There's an old saying that firewood warms you twice: once when you split it, and once when you burn it. Here in Canada, we'd add a third: it warms you with peace of mind, knowing your woodshed is full long before the first frost.
Every fall, we hear the same story from customers across the country. October arrives, the evenings turn cold, and suddenly the wood pile that seemed fine in August looks a little thin. Green wood won't burn well, seasoned wood is sold out or overpriced, and the race is on. It doesn't have to be that way. At Axeman.ca, our recommendation is simple: get your cutting and splitting done in the summer, so you're never caught short when winter settles in.
In this guide, we'll walk through why summer splitting makes all the difference, the tools we trust to get the job done, and the best types of firewood to burn in a Canadian fireplace or wood stove.
Why Summer Is the Perfect Time to Split Firewood
Splitting wood in July might feel early, but there are good, practical reasons the old timers always had their wood up by midsummer.
1. Wood needs time to season
Freshly cut "green" wood can hold 50 percent moisture or more. Burning it wastes heat boiling off water, smokes up your glass, and builds creosote in your chimney, which is a genuine fire hazard. Properly seasoned firewood should be below 20 percent moisture, and getting there takes six to twelve months of drying for most Canadian hardwoods. Split in July, and you're giving your wood the long, warm, breezy months it needs to dry properly before you strike the first match.
2. Splitting speeds up drying
Bark holds moisture in. A round left whole dries painfully slowly, while a split piece exposes the grain to sun and airflow. The earlier you split, the more of summer's heat is working for you.
3. Better working conditions
Long daylight hours, dry ground, and no rush. Splitting a few rounds in the evening after dinner is honest, satisfying work. Splitting in a cold November drizzle because you ran out of options is not.
4. You beat the fall scramble
Firewood prices climb every autumn, seasoned wood gets scarce, and quality tools sell out. Getting ahead of the season means you choose your wood, your pace, and your gear on your own terms.
Our Recommended Axes and Mauls for Splitting Season
The right tool turns a chore into a pleasure. These are five of our favourites from the splitting axe and maul collections at Axeman.ca, each one hand picked, and each one a tool we'd put in our own woodshed.
1. Kvillinge Splitting Axe by Hults Bruk
The newest addition to the Hults Bruk line, and it's a beauty. The Kvillinge Splitting Axe is built for splitting medium to large logs, with a wedge shaped, weighted 4.2 lb head that drives deep and a curved edge that reduces bounce and helps turn logs without sticking. The 32 inch curved American hickory handle gives you real reach and leverage, and despite the weight it feels controlled and responsive in hand.
Each head is hand forged at the Hults Bruk forge in Sweden, which has been in operation since 1697, and tempered to roughly 54 to 56 HRC for excellent edge retention. It ships with a premium leather sheath, a storage box, and a user manual. Named for the Kvillinge parish where the forge calls home, this axe carries more than three centuries of tradition into your woodpile.
2. Hult Splitting Axe, 1.5 kg Premium
One of our best sellers, and with good reason. The Hult Splitting Axe, 1.5 kg Premium pairs a hand forged Swedish steel head with a 30 inch straight American hickory handle, giving you speed and control on every swing. The slightly convex grind pops rounds apart cleanly, and at just over 2 kg total weight, it's an axe you can swing all afternoon without wearing yourself out.
Don't just take our word for it. This axe has earned over 50 customer reviews at Axeman.ca, nearly all of them 5 stars. One customer put it perfectly after replacing his heavier 5 lb axe: it works as well or better, with much less fatigue. If you split birch, fir, or maple by the cord, this is a workhorse you'll reach for again and again.
3. Gränsfors Large Splitting Axe (Model 442)
When it's time to tackle large rounds, the Gränsfors Large Splitting Axe is the tool serious woodcutters reach for. Hand forged in Sweden by skilled blacksmiths, it carries a 5.5 lb high carbon steel head ground concave and thin at the bit, so it cuts quickly into the wood before the broader section pushes the split apart. The 27 inch curved hickory handle features a protective steel collar below the head and circular grooves near the end for a firm grip.
Every review of this axe on our site is 5 stars. One customer with over 30 years of splitting experience told us that with the Gränsfors, splitting is no longer a chore. Axeman.ca is an authorized Gränsfors Bruk dealer, so your axe is guaranteed authentic and covered by the Gränsfors 20 year guarantee.
4. Gränsfors Splitting Maul, Curved Handle (Model 451)
For the biggest, knottiest, most stubborn rounds in the pile, nothing beats a proper maul. The Gränsfors Splitting Maul is the heaviest axe Gränsfors Bruk makes, with a 5.5 lb head and 7.2 lb total weight on a 27.5 inch curved hickory handle. Like the Large Splitting Axe, it's ground concave and thin at the bit for fast penetration, but its sturdy poll with bevelled corners is purpose built for striking a splitting wedge, something you should never do with a regular splitting axe.
