Firewood Shortages Anticipated

We always advise our customers to order their Winter supply of firewood early, in order to have it properly stored and continuing to season before it’s actually needed.

However, this year we are particularly urging that your firewood is ordered and stored now, before Fall!

Due to the unusual circumstances of 2020, we have already been seeing a greater amount of firewood orders, and there is a predicted industry-wide shortage of firewood this Fall and early Winter.

To make sure your home is prepared for the first cold spell and the snow and storms to follow, we strongly recommend replenishing your firewood supply before the end of Summer. This will ensure you’re stocked and heating with quality, pre-seasoned firewood instead of hunting for green, wet wood and paying higher prices for long-distance delivery!

Order Firewood from the Best

Best Firewood and Mulch has been serving Chicagoland with seasoned firewood since 1982. We stand behind our quality firewood and mulch products and offer easy online ordering.

Check out our delivery area here.

Building a fire isn’t just a skill for campers or survivalists! Gathering around a backyard fire allows for hours of enjoyment with family and friends. Here’s an explanation of a few different campfire styles, how to alter the fire-building process based on the container being used, and tips and tricks to ensure you have a roaring fire in no time.

Campfire Styles for Fire Pits & Rings

There are numerous campfire styles, but here are three basic varieties that work in most circumstances.

The classic “teepee” campfire is easy to build and very effective. Simply collect small, dry pieces of kindling and lean them together to create a teepee shape. Keep the structure loose to add tinder to the center. Numerous things serve as tinder, including dry grasses, twigs, or paper. Once the materials are in place, light the tinder. Maintain good airflow and add additional larger pieces of wood as the fire starts going. This allows it to build slowly.

Build a “log cabin” fire when warmth is needed, but you don’t want to stoke the flames continuously. Gather four logs, place two parallel in the fire area, and then place the other two logs crosswise on top of those. Once all four logs are positioned, they should look like the number symbol, or “hashtag.” Place tinder in the center, stack smaller pieces atop the structure in the same pattern, and light the fire. Replace wood as needed.

Create a “platform” when you plan to cook over the fire. Place large logs horizontally in the fire area before adding small logs vertically on top of this foundation. Continue building the woodpile in this way before adding a small kindling teepee at the top. Light the fire. The wood burns down until coals are present and glowing, giving off steady, high heat perfect for cooking and roasting.

Outdoor Fireplaces & Brick Ovens

When building a fire in an outdoor fireplace, put a layer of ash or sand down first. This helps the fire continue once it gets started.

Brick ovens need a gentle, consistent fire to cook food properly once the oven’s walls and floors have been heated, which can take an hour or more. Start by creating a nice bed of embers and add a larger piece of wood once they are going. The goal is to have a steady, small flame that doesn’t die down quickly.

Use the Best Firewood

The best backyard fires need the best, pre-seasoned firewood to burn hot, clean, and long. We’ve been delivering high-quality firewood to the Chicago area since 1982. All the wood used for our firewood and mulch is purchased locally and is cut, split and stored on site!

At Best Firewood and Mulch, we locally source our firewood, then cut, split, and store it on-site. Need firewood delivery to Naperville? We deliver and stack!

Seasoned Firewood

When wood is freshly cut, it is referred to as “green” wood. This type of wood isn’t what should be burned for heating a home. All firewood has to age, which is commonly referred to as curing or “seasoning” the wood. If you try to use logs from a freshly cut tree in your fireplace, you’ll have to deal with dangerous creosote build-up and lots of smoke, risking chimney fires. That’s why all our firewood is already aged or kiln-dried.

Firewood Delivery and Stacking

We supply the Naperville, IL area with high-quality, seasoned firewood. And we not only deliver, our team can stack firewood for you too! For an additional fee per cord, we’ll stack your firewood order at ground level. In the winter, just keep a path shoveled for us.

There are some guidelines to follow to ensure that the firewood is placed in the best locations outside your home, so that it can stay dry and continue to season for best burning results.

• Firewood should be kept up from direct contact with the ground to keep it from drawing moisture. There are various sizes of firewood racks you can purchase from home supply stores, or you can use cement blocks, pallets, or boards to raise the firewood 2-3 inches.
• Firewood should also be partially or fully protected from the elements. Locating your stacked firewood under an overhang is ideal, but a tarp covering the top of the pile works as well. Don’t cover the sides of the stack, as this keeps air from circulating and inhibits drying (and provides a place for critters to hide too). Keep the stack a few inches away from walls for the same reason.

Order Firewood from the Best

Best Firewood and Mulch has been serving Chicagoland with seasoned firewood since 1982! We stand behind our quality firewood and mulch products and offer easy online ordering.

Check out our delivery area here.