Keeping logs dry in driving rain without sealing the store

Turn the smallest face toward the worst rain, deepen the roof overhang and use a partial baffle on that face. Keep the front and another route open so the store can dry after the weather passes.

Identify the actual wet edge

Look immediately after a storm. A dark front centimetre is different from water running through the whole row. Check roof drips, gutter overflow and splash from paving before adding walls.

Fix in the right order

1. Repair leaks and blocked runoff.
2. Stop ground splash with drainage and clearance.
3. Increase roof projection where structure and wind loading allow.
4. Add a narrow side screen or spaced vertical baffle.
5. Reorient the store if repeated exposure still wins.

Surface wetting is not the same as wet fuel throughout

Rain on an outer face can dry again in moving air. Before burning, split a representative log and check the fresh inner face with a suitable meter. Do not take a reassuring reading only from a dry outside end.

Remove temporary fronts promptly

A storm sheet can protect an open face for a night. Roll it away once the event passes. Leaving it closed through a mild damp week blocks the very air needed to clear residual moisture.

Sources

• GOV.UK customer notice for wood sold in volumes of 2 m³ or more — guidance on drying, rain cover and measuring a freshly split surface, checked 10 November 2026.