The Complete Guide to Buying Firewood
Everything you need to know to make informed choices about firewood for your woodburner or open fire.
1. Types of Firewood
The type of wood you burn affects heat output, burn time, and price. Here's what you need to know:
Burns longer and hotter, ideal for overnight burns. Examples: oak, ash, beech, birch.
- ✓ High heat output
- ✓ Long burn time
- ✓ Produces good coals
- ✗ More expensive
- ✗ Takes longer to dry
Burns quickly with high flames, great for kindling or quick heat. Examples: pine, spruce, larch.
- ✓ Ignites easily
- ✓ More affordable
- ✓ Dries faster
- ✗ Burns faster
- ✗ Can create more resin
2. Understanding Moisture Content
Moisture content is the single most important factor in firewood quality. Wet wood doesn't burn efficiently, produces more smoke, and can damage your flue.
<20%
Ready to Burn
Ideal for immediate use
20-30%
Partially Seasoned
May need more drying
>30%
Wet / Green
Not suitable for burning
Drying Methods
- Kiln Dried: Artificially dried in a kiln. Guaranteed low moisture (<20%). Ready to use immediately.
- Seasoned: Air dried for 1-2+ years. Good option if properly dried, but results vary.
- Green: Freshly cut wood. Not ready to burn - needs 1-2 years of drying.
3. Certifications Explained
The UK's only woodfuel quality assurance scheme. Woodsure certified suppliers meet strict standards for fuel quality, moisture content, and customer service. Look for this mark for guaranteed quality.
The official certification showing wood has less than 20% moisture content. Since 2021, it's illegal to sell wet wood (>20% moisture) in bags under 2m³ in England. Ready to Burn certified wood is guaranteed to meet this standard.
Required for burning in Smoke Control Areas. DEFRA exempt fuel produces less smoke and is legal to burn in controlled zones. Check if you're in a smoke control area on the DEFRA website.
4. Units & Measurements
Firewood comes in various unit sizes, which can make price comparison tricky. Here's what each means:
Tip: LogHub standardises all prices to show £/kg and £/m³ so you can easily compare different suppliers regardless of their unit sizes.
5. Smoke Control Areas
Many urban and suburban areas in the UK are designated Smoke Control Areas where it's illegal to emit smoke from a chimney. If you live in one of these areas, you must either:
- Use an approved "exempt" appliance (most modern stoves)
- Burn only DEFRA-approved fuels
Kiln-dried wood burned in an exempt appliance is generally acceptable. Check the DEFRA website to see if you're in a smoke control area.
6. Storing Your Firewood
Proper storage keeps your firewood dry and ready to burn:
- Keep it covered: Protect from rain with a roof or tarp, but allow air circulation on the sides.
- Raise it up: Store on a rack or pallets to prevent ground moisture absorption.
- Allow airflow: Don't stack against walls. Leave gaps for air to circulate.
- Use oldest first: Rotate your stock, using the oldest wood first.
- Bring some inside: Move a few days' supply indoors to let it reach room temperature before burning.