Top-notch Firewood for Wood-Burning Stoves, Including Stacking Techniques, Storage Strategies, and Firelighting Tips
### Choosing the Right Wood for Your Wood Burner: A Guide
When it comes to fueling your wood burner, the type of wood you choose can significantly impact its performance and efficiency. Here's a breakdown of some of the best woods for wood burners, along with tips for sourcing them.
#### Hardwoods
Hardwoods are typically the best choice for wood burners due to their density, which allows them to burn longer and hotter compared to softwoods. Some top hardwoods for wood burners include:
- **Oak**: Known for its slow and steady burn, providing consistent heat. It is a dense hardwood that burns well and produces less creosote, reducing chimney maintenance. - **Ash**: Burns well even if not fully seasoned, making it a reliable choice for wood burners. - **Maple**: Offers long-lasting heat and is known for its clean burn. - **Hickory** (not mentioned in all sources, but renowned for its high heat and long-lasting fires).
#### Softwoods
Softwoods like Douglas Fir and Cedar can be used for kindling or specific purposes, but they are generally less efficient for sustained heat compared to hardwoods.
#### Special Woods
- **Cherry**: Burns slowly with a good heat output and gives off a lovely aroma. The logs need to be well seasoned. - **Birch**: Burns relatively quickly, so it's best to use it in a mix of slower-burning woods, such as elm or oak. Birch tree wood can be bought from B&Q for £25.99 and Logs Direct for £25.99. The bark of birch trees can also be peeled off and used as a natural firelighter for wood or log burners.
#### Sourcing Your Firewood
Firewood can be purchased from various local sources, including:
- **Local Hardware Stores**: Many local hardware stores carry firewood or can direct you to suppliers. - **Garden Centers**: Often carry firewood, especially during the colder months. - **Online Retailers**: Some online retailers and marketplaces sell firewood, though availability may vary based on location. - **Woodland Owners**: Sometimes, woodland owners or local farmers may sell firewood directly to consumers.
For specific types of wood, such as hickory or cedar, it might be necessary to visit specialty stores or local suppliers who handle those types of woods.
#### Storage and Preparation
- Never stack your logs on the ground; an old wooden pallet makes an ideal base. Covering your stack of logs outside with a simple hard cover will keep the rain off and allow air to circulate. - Keep your wood and logs as dry as possible to avoid excess smoke or clogging the flue. - Make sure your wood burning logs are under cover but open on at least one side. - Oak wood needs to be seasoned for 2.5cm a year, ideally taking 2.5 years, and should be seasoned for a minimum of two years. - Sycamore can be burned on a wood burner, stove, or open fire and seasons very quickly. - Strips of cherry bark can be used as natural firelighters. - Birch burns unseasoned, but the sap can cause a build-up of deposits in the flue. - Ash tree wood burns well even when green and does not need to be mixed with other species.
The elegant scent of cherry and birch logs complements the ambiance of home-and-garden lifestyles, enhancing the landscape of gardens in a tranquil manner. For sourcing these special woods, one may visit local hardware stores, garden centers, or online retailers for an extensive range of options.
