How To Split Wood

When winter is fast approaching, one thing you must remember is that you need to keep warm. Recheck your firewood storage and make sure you have enough to last you the season. It would be ideal for you to have enough seasoned wood so you won't worry about smoke or trouble burning the logs.

Now that you have enough supply, you also need to ensure your wood is ready for use. The best time to start splitting your firewood is right before the winter. While not many give it enough thought, log splitting is a time-consuming and challenging task, but not if you have the right supplies. This article will discuss wood splitting so you can adequately prepare for the cold ahead.

Log Splitting Tools

The following are the most vital tools you will require to split your firewood without any problems.

1. Splitting maul
2. Gloves
3. Workboots
4. Safety glasses
5. Chopping block

These tools are essential to prevent work-related injuries. When splitting wood, it is crucial to wear boots and glasses as wood splits could fly towards you, causing severe injuries.

Gloves are also ideal for you if it is your first time splitting firewood or if it has been long since you did this kind of work. Wearing work gloves will prevent nasty blisters.

Step by Step Guide for Splitting a Lot of Wood

Step 1. Ensure you have all the tools and protective gear

It is best if you used the right tools when splitting wood. Some of the tools and protective gear to use include; splitting maul, a wedge, or a prying triangle for when your wood needs a little more pressure to budge.

Additionally, it would help if you used a splitting maul over a splitting axe. It is a better tool to help you cut through dry logs full of wood fibres and branch knots.

Remember to wear long pants, work boots, safety glasses, and work gloves to protect yourself from injuries.

Step 2. Set up a chopping block

It would help if you also had a chopping block that can absorb most of the force you use when splitting wood. With a chopping block, you can split your wood without destroying your maul.

Your ideal chopping maul could be a large and level chunk of wood or tree stump. A wooden block is useful as a protective barrier. It is a place where your strong splitting maul halts after splitting through your piece of wood or if you miss the mark.

A short chopping block makes it easier to split many pieces of wood without having to bend down while you swing your maul.

Step 3. Pack your pieces of wood in a tire and set it on top of your chopping block

This step helps you save time by not having to stop working to reset your chopping block. If you secure pieces of wood in an old tire, you won't need to worry when you miss your mark, and the wood falls off your work area. You also won't have to strain your lower back collecting the fallen wood pieces often.

A tire will also ensure your logs stay put when you swing, and this saves you time and energy to keep working.

Step 4. Work on your posture

If you are aiming for successful swings, they rely on your posture. Ideally, stand with your feet spread shoulder-width apart and your arms fully extended with your maul safely held.

Step 5. How to split wood with a maul

Spot the area of wood you would like to hit first and move back a step or half a step.

Take the maul in both your hands and hold it horizontally. While slightly bending your elbows, raise the splitting maul over your head and target striking your spot with the maul's head. Using minimum force, bring the maul down to strike the log in a vertical line.

Step 6. Additional tips and techniques

a). Weak spots on wood

Identify the weak spots on your log before swinging the maul head. These could be cracks that radiate from the centre would indicate the wood wants to crack. Direct your hits here, and you will be done with the piece faster.

If you don't find any weak spots, you can aim directly at the middle of the log, ad with the right technique, you will not have to swing your maul many times.

b). Use additional tools for stubborn wood

Sometimes you will encounter wood logs that are covered in knots, making them very hard to split. Additionally, if you are splitting slightly wet wood, the logs will be a bit thick and, therefore, difficult to crack after a few hits.

It will be best to use your splitting wedges and a sledgehammer to accelerate cracks and splitting for these instances.

In most cases, you will only need to use one wedge on one side and then using your splitting maul on the other end.

Step 7. Transport your wood with a wood carrier

Now, when you have the split logs ready, you need to transport them to the house and near your wood stove for ease of access when making a fire. To do it faster, you will need a firewood carrier to make it much easier and faster.

Even when split, wood is heavy and can leave your clothes dirty if you decide to carry them with your bare hands. A wood carrier will be ideal for reducing the rounds you need to get all the wood near your stove.

The carriers are designed with ease in mind. They're designed with an adjustable strap so anyone can carry them and have a free hand to open the door when home. Additionally, the firewood carrier has a replaceable LED light, so you can also use it in the dark. The bag also is made with heavy-duty canvas to be durable and to be able to carry many logs of wood at a go.

Conclusion

Splitting logs does not have to be a stressful task anymore. Today, there are many tools you can use that make the process faster and easier.

It is imperative that you take the necessary precautions to avoid injuries to your body. Using the wrong wood splitter or pushing yourself to split too much wood can deplete your energy and expose you to severe injuries such as lower back pain and hand blisters.

If you struggle with any injury and cannot split wood, it would be best if you can buy ready wood or invest in a hydraulic log splitter that won't require you to use a lot of force. Additionally, you can hire someone to split the wood for you.