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Do you have a fireplace or wood burning stove? Then log baskets can be helpful there, but not for burning! Baskets are a wonderful way to decorate your home, and provide useful storage for many household items. These days, many homes feature fireplaces and/or wood burning stoves as additional heat sources. Along with being a heat source, fireplaces and wood burning stoves lend a beautiful, cozy atmosphere to any home.
The common heating source, shared by fireplaces and wood burning stoves, is wood. Carrying wood indoors and stacking it near your fireplace or wood stove can make a mess from bark, leaves and twigs. Along with the mess, logs can topple over easily, hurting you or your kids and pets. Log baskets are the answer to organizing and cleaning up your hearth and wood stove areas.
Log baskets come in many shapes and sizes, from the old-fashioned flat basket with a handle, to tall round baskets, to a log basket that actually looks like a fireplace grate. Log baskets are made to fit every décor from traditional to modern, and are made from wicker and plastic, to steel and aluminum. Here are some tips for choosing the right log basket for your home.
Decide exactly how your basket will be used. Will your basket only be used to store wood, or will it also be used to carry wood into your home? A log basket used to carry wood from your wood stack needs to be made of material that is strong, sturdy and durable in order to safely support the weight of the logs. You might consider a basket made from steel, with a strong handle, and a 19-inch to 21-inch rounded base (curved toward the center). This type of basket can carry logs of different shapes and sizes. If your log basket will mainly be used to store wood next to your hearth, you might consider a round, bin-style basket.
Choose the correct size and shape for your basket. The next step in choosing the best log basket is to consider the best size and shape necessary for your hearth and/or wood stove area. First, consider the area where your basket will sit. Choose the right shape and size for your hearth area. Also, be sure to consider the basket’s balance. A log basket needs to be big enough to hold wood you intend to burn, and should be stable, to avoid accidental rolling of the logs. Buying a log basket that is too small can actually be dangerous. Wood can roll or fall out of baskets, and injure small pets and children.
Choose the right basket to enhance your décor. Log baskets can do more than just hold wood; they can also enhance the décor of your hearth area and home. Brushed steel baskets would be perfect for a home with ultra modern décor, while a wicker or black steel basket might be better for traditional or country décor. Log baskets even come in colors to match your home furnishings and the woodwork in your home. Even if you only use your fireplace or wood stove as a decoration, a wood basket can help add some ambience to your hearth. You can set a basket near your hearth, and put in a few decorative birch logs as an added touch.
These are a few simple tips to help you choose the best log basket for your needs and décor. Basket styles, shapes and colors vary, so carefully consider how your basket will be used, and the necessary shape and size to safely carry and store your logs. Be sure to choose a sturdy, balanced and strong log basket to keep your hearth organized, clean and safe.
