How Long Does It Take For Wood To Dry After Rain?

There is nothing that I love more than a nice warm and cozy fireplace on a cold, gloomy day. When I was a child, my parents used to take me to this lovely little cabin in the woods where they had a fireplace. I loved that fireplace so much that I built a fireplace like that one in my living room when I grew up.

 
But then I came across a problem...


It seems that when I was a child, I did not care about the wood that goes into the fireplace that much. I did not realize how much work it is to prepare the wood for burning, especially if you are unfortunate enough to face rain during the wood seasoning period.


You see, you cannot burn wood as it is. You have to season it, meaning you have to chop it up, stack it, cover it, and wait for it to dry out before you can use it in a fire. Yet, there are those cases when it rains and you find your wood all wet again.

 
If you wonder what to do in a case like that, I am here to tell you all about it! After years of experience with this type of thing, I can say that I know the best way to dry wood fast. If you want to learn my drying method, you should keep on reading

More...

dry wet wood

How to Dry Wet Wood Fast?

Using wet firewood is not going to provide you with the warmth that you are expecting. That is why you need to make sure that your firewood is dry before those cold months come around!

The best thing to do is buy your wood during summer and have it chopped up and stored to get seasoned. But let's say that it rained before you had the chance to store your firewood - what then? 

There are three simple steps that you can follow to dry your wood fast: no need to worry. Here is what you need to do:

Step 1 - Prepare the wood

Split your wood logs into smaller pieces no longer than 10 inches. This should make them easy for you to move around your house or yard if you need to.

Step 2 - Stack the wood

After you split the wood, stack the pieces in a place where they will not get wet again, like a shed or a cover part of your yard. When you stack them make sure that they are at least a few inches removed from the ground and leave some space between them. If you have a space available with some sun and constant airflow, that would be best.

Step 3 - Cover the wood

If it starts raining again by any chance, make sure that you cover your wood with a piece of material that is waterproof. If the material is not waterproof and it rains for longer, it will take longer for the wood to dry again. 

Why Do You Need to Make Sure Wood is Dry?

There are three main reasons why your wood needs to be dry before using it in a fire. First of all, it is so much easier to start a fire when you have dry logs instead of wet ones. This reason alone is enough for me to be all over my logs, covering them whenever it rains.

The second reason why you need to dry firewood is that this type of firewood will help you avoid chimney fires. That means that you will save a lot of time and money if you make sure that your logs are dry. 

The third and most important reason you should make sure that your wood is dry is that it can give you a better fire than wet logs. You see, when you put wet firewood in a fire, it uses the heat from the fire to dry up, leaving you with a fire that will consist only out of smoke. You will not be able to get a warmer or warm up your room with a fire like that.

wet wood

How to check if your wood is wet or dry?

There are a few ways in which you can check whether your firewood is dry enough or not. One of the easiest ways to do so is by using a moisture meter!

The moisture meter will tell you the exact level of moisture in your firewood. You can easily find a moisture meter in most shops and they are very affordable as well. Still, if you do not have a moisture meter, you can always tell whether it is dry or not from the wood itself.

A piece of firewood that is dry and ready for use is going to look very clean and feel hard to the touch. Then, you will see some dry cracks on the end and the growth rings on the log itself. The log will be light in color, and it will not have any green fungi or mold on it.

If your firewood has at least some of these elements, you can store it for the colder months. If it seems in any way different from what I mentioned above, go back to the previous section and use the guide to dry your wood fast. 

Wrap Up

Wood that is stacked well and covered is not going to get wet. To save yourself a lot of trouble, make sure you split, stack, and cover it before the colder months come around. Then, even if it rains, your wood will be safe and dry.

A little bit of rain never hurt anyone and neither will it damage your wood. It might take a little longer for it to dry completely, but your wet wood will be back to its old shape in a matter of days. Follow the steps I mentioned above on how to dry wet wood fast, and you will never again have any problems with your wood!

Andrew Mullen

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *