How To Waterproof Your Wooden Firewood Store

Home & Garden Blog

There's no point buying expensive seasoned wood for your fire this winter if your wooden firewood store isn't waterproof.  Damp firewood won't burn efficiently, and it also makes a very tempting 'des res' for overwintering termites!  This easy project will ensure that your firewood stays dry and your wooden firewood store remains serviceable for many years to come.

Here's how to go about waterproofing your wooden firewood store.

What you'll need

• commercial wood sealing product
• sealer application gun
• sprayer
• wood treatment product
• waterproof paint
• concrete blocks
• corrugated steel sheeting
• tarpaulin sheet

All the above can be purchased at your local DIY store. 

1. Choose a warm, sunny day for this project.  Begin by emptying out your firewood store and laying out the damp logs in the sun to dry.  
2. Decide where you want to site your firewood store.  Make sure the whole structure is in a sheltered position where it will catch the sun and wind in order to weather and season the firewood inside it during the summer months.  Keep your tarpaulin sheeting somewhere handy so that you can quickly cover the firewood store with it on wet days.  
3. The first job is to make the base for your firewood store.  Lay the steel sheeting out on the ground and place the concrete blocks on top of it.  The steel sheets now form a subfloor which acts as a barrier to moisture and pests.  Raising the store up on the blocks serves to further distance the floor from the damp ground and also prevents easy access for termites and other insect pests.  
4. Now seal the firewood store inside and outside.  Using the commercial wood sealant, apply a generous layer to the firewood store's roof joints paying particular attention to the corners where water ingress is often a problem.  Work methodically around every edge of the store so that you don't miss anywhere.  
5. Apply the wood treatment product to the store's roof using the sprayer.  Make sure you apply a generous dressing of the product in line with the manufacturer's instructions.  Allow at least 24 hours for the product to dry thoroughly.  
6. Finish off the job by painting the store's roof using a waterproof paint.  This not only perks up the appearance of your wood store but also helps to further weather-proof it.  
7. When the paint is completely dry, replace the wood store in position on top of the concrete block base.

If you have a particularly large wood store or use some other type of shed for storage, it might be useful to hire a company like Newcastle Waterproofing Professionals to waterproof the structure.

3 August 2015