Buy an open-sided, roofed store with a raised floor for logs; buy a bin store with front access and opening lids for wheelie bins. They have different jobs. Logs need airflow, while bins need a clear escape route on collection day.
Choose log storage around the fuel supply
STIHL's log-store guidance emphasises air circulation and keeping firewood clear of the ground. An enclosed storage box is not automatically a suitable substitute. Read STIHL’s storage guidance.
Ask your fuel supplier how the delivered quantity is measured and how it should be stored. A loose delivery volume and a neatly stacked volume are not interchangeable purchasing figures. Decide where the next delivery will go while older stock is still present, and whether you can reach the back without dismantling the pile.
Record the usable compartment dimensions, roof projection and the access route. Check the store's instructions for a suitable base and position. This guide does not assess a stove, chimney or rules on which fuels you can burn.
Measure bins with the lids open
Write down the external dimensions of each bin, including handles and wheels. Then measure the space needed to tilt and pull it out. Test the route to the collection point: a tidy enclosure that makes bin day difficult has missed its purpose.
- Can each bin leave without moving the others?
- Can you open its lid fully inside the store?
- Will a store lid, chain or hinge interfere with that movement?
- Can you reach the ground and corners for cleaning?
- Does the door have enough space to open at the proposed site?
Compare capacity claims carefully
“Two-bin” and litre labels are a useful starting point, not a fit guarantee. Match your container measurements to the actual opening and internal layout. For mixed recycling boxes, draw the shelves and record which box must be removed first.
Your next step
Sources and method
- STIHL log-store guidance · checked 2026-09-19