearly insurmountable to ants and termites that are looking for an easy target such as a stack of wood directly on the ground. Mice and other rodents often look for shelter in the crevices of a poorly stacked wood pile. By simply organizing the wood properly in a firewood rack you eliminate many of these hiding spots. This also decreases your chance of snakes, as they are often hunting rodents around your pile of firewood.

When shopping for a new firewood rack finding one that is sturdy and well constructed is a must. The best log holder is usually crafted from steel which has been coated with substances that help it stand up to all manner of adverse weather conditions. To protect your firewood even further, choose a firewood rack that comes with a cover which protects the top layer of logs from the elements without depriving them of the air they need to properly season. For further protection against rain and snow you can purchase an additional full firewood rack cover for those especially inclement days.

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above info submitted by Brian B. of http://www.firewood-rack.net/