Visit our ShowsiteBest Firewood Storage - Are you Missing These Essential Features?
A roaring fire is the heart of a cosy home, but the secret to a perfect fire lies in perfectly dry, seasoned wood. Our blog explores the essential features your log store must have to season firewood correctly, including airflow and weather protection, as well as durable materials. We'll analyse why traditional wooden stores often fail and introduce the premium, maintenance-free solution: Biohort log stores. Discover the key features of the Biohort WoodStock range and how they offer a lifetime of reliable, stylish storage.
Finding the right firewood storage is the first and most critical step towards enjoying a warm, efficient fire. Nothing beats the cosy atmosphere of a log burner or open fire on a cold winter's day, but if your wood is damp, you're in for a frustrating experience full of smoke, sizzle, and very little heat.
The problem for many UK homeowners is that their outside log storage isn't up to the job. A flimsy cover or a poorly designed store can leave your expensive firewood exposed to rain and ground moisture, turning it into a soggy, useless pile.
But what separates a basic log pile from a high-performance seasoning station? The answer lies in a few essential design features that many people overlook. It's not just about keeping the rain off; it's about actively drying the wood. Before you buy, let's explore what your log store truly needs.
Why Proper Firewood Storage is Non-Negotiable
You may have heard the term "seasoned" wood. This isn't flavouring-it's the process of drying fresh, "green" wood until its internal moisture content drops from around 50-60% to below 20%. This process can take anywhere from six months to two years.
Trying to burn wet or unseasoned wood is:
- Inefficient: Most of the fire's energy is wasted boiling off the water inside the log, producing steam instead of heat.
- Smoky: Incomplete combustion creates excessive smoke, blackening your fireplace glass and polluting the air.
- Damaging: This smoke contains unburnt particles, including creosote, which can build up in your chimney flue, creating a serious fire hazard.
This is why your log store is so important. It's not just a box; it's a tool for preparing your fuel. Its only job is to create the perfect environment for seasoning, and to do that, it needs specific features.
The 5 Essential Features Every Outside Log Store Needs
When shopping for firewood storage, it's easy to be swayed by price or style. However, if the store lacks these fundamental features, it will fail at its primary task.
1. A Solid, Sloped Roof with an Overhang
This seems obvious, but it's the first line of defence. The roof must keep driving rain from falling directly onto the top layer of logs. A slight slope is crucial to ensure water runs off and away from the store, rather than pooling on top or dripping back inside. An overhang at the front and sides provides extra protection against angled rain.
2. Maximum Airflow from All Sides
This is the most overlooked feature. Wood does not dry simply by being covered. It dries by ventilation. Air must be able to circulate freely through the stack. A good log store should be open at the front and have slatted or ventilated sides and back. A store with solid walls will trap moisture, promoting the growth of mould, mildew, and rot.
3. A Raised Floor
Logs must never sit directly on the ground. The earth is a constant source of moisture, which will wick up into your bottom layer of wood, ruining it. A proper store will have a raised floor, allowing air to circulate underneath the logs and protecting them from ground damp and insects.
4. Durable, Rot-Proof Materials
Your log store lives outside, 365 days a year, exposed to everything the British weather can throw at it. The materials it's made from will determine its lifespan and effectiveness. This is where the great debate begins.
5. Structural Stability
A fully stacked log store is incredibly heavy. It must be built from strong, rigid materials that won't warp, bow, or collapse under the load. It also needs to be stable enough to withstand high winds when empty.
Wood vs. Metal: Which Log Store Lasts Longer?
For decades, the standard outside log storage solution was a simple, pressure-treated wooden store. While traditional, they come with significant drawbacks.
- Wood Rots: Even treated timber will eventually succumb to moisture, especially in the UK. The very dampness your store is trying to fight will be its undoing.
- They Require Maintenance: To stand any chance, a wooden store needs annual treatment with preservatives, which is a job no one enjoys.
- They Harbour Pests: Wood-boring insects and other pests see a wooden store as a perfect home.
This is why modern, premium solutions have moved to metal. But not all metal stores are equal. A cheap, flimsy tin shed will rust and dent. A Biohort log store, by contrast, is engineered to last a lifetime.