If your wood lot gives you gnarly big leaf maple crotches or knotty fir, the maul and a couple of wedges will get you through anything. It also carries the Gränsfors 20 year guarantee and comes with a grain leather sheath.
5. Council Tool FE6-36 Flathead Fire Axe
Here's the wildcard, and a nod to our first responder roots. The Council Tool FE6-36 is a professional grade 6 lb flathead fire axe forged from 4140 steel in the USA, hung on a 36 inch curved American hickory handle. It's designed for the fireground, with a marrying slot that pairs with a Halligan bar, but that same tapered wedge blade and serious head weight make it a surprisingly capable brute force splitter for the homestead.
It's Buckin' Billy Ray approved, tempered beyond ANSI standards, and balanced so the centre of gravity sits right in the eye for controlled, fatigue free swings. If you want one tool that can split wood, handle emergencies, and stand ready by the door, this is it. Find more like it in our firefighter tools collection.
The Best Firewood to Burn in Canada
Not all wood burns the same. Dense hardwoods pack more heat into every stick, burn longer, and leave better coals. Here's what we recommend from coast to coast.
Top hardwoods (Eastern and Central Canada)
- Sugar Maple – One of the finest firewoods in the country. Dense, long burning, excellent coals, and abundant across Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes.
- Oak (Red and White) – Exceptional heat output and coaling, though it wants a full year or more of seasoning. Split it this summer for next winter and you'll be rewarded.
- Yellow Birch – High heat, lovely aroma, and the bark makes wonderful fire starter. Split it promptly, as birch left in the round can rot inside its waterproof bark.
- Ash – Burns clean, splits like a dream, and seasons faster than oak. If you have access to ash, count yourself lucky.
- Beech – Dense and slow burning with great coals, a favourite in eastern wood stoves.
Top choices in Western Canada
- Douglas Fir – The workhorse of BC firewood. Good heat, easy to split, easy to light, and everywhere. A staple here in the Fraser Valley.
- Western Larch (Tamarack) – The hottest burning conifer in the west, prized in the Interior and the Kootenays. Burns nearly as hot as many hardwoods.
- White Birch – Widely available across BC, the Prairies, and the North. Great heat and that unbeatable birch bark kindling.
- Big Leaf Maple – A coastal BC favourite when you can get it. Dense and long burning, though the knotty pieces will test your maul.
A word on softwoods
Pine and spruce season quickly and make excellent kindling and shoulder season fires, but they burn fast and can deposit more creosote if burned green. If softwood is what you have, season it well, mix it with denser wood when you can, and keep your chimney cleaned.
Quick seasoning tips
- Split to a consistent size, roughly 4 to 6 inches across the face for most stoves.
- Stack off the ground on pallets or rails, with the split faces exposed to sun and prevailing wind.
- Cover the top of the stack only, and leave the sides open so air can move through.
- Aim for under 20 percent moisture before burning. An inexpensive moisture meter takes the guesswork out.
Keep Your Edge Ready
A sharp axe is a safe axe, and a season of splitting will dull even the finest Swedish steel. Before you start your summer wood pile, give your edge some attention with our sharpening tools, from hand stones to the legendary Tormek systems. A few minutes of sharpening saves hours of frustration at the chopping block.
Why Canadians Trust Axeman.ca
Axeman.ca is proudly Canadian, family owned, and first responder owned, based right here in British Columbia. We only carry tools we believe in, from heritage makers like Gränsfors Bruk, Hultafors, Hults Bruk, and Council Tool, and we back them with old fashioned customer service.
Our customers have rewarded that approach with hundreds of glowing 5 star reviews, praising everything from lightning fast shipping to personal help choosing the right axe. You can read what they have to say on our reviews page. As one recent customer wrote about our service, it's next level, with perfect communication and prompt delivery.
And with free shipping on Canadian orders over $95, getting your winter tools delivered is easy.
Don't Wait for the First Frost
Winter in Canada isn't a surprise, but somehow it always seems to sneak up on us. The families who stay warm and cozy through January are the ones who did the work in July. So pick your wood, pick your axe, and put in a few good summer evenings at the splitting block. When the snow flies and your woodshed is stacked high with dry, seasoned firewood, you'll be glad you did.
Browse our full collection of splitting axes and mauls, or reach out if you'd like a hand choosing the right tool for your wood pile. We're always happy to talk axes.
Stay sharp and stay warm,
Axeman
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