As a rule, chopped firewood is sold immediately after cutting and has a high percentage of moisture. They cannot be used in a stove or fireplace: they do not burn well and do not give much heat. The fuel must be dried before it can be used.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DRY?

It all depends on the species of wood and size. Wood from birch or aspen dries faster, from oak or pine - slower. Sawn logs will have to be stored for at least a year, and the cuttings can be used in a few days. Standard firewood will dry well in 3-6 months.

Where to dry?

Dry the fuel during storage, so when choosing a place to store the wood, consider several factors:

The pile should be outside the house. Otherwise, termites or mold can appear in living rooms.
The wood should not be placed outdoors: if there is no room in the barn, build a shelter large enough so that rain will not reach the fuel. Rainfall during drying is contraindicated.
Do not place chopped firewood on the ground or bare concrete. Build a deck - even a few planks will keep the wood from insects, mold and rot. Otherwise the bottom rows may rot.

Do not dry wood next to the stove. This method is sometimes used in winter, during the period of frosts, but this method of express drying is fire hazardous: any spark can lead to a fire.

How to dry?

So, let's move on to the main question - how to dry firewood properly. No special measures for this are needed. The secret is simple - it is enough to fold them correctly.

Before storing, many people advise to leave the logs under the open sky, in a pile. This way the wood dries faster under the sun and wind. Just a few weeks and the wood can be sent to the pile.

Stack the firewood so that there is space between them. This allows air to circulate, which dries the wood. There are lots of ways to stack them: you can make a "house", or you can stack the wood lengthwise and crosswise. Stacked? Now you just wait. In a few weeks you can use the fuel.

Do not stack firewood on top of each other, without any system. This slows down the drying process and can lead to mold. You can only stack wood this way if it has already been dried. But it is best to leave it in the "house".

Dried wood has large cracks and splits easily and makes a deafening sound when struck.

Keep in mind: you must not over-dry the wood. If all the moisture escapes from the log, it will burst at once and burn too quickly, giving all the heat to the stove. This can be dangerous for some stoves and chimneys: because of the temperature difference on the surface of the brick stove can form a crack, through which the smoke and carbon monoxide will escape.

The optimal humidity level is 15-20%. This level is enough for the wood to ignite easily and burn evenly, gradually giving the heat to the stove.

Keep in mind that wood dries poorly in the winter. The ideal time to buy wood is summer. Buy firewood in Kiev and even better in late spring: in a humid climate with abundant rainfall they dry out much longer. 

taken from the source:https://drovnica-spb.ru/blog/kak-pravilno-sushit-drova