Whether you need wood for a fireplace in your home, or your are tasked with moving a large, fallen tree, you may find yourself in need of chopping it. Large pieces of wood are sometimes hard to split and chop, and therefore, require the use of a wedge.
If you don’t know how to use a wedge to chop wood, you should definitely learn before you attempt to do so. The wedge is pounded into the wood and used to break it apart. Although this may seem like a simple concept, there is actually a process involved and safety precautions that should be considered.
1. Wear safety gear such as gloves and goggles. As the wood is splitting, small pieces of it can splinter off and fly through the air. If they hit your hand or eyes, they could cause severe injuries. The proper safety gear will protect you from such a scenario.
2. Cut large logs into short and round pieces that are no longer than three feet. This will give you pieces which are the perfect size to work with, making the wedge more effective and make the task easier for you.
3. Flip one of your rounds on its side on a level piece of ground. Find a crack towards the center of the round, and place the wedge in it. When you are learning how to use a wedge to chop wood, you should remember that the center of the wood is the hardest part to split. Although you want the wedge near the center, it should be moved a couple of inches to one side or the other.
4. Bring your sledgehammer up over your shoulder and down onto the wedge. Repeat to pound the wedge into the wood. The further down that the wedge goes, the more the wood will be split. Eventually, it will break apart.
5. Split the wood as much as needed. Small rounds can be split in half, but larger ones may need to be split into quarters.
How To Find A Wedge Or Seek Help
Knowing how to use a wedge to chop wood is valuable knowledge and will make the job of splitting wood much easier. You can find wedges at most home and garden stores and many hardware stores.
If you need help finding a wedge, or would like to call on a professional to chop wood, use TalkLocal. No matter what type of professional you are looking for, they are only a few clicks away at our website.
