Log Store Capacity Guide: Cubic Metres vs Winter Burn Rates UK

Log store capacity is simple arithmetic that almost nobody does before buying. Height multiplied by width multiplied by depth gives the stacked volume in cubic metres, and stacked volume is what a store holds. The figure that matters afterwards is not a published national burn rate, because none exists, but your own consumption, which you can measure in a fortnight with a tape measure and a note on the fridge.

The second point is about the wood rather than the store. In England, the Air Quality Domestic Solid Fuels Standards Regulations require wood sold in volumes under two cubic metres to be certified as Ready to Burn, with a moisture content at or below 20 per cent. A log store exists to hold that condition, or to bring wet wood down to it, and a store that cannot move air through the stack will not do either.

Key findings at a glance

• Stacked volume, not solid timber volume, is what a log store holds, and cut logs occupy noticeably more space than the solid wood they contain because of the air gaps between them.
• Wood sold in England in volumes under two cubic metres must meet the Ready to Burn standard at 20 per cent moisture content or below, under the Air Quality Domestic Solid Fuels Standards Regulations.
• Seasoning requires airflow through the stack and a roof over it; a sealed store slows drying rather than helping it.
• Logs should be stacked with cut ends exposed to the prevailing airflow, because moisture leaves timber far more readily along the grain than through the bark.
• A raised base is the single most effective feature on a log store, since ground moisture wicks upwards into the bottom course.
• Measuring your own consumption over two weeks of typical use gives a far more reliable winter figure than any generic burn rate.
• Log stores in England are subject to the same permitted development limits as other garden outbuildings, including the 2.5m height cap within 2m of a boundary.

Working out what a store actually holds

Take the internal dimensions, not the external ones, because the frame, roof overhang and any back board all reduce usable space. Multiply height by width by depth in metres and the result is the stacked capacity in cubic metres. A store measuring 1.2m high, 1.0m wide and 0.5m deep holds 0.6 cubic metres stacked. Two of them hold 1.2 cubic metres, and so on.

Stacked volume is not the same as the volume of solid wood inside it. Split logs pack with substantial air gaps, and loose tipped logs contain even more void than neatly stacked ones. This matters when comparing a store’s capacity against a delivery, because suppliers sell by different measures: loose cubic metres, stacked cubic metres, crates, builder’s bags and nets. A load quoted as one loose cubic metre will not stack into one cubic metre of store space, and buyers are routinely caught out by the difference.

Log length is the other trap. Stores are built around common lengths, typically 25cm for smaller stoves and 33cm for larger ones, and a store 0.5m deep takes two rows of 25cm logs neatly or one row of 33cm with wasted space behind. Measuring your stove’s firebox and buying a store depth that matches the log length in whole multiples avoids losing a quarter of the capacity to a dead strip at the back.

Capacity by store size

The table below converts common store dimensions into stacked capacity. These are volume calculations rather than statistics, and they assume neat stacking with internal measurements.

Measuring your own burn rate

Published burn rates are unreliable because the variables are enormous: stove size and efficiency, flue draw, house insulation, how cold the room starts, whether the stove is the main heat source or an evening luxury, and the species and dryness of the wood. Rather than quoting a figure we cannot source, here is the method to find yours.

Fill a container of known volume, such as a crate or a marked section of the store, and use only that wood for a fortnight of normal use. Note what is left. The volume consumed divided by fourteen gives a daily figure, and multiplying that by the number of days you expect to light the stove gives the seasonal requirement. Do this once and the number holds for as long as the house and the stove stay the same.

Two adjustments are worth making. Cold snaps roughly double consumption on the days they occur, so add a buffer rather than budgeting for an average winter. And if you are seasoning your own wood rather than buying it ready to burn, you need capacity for this year’s supply and next year’s at the same time, which effectively doubles the storage requirement.

Why airflow decides whether a store works

A log store has two jobs: keep rain off and let air through. The roof handles the first, and it needs an overhang at the front, because driving rain in a British winter arrives at an angle rather than vertically. The second job is where most designs fall down. Slatted sides, an open front and a gap at the back allow air to move across the cut ends of the logs and carry moisture away. A store with solid sides and a tight fit against a wall traps humid air in the stack and holds the wood damp.

Position follows from that. Against a south or west facing wall with a gap of several centimetres behind is a good place. In a shaded, sheltered corner where air never moves is a poor one, even though it looks tidier. Prevailing wind is an asset here rather than a nuisance.

