Put on safety goggles, sturdy boots and gloves to ensure that you are prepared for the task.
Remove all the branches off the tree. Begin with the smaller ones less than 1-inch thick. You may be able to do this manually but often an axe is necessary.
Hold the axe with one hand at the base of the axe and the other 1-inch above this hand. Grip firmly.
Stand about half a meter away from the branch you want to remove. Make sure your feet are more than a shoulder's width apart for better balance. Swing the axe and in one clean motion cut the branch off the tree. As the Natural Handyman suggests, cutting from above is the best technique.
Stack the twigs, sticks and branches so that they are all faced the same direction in a neat pile. You can use these as kindling to get the fire going when you need to.
Start the chain saw and cut down the tree. Use the weight of the chainsaw to gently encourage it through the wood. Do not force it. Cut a horizontal line a foot from the base of the trunk.
Use the chainsaw to divide the large trunk into lengths of firewood. Make sure you cut small enough pieces to fit into your wood burner.
Split the chunks into half or thirds using the axe so that they can be stored for use.
Stack the branches and split wood in a dry, sheltered area. Inside a shed or in the garage would be suitable. The Natural Handyman suggests leaving them for 9 months to completely dry out.
Cover the wood with a large tarpaulin to protect it.
