Why Firewood Bags Are Better for the Handling and Storage of Firewood

The firewood industry is having a successful season. As loggers and lumber experts are moving a considerable amount of product, we thought it would be a good time to shed light on the most logical packaging strategies for firewood and what to look for in firewood bags. 

Here’s what we found. 

Proper handling and storage of firewood are important.

First, let’s talk about seasoning. 

The Consequences of Burning Wet Firewood

Firewood is meant to be burned once consumers acquire it. That’s the sole purpose of firewood: to burn easily and produce a decent amount of heat or a visible flame. But, not all wood burns well. 

In fact, there are considerable dangers associated with burning wood that’s wet—especially indoors. For example, wet wood produces a lot more smoke than dried-out, prepped-for-burning wood. Burning wet wood will also produce a substance called creosote, which can lead to chimney fires. There’s also the fact that wet wood won’t burn very well, so it’s not even helpful for getting a good fire going. 

In order to avoid these frustrations and dangers, you need to burn wood that’s got a moisture content of about 10-20 percent. 

Preparing Wood for the Fireplace and Using Bulk Firewood Bags

Seasoning is the process of taking fresh wood and preparing it for eventual burning. Throughout the seasoning process, wood needs to be kept in a controlled environment away from the ground, at a specific temperature. Doing so can allow any moisture present in the wood to evaporate. 

To accomplish this goal, high-quality, easy-to-handle bulk firewood bags can come in handy during every stage of the seasoning process. For example, consider the use of bulk bags to:

• Collect and transport fresh wood with durable containers.
• Store the firewood during seasoning with reusable bags.
• Lift the bags with ease and without injury.
• Complete debris-free pickup for customers.
• Send the firewood bags to distributors and even customers.

For sustainability, convenience, and your bottom line, it’s a good idea to use one bag (instead of several) to accomplish these various tasks. It might seem like one bag might not be capable of all these disparate activities, but one well-designed firewood bag can easily take wood from the forest through seasoning straight to the customer.

You just need to know what to look for. 

Often, we recommend vented bulk bags for use with firewood. Vented firewood bags come with a few slits in the sides that allow the air to come in and out of the bag. This allows the drying-out process to happen much more efficiently.

Finding a lightweight vented bag that’s still durable enough to handle the dry weight of firewood can be tough. After all, even a single cord of dried-out wood can weigh thousands of pounds. If you need to find a bulk firewood bag that’s ready to multitask effectively, you’re going to need to speak with a manufacturer who’s ready to delve into materials science and more to make sure you get what you want. 

Looking for wholesale or bulk firewood bags? Consider this. 

When you’re looking for a new type of bulk bag and manufacturer to help you streamline your processes, you can’t just purchase any type of bag from the first manufacturer you find. That can result in a bag that isn’t suited to your specific needs and processes. 

Your bulk bag manufacturer should learn as much as possible about your goals and the environment your bags will be in before making your bulk bags. If someone tries to quote you without this type of information, that’s likely a red flag! 

To build a firewood bag that’s custom-fit for your operations, answer the following questions: 

• Do you use a forklift to tote around bags of cut or seasoned wood? This can help specify which type of bag top (e.g., carrying loops) you order.
  
  
• What type of wood do you most commonly season, and how long does it need to be in the dry environment? 
  
  
• Does your company have branding that you would like to see on your firewood bags? Branding your bags can help invest in a top-tier consumer experience—and even repeat orders. 

Conitex Sonoco is here to help you store and transport firewood.

Gathering, prepping, and selling firewood is far from a simple task. You’ll need to find a way to move wood from several different locations, keep it contained and easy to handle during the seasoning process, and then have a convenient method for getting the firewood out to distributors and, ultimately, customers. 

Would having just one sustainable, smart-enough-to-do-everything firewood bag make the process easier? Imagine not having to unload firewood at any step and instead just having one bag to take the wood from forest to fireplace in one fell swoop! 

The materials scientists at Conitex Sonoco are here to make that a reality for you. Reach out to our team, and we’ll start building a firewood bag custom-made for your specifications today!