Wear safety glasses, gloves, long pants, and sturdy boots
Use a stable chopping block on level ground
Place the wood upright on the block
Position the axe or maul on the wood’s center or along an existing crack
Grip the handle firmly with both hands
Raise the tool overhead or to a comfortable striking height
Swing straight down with controlled force
Let the weight of the tool do the work
If the wood does not split, strike again in the same line
For tough logs, use a splitting wedge and sledgehammer
Keep hands and feet clear of the striking path
Split smaller pieces from larger logs as needed
Stack split wood in a dry, ventilated area