The Premium Solution: Why Choose a Biohort Log Store?
When you invest in a solution, you want it to be the last one you ever need to buy. This is the philosophy behind Biohort. Their products are made in Austria with precision engineering and are built from materials that do not fail.
We are proud to stock Biohort log stores because they represent the very best in firewood storage. They not only meet the essential criteria, but they also exceed them.
Here's what sets them apart:
- Top-Quality Materials: Biohort uses high-tensile, galvanised steel plate with a thick, polyamide enamel coating. This is the same finish used by premium car manufacturers. It will not rust, peel, or fade.
- 20-Year Guarantee: Biohort is so confident in its materials that every store comes with a 20-year guarantee against corrosion. It's a "fit and forget" solution.
- No Maintenance, Ever: You will never have to paint, treat, or repair your log store. A quick wash down is all it ever needs.
- Unmatched Stability: The structure is built around a solid aluminium frame with stainless steel screws and hinges. It will not warp, bend, or falter, even when fully loaded.
- Smart Design: Every store includes an integrated rain gutter at the front, channelling water away from you and your logs.
Product Spotlight: The Biohort WoodStock Range
The WoodStock range is the perfect example of Biohort's quality. It's designed to be a neat, permanent, and incredibly durable solution. It can be easily attached to a house wall or left free-standing (with the optional back wall).
5x3 Biohort WoodStock Log Store
For a robust and stylish solution that fits neatly in most gardens, the WoodStock 5 x 3 Biohort log store is the ideal choice. It provides significant storage capacity in a compact footprint.
- Generous Capacity: At 1.57m wide, it's designed to store two rows of logs deep, maximising your storage space.
- Premium Build: Features the complete Biohort quality package: polyamide-coated steel, aluminium frame, and stainless steel fixings.
- Versatile Use: While perfect for logs, it's also a smart-looking storage unit for garden tools or bins.
- Stylish Finish: Available in three metallic colours (silver, quartz grey, and dark grey) to complement any home.
8x3 Biohort WoodStock Log Store
If you have a larger home, rely heavily on your log burner, or want to season two years' worth of wood at once, the WoodStock 8 x 3 Biohort log store is the ultimate solution.
- Expansive Storage: This is a seriously large log store. At 2.29m wide, it can hold a huge volume of firewood, also stacked two rows deep.
- Lifetime Durability: Like its smaller sibling, it comes with a 20-year guarantee and a maintenance-free promise.
- Multi-Purpose: Its large size makes it exceptionally useful as a general-purpose garden equipment locker when combined with the optional door kit.
More Than Just a Log Store: Essential Biohort Accessories
The genius of the WoodStock range is its versatility. With a few optional accessories, you can transform it from a simple log store into a secure, multi-purpose storage unit.
The Aluminium Floor Panel
This high-quality, chequered aluminium plate provides the perfect raised floor. It instantly creates a clean, dry, and non-rotting base, protecting your logs and equipment from ground moisture.
The Optional Back Wall
If you're placing your WoodStock against your house or a painted fence, this back wall is essential. It's made from the same premium coated steel and protects your wall from damage, scuffs, and dampness transferring from the logs. It's also easy to retrofit.
The Lockable Door Kit
This is the accessory that truly transforms your WoodStock. The two-part door kit, complete with a T-handle cylinder lock, secures your firewood from theft. More importantly, it converts the unit into a practical, secure locker for garden toys, flower pots, tools, and more. The doors even feature an integrated organiser system on the inside for hanging small tools.
Find Your Perfect Firewood Storage Solution at elbec
Investing in the right firewood storage is an investment in a warmer, cosier, and more efficient home. You need a solution that actively seasons your wood, protects it from the elements, and is built to last a lifetime.
A Biohort log store ticks all the boxes. It is a premium, maintenance-free, and incredibly durable solution that will be the last log store you ever need to buy. It provides the perfect conditions for seasoning wood and, with its smart accessories, doubles as a secure and stylish garden locker.
Browse our full range of firewood storage online. If you have any questions about the Biohort range or need help choosing the right store, our expert team is here to help. Call us on 0115 965 9900, contact us online, or visit our showsite to see the quality for yourself.
-
Posted by Marilyn Elliott
6th November 2025