How to Split Wood: Using a Maul

Splitting wood can be a daunting task. We all know this. However, splitting wood becomes a lot easier if you master the correct splitting techniques. First we'll go over some of the materials and tools you'll need to split wood effectively. These are all the essentials. Please do not attempt to split wood with any unsafe or old equipment. When striking wood with any hardened material, there is always a possibility of injury. If you use proper safety and splitting techniques, the chance you you being injured decreases significantly.

What you'll need:

First, you'll need something to do the splitting. This can be a maul, splitting axe, or even a hydraulic splitter. I won't cover hydraulic splitters here because they are fairly sophisticated machines and having not used one regularly, I wouldn't feel comfortable giving advice on the subject.

Secondly, you'll need a chopping block. This can be another stump to set your splitting logs on top of or a big piece of metal. A chopping block holds the vibration and force in the log that you're trying to split, making the impact from your maul even more effective.

Thirdly, you'll need a wedge. Wedges come in all shapes and sizes but normally, you can use a wedge anywhere from 8 to 10 inches to split most logs. You can use smaller if you're splitting wood solely for a woodburning stove or a similar small burning area.

Fourthly, Safety Glasses. Safety Glasses are key when using any tool or machine that can potentially injure you. There are many different things that can happen if you're not wearing safety glasses. When using a wedge, small pieces of metal are likely to fly off when you strike it with the Maul. If these go into your eyes, you'll likely be blind for life. Keep this in mind before you even pick up the Maul or splitting axe.

Getting Set up for splitting:

First, you'll need to set up your chopping block in an area that it's going to help you. If you set up a chopping block wrong, it could seriously injure you are at the very least, make your work harder. Set the block (log, metal piece) on nice even ground and make sure that the top of the block is free of debris. The entire purpose of the block is to absorb the shock from the Maul impacting the wood so the ground doesn't disperse it. This makes the log easier to crack and lessens your work. For this to happen, we need the surface of the block and the wood to match almost perfectly. Wood chips or other debris, though small, can have a big difference on the effectiveness of your block.

Secondly, get your Maul in good shape. When splitting wood, you'll always want to inspect your Maul and make sure it's sharp. The old saying is: Sharp is safe, Dull is dangerous. This rings through more truly in splitting logs than anything else. If you have a sharp Maul, you'll get less bounce when you swing. This means even if the Maul doesn't split the log, it'll stick in or "bite", preventing the Maul from flailing around wildy. A Dull Maul is a volatile Maul. Take the time to sharpen it and get it in healthy condition before you start splitting.

Thirdly, Safety Glasses.

The Splitting Process:

When preparing to swing your Maul or splitting axe, make sure that you're standing shoulder with the part. The human body provides much more power and efficiency when your body is symmetrical. You're almost ready to swing, but wait! You don't want to over or underestimate and either a) hit the handle of the Maul or b) miss and hit your leg. Stand your distance away from the log and bring the Maul up and touch the log ready to be split. The edge of the Maul or splitting axe should rest directly in the middle of the log. If it's too close to you, move your stance up closer until it is resting in the middle. The same goes for if it's too far away. Doing this before you start to split every single time will guarantee that you're going to make impact in the direct center of the log. This provides an easier workload for the person splitting, because they don't have to focus their energy on guiding the axe as it comes down. They can just let it fall.

When swinging the Maul or splitting axe, come down with a lot of force, but let the axe do the work. Don't swing with all of your might. This is the most common mistake for new lumberjacks to make. Most mauls weigh 8 to 12 pounds. This weight is meant to help you, not hinder you. If you find that you're having to swing with all of your might to break a log, you're most likely doing something wrong. Pick up a heavier Maul from your local hardware store and let the tool do the work for you. You'll find that you'll be less winded, more efficient and able to complete more work in a shorter period of time.

Follow these basic steps when splitting, and you'll realize that the pros aren't just really strong. They utilize proper techniques and precision tactics to split wood more efficiently. You can too if you tweak these tactics to your own splitting style. Have fun and always be safe while splitting wood!