How to Split Wood with a Wedge & Maul: Step By Step

Are you looking for information on how to split wood with a wedge? Wondering if there are any perfect steps and guidelines that will help you in splitting wood with a wedge easily? Then, don’t sweat out any longer! You have come to the right place!

In this article, we’ll be guiding you with 14 ultimate steps and answer all the questions that you will be having regarding splitting wood with a wedge and maul or hammer.

So, let’s get started!

How to Split Wood with A Wedge and Maul?

Splitting wood with a wedge is actually a tough thing to do if you don’t have the proper guidelines and appropriate methods. Read these 14 steps listed below and surely all your confusions will clear up within no time:

Step 1: Collect all the tools

You need to get yourself a few essential tools for wood splitting. These are wood splitting maul, sledgehammer, chopping block, and lastly a steel wedge. Keep more than two steel wedges as you might be needing more than one if you face any sort of difficulty while splitting the wood.

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Step 2: Cut the woods into the shortest possible length

To begin splitting, you will first need to cut the wood into the shortest length possible using a chainsaw. However, remember that the length you cut should be usable for splitting and not way too much short. This step is required because it is difficult to split wood that has a longer length.

Step 3: Make a splitting block

To split the wood, you will be needing support to keep your wood on. For that support, cut logs into a small piece using an axe, you don’t need a too large sized log. The log will be acting as your support or a splitting block to be more precise. By keeping the wood on the splitting block you will be able to work easily using the steel wedge and sledgehammer.

Step 4: Finding the cracks

Seasoned woods have cracks or naturally occurring splits in them. These splits occur if woods dry up. These are the weakest part of the wood and also the best part for you to begin your splitting with a minimum effort. Aim that individual crack for splitting and hit your splitting maul one or two times. You will then see the formation of a large crack.

Step 5: Marking the position

The point at which you will want to hit the maul should be measured beforehand and marked. You will mark the position by using the maul and aiming the target when you are holding the handle of the maul. You will then need to prepare your splitting maul in an appropriate way to hit the wood.

Step 6: Hitting with the maul

Once you have been sure of the target, bring the maul at an upward motion towards your shoulder with a slow speed. And then bring the maul downwards to the point you wish to split at a much greater speed and force so that the wood splits up.

Step 7: Look for wide cracks

The wood will not split up completely if the hitting of the maul is not strong enough. There is no need to worry and surely you don’t need to redo the whole process. Look for any wide cracks that occur due to the hitting of the maul instead.

Step 8: Using the steel wedge

Now comes the actual function of the steel wedge which is your savior.  Dig in the wedge inside the crack that seems wide to you.

Step 9: Using the sledgehammer

After placing the wedge inside the crack appropriately, use a sledgehammer to give a solid hit to the wedge. This will result in further penetration of the wedge into the wood and your wood will begin to split. Don’t hold your wedge while hitting it with a sledgehammer. You could hit your fingers with a much greater force instead which can turn out to be miserable.

Step 10: Adding another wedge if necessary

Keep hitting the wedge with the hammer until you witness that the wood has split completely. If you see that the wedge has not penetrated inside the wood completely and your wood did not split yet, then your wedge is not thick enough. To make sure that wood splits, add another wedge into the crack and repeat the process of hitting the wedge with a sledgehammer.

Step 11: Chopping off splintered woods

Even after wedging using two wedges does not split the wood completely, then it is some of the splintered woods that is causing the disturbance. To ease splitting, you will need to chop off some of the splintered wood grains around the large knots.

Step 12: Narrowing the woods

Using all the steps above, first split the large woods into halves and split those halves into halves again. This is done to narrow the size of the woods. Splitting wood becomes much easier if the wood is made narrow.

Step 13: Compiling

Collect all the woods that you have split and compile them together. Allow them to dry under sunlight.

Step 14: Take care of your tools

Lastly, always take good care of your tools. After finishing all your work regarding wood splitting, sharpen, and clean all the tools. This is because tools tend to lose their sharpness after every use. Sharpen your tools every time you do the wood splitting. This helps you to maintain the durability of your tools and also, they will last longer.

Final Words

To conclude, all the steps listed above have surely cleared all your doubts regarding how to split wood with a maul and wedge. The steps include the right way of how you should be using your tools. To begin splitting of wood, make sure you have all the tools that have been listed. And of course, you need to always remember that your safety matters the most.

Lastly, by following step 14, always take good care of your tools. Repurchasing, again and again, is not only cost ineffective but annoying as well. Taking good care of your tools and yourself will surely help you save up a good amount of bucks.