The base is the detail that separates stores that work from stores that rot. Logs sitting directly on soil, grass or paving draw moisture upward, and the bottom course goes soft and colonised while the rest of the stack is fine. Bearers, a slatted floor or simply a couple of treated battens lift the stack clear and let air underneath. The same principle applies to anything timber in a garden, which is why we suggest checking base construction across the garden log stores UK category before comparing headline capacities.

Siting, planning and security

Log stores are garden outbuildings, and in England they fall within the same permitted development framework as sheds and summer houses. The relevant limits are single storey construction, eaves no higher than 2.5m, overall height no more than 4m for a dual pitched roof or 3m otherwise, and a cap of 2.5m overall within 2m of a boundary. Most log stores are comfortably under these, but a large lean to run along a boundary fence is worth checking against the height limit before it goes up.

Fire safety deserves thought as well. A stack of seasoned timber is fuel, and building regulations and insurers take a dim view of large quantities stored hard against a dwelling or a boundary with a neighbour. Keeping the store a sensible distance from the house and away from the boundary is straightforward common sense.

Where the store also needs to house kindling, tools and a bag of coal, an integrated design with a lockable compartment saves a second structure. Buyers comparing that against a separate arrangement often find that a compact unit from the wooden garden storage UK range alongside an open fronted log store works better than a hybrid, because the log section keeps its full airflow. Larger households buying by the crate should look at the garden sheds and storage UK options that allow a rotation system, with this season’s dry wood at the front and next season’s seasoning behind.

What this means for UK homes

Calculate before you buy. Internal height times width times depth gives stacked capacity, and matching the depth to whole multiples of your log length stops you losing space to a dead strip at the back. Compare that capacity against your measured fortnight of use rather than against a generic figure.

Prioritise airflow and a raised base over sheer size. A smaller store that dries wood properly is more useful than a large one that keeps it damp, because wet wood burns poorly, produces more smoke and deposits more in the flue. If you are seasoning rather than buying Ready to Burn wood, plan for two years of storage running side by side.

Stack with the cut ends facing the airflow, leave the front open or slatted, and keep the top course clear of the roof so air can move above the stack. Check the height and boundary position against permitted development limits if the store is substantial, and site it where you will actually walk to it on a wet January evening, because a log store at the far end of a dark garden gets used far less than one on a lit path near the door.

Methodology

This 2026 report was compiled by our editorial team as a UK furniture retailer. Capacity figures are volume calculations from stated dimensions and can be verified arithmetically. Regulatory points are drawn from named public sources: the Air Quality Domestic Solid Fuels Standards Regulations covering the Ready to Burn standard and the 20 per cent moisture threshold for wood sold in volumes under two cubic metres in England, and the permitted development limits for outbuildings published in the Town and Country Planning General Permitted Development Order. No national dataset of UK household firewood consumption was available, so the report publishes no burn rates and instead sets out a method for measuring your own. It contains no proprietary sales data, customer data or survey fieldwork.

Citing this report

Publications and websites are welcome to cite this guide, crediting Furniture in Fashion and linking to Furniture in Fashion. Please note that the capacity figures are dimensional calculations published in 2026 and that the report deliberately contains no measured winter burn rates, since no national source supports them.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate log store capacity in cubic metres?

Multiply the internal height, width and depth in metres. A store 1.5m high, 1.5m wide and 0.5m deep holds 1.13 cubic metres stacked. Use internal measurements, because the frame and roof overhang reduce the usable space.

How much firewood will I burn over a UK winter?

There is no reliable published national figure, because stove efficiency, insulation and usage patterns vary enormously. Measure your own by using a marked volume of wood for a fortnight of normal use, then scale that to the number of days you expect to light the fire and add a buffer for cold spells.

Does a log store need to be fully enclosed?

No, and it should not be. A store needs a roof with a front overhang to keep rain off, and slatted or open sides so air can move across the cut ends of the logs. Fully enclosing a stack traps humid air and keeps the wood damp.

What moisture content should firewood be?

At or below 20 per cent. In England, wood sold in volumes under two cubic metres must be certified Ready to Burn under the Air Quality Domestic Solid Fuels Standards Regulations, which sets that threshold. A moisture meter used on a freshly split face gives an accurate reading.

Do I need planning permission for a log store?

Usually not. Log stores fall under permitted development for outbuildings in England, which allows single storey structures with eaves up to 2.5m and an overall height of 4m for a dual pitched roof or 3m otherwise, reduced to 2.5m overall within 2m of a boundary. Check with your local planning authority if the structure is large or the property is in a designated area.