It is essential to keep a few days firewood inside?

[Hunter8282]

Wood would be for a Blaze King wood stove. I could put a small rack just outside the back door on the deck and keep a 4'x4' stack of wood outside wih a top cover. This rack would be just outside and behind the wall where the wood stove is. Literally a few steps to go outside grab some logs from under the cover and put them directly into the wood stove.

Is this a bad idea being the wood would always be subject to the outdoor temperature? Is it essential to keep some wood indoors. I would hope the top cover would keep the first few layers of wood dry.

 

[stoveliker]

It's not bad to have wood always subject to outdoor temps.
However, putting cold wood in a stove (and MI is cold in winter...) will affect the catalyst. This is in particular if there's water (snow) on it, but also if it's just dry wood.

Yes, I would keep at least one load inside, so that you can load it after having been inside for 8 or more hours. It'll light off easier, it'll put less stress on the cat (cooling down the fire and putting colder gases through the cat), and keep things working good for longer.

I have 3-4 loads inside next to the stove (outside clearance) for that reason. That also makes it possible to "grab from the wood species buffet" a bit - sometimes you want more dense woods and sometimes faster burning woods, and having a few loads ready allows to grab what I want without it affecting the burn.

That's my $0.02

 

[kborndale]

The only time I store any wood indoors is the day before a snow storm I try to get 2 or 3 loads so I don't have to deal with shoveling and getting to the woodpile in the morning. Never had an issue but my stove is not a cat stove.

 

[Eman85]

I keep a rack of wood inside, I'm not going outside to get wood when I'm warm and comfy inside especially when I reload before bed. I keep a 4x8 rack on my covered front porch that I reload the indoor rack with.

 

[begreen]

I have a box of wood on the porch that holds several days worth of wood. In very cold, windy weather, I will bring in a load or two just to reduce opening of the door which faces north with little between it and Canada.

 

[fvhowler]

Not in my neck of the woods. I keep a small rack of wood on the front porch for easy access.

 

[Heart Rot]

I keep a 2 to 4 day supply inside next to the stove. I also have a Blaze King, and I have noticed a perceivable difference in the ease of igniting wood that is already at 70-80 F instead of 10-30 F. Besides the convenience benefits, it certainly gets the fire going faster.

With a covered/dry area outside the door like yours it's less of an issue, but since I lack that it would be a trip to the woodshed for every reload. In my case I find 2 to 4 days supply inside is sufficient to endure the most intense portion of inclement weather events between resupplying.

 

[BKVP]

It does help to avoid thermal shock. But be mindful of where outside wood is stacked as well. Hot sparks and embers can come from the cap and landing in a dry pile of wood or work area can be hazardous. I rake my work area clean...often to avoid this risk.

BKVP

 

[BKVP]

Yes, older picture...but I wish my overhang was about 12" in front. Moving to a farm we purchased and will do this next Spring.

BKVP

 

[Hunter8282]

Thanks all!

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

I keep a 2 to 4 day supply inside next to the stove. I also have a Blaze King, and I have noticed a perceivable difference in the ease of igniting wood that is already at 70-80 F instead of 10-30 F. Besides the convenience benefits, it certainly gets the fire going faster.

This is the main reason I bring it inside.

 

[Highbeam]

Yes, older picture...but I wish my overhang was about 12" in front. Moving to a farm we purchased and will do this next Spring.

BKVP

Congratulations on the move. Is there a new king in the plans?

 

[BKVP]

Yes, of course. Building new home so no more exterior wall installation!

 

[CatfishHunter]

Is this a bad idea being the wood would always be subject to the outdoor temperature? Is it essential to keep some wood indoors. I would hope the top cover would keep the first few layers of wood dry.

You can always burn cold wood. Does it burn a little faster if it's warmer? Probably. Your plan is fine. If you have a spot where you can put a little log holder inside, it would probably be better but is by no means necessary.

At our cabin, I have a big bin next to the couch that can hold 2-3 days worth of wood. Everything burns great. At our home, I just bring wood from our wood pile and stack it next to the back door. Sometimes I bring in a few pieces at a time out of laziness, but it all still burns.

 

[stoveliker]

You can always burn cold wood. Does it burn a little faster if it's warmer? Probably. Your plan is fine. If you have a spot where you can put a little log holder inside, it would probably be better but is by no means necessary.

At our cabin, I have a big bin next to the couch that can hold 2-3 days worth of wood. Everything burns great. At our home, I just bring wood from our wood pile and stack it next to the back door. Sometimes I bring in a few pieces at a time out of laziness, but it all still burns.

For a cat stove as the OP has it is more critical to not thermally shock a hot cat.

 

[CatfishHunter]

Good point. I missed that critical piece of information.

 

[hickoryhoarder]

In cold weather I keep some on the front porch, under a small roof. About 3 days worth. And inside about one days worth. I keep no wood in the house from April to October. Don't necessarily need it anyway, but a little extra protection against bugs.

 

[BillBurns]

I have a weeks worth under roof, inside, it keeps it dry and warm. As for bugs? I hate them too, but I never see any more than without wood in the house. Its really up to you.

 

[kborndale]

It's certainly not essential, but if you have a place for it and don't mind the occasional creepy crawlers around it's nice not having to go outside for every reload. Even nicer during snowstorms which is normally the only time I bring extra wood inside.

 

[bigealta]

Wood by the stove for a day or 2 definitely lights up better than outdoor wood. Well for us in the damp NE anyway.

 

[stoveliker]

Nice clearance 😜

 

[bigealta]

Nice clearance 😜

yup perfect.

 

[xman23]

I used 3-4 year old seasoned dry wood. It lights up in a hot stove before I get the door closed. My wood is outside the stove room under a covered porch. I don't like wood in the house. Only going to wake up the bugs.

 

[Highbeam]

Not essential, even for a cat stove. I keep all of my wood outside under cover.

 

[vatmark]

I have a small rack of wood outside sliding door on our deck. I rarely store wood inside. If it is going to be really cold(doesnt happen often in NC) or expecting ice or rarely snow I will put some wood in a lided tote next to the stove. I don’t do bugs. We do not burn to heat the house so sometimes if I know we will have a fire that night I will set the stove up earlier in the day. After lighting it in the evening I will bring in a few splits and lay near the stove.