Published on 23 December 2022
Posted in Firewood
Updated: December 2024
Log burning isn’t as simple as just popping some wood on the fire and hoping for the best. You should have a good understanding of what wood works best so you can make the most out of your fire. Seasoned firewood is the best type of wood to use on open fires to ensure the best heat and longest burn, while still remaining safe.
Seasoned firewood is wood that has been cut to size, split and dried inside and out of the damp weather for a period of 2 years. This helps to remove as much moisture as possible, leaving less than 20% moisture content. Fresh cut wood typically has a 60% water content, vastly reducing its burning efficiency. The longer it is left to dry, the better it will be for your fire.
So, why season firewood for open fires?
The first reason is simply that seasoned firewood is easier to light than non-seasoned wood. Basically, the moisture in the fresh wood means that more energy is needed to ignite a flame, so it will take longer to get your fire going, and possibly burn out faster too. Trying to start a fire shouldn’t feel like setting up a campfire in the middle of a thunderstorm, and with seasoned wood, you don’t have to struggle to light the fire.
Furthermore, Wood with moisture will also produce a cooler flame, so you won’t get the heat you were expecting.
Burning fresh wood is known for producing excessive smoke due to its high moisture content. When wood burns, it releases creosote. but the amount of creosote released into the air dramatically increases when you try to burn moist wood. This also increases the amount of smoke produced and the chances that a fire could get out of control.
For those who struggle with the smoke from fires if it gets onto your chest or in your eyes, seasoned firewood actually reduces the soot output. This reduces the harmful pollutants being emitted and is better for you and the environment.
One of the biggest benefits of using seasoned wood is its efficiency. By eliminating excess water, the wood burns longer and emits more heat. If the fire burns for a longer duration, you’re likely to need much less wood to keep it going. In the long run, that’s going to turn out to be a cost-effective option too.
To add to the efficiency, the energy and heat created from dry woods such as seasoned logs or kiln-dried firewood is also much more than that from unseasoned or moist wood. Heating your home with moist wood is ineffective like like trying to boil water with a damp matchstick.
Burning seasoned wood is significantly safer than using green or fresh-cut logs. There’s less chance that the fire will get out of control because less wood is needed in the first place. You are also less likely to breathe in harmful pollutants through soot and low chance of chimney blockages or fires.
If you’re impressed by all the benefits of seasoned woods and planning to season woods on your own, it’s possible. But a quick suggestion that we would like to add is that seasoning woods is not a quick DIY project. It’s a long process and if sourcing firewood is also on your list, then it’s almost an epic quest.
Professionally seasoned wood can be your ally when it comes to buying seasoned wood. This saves you time, effort, and the risk of ending up with unusable logs.
At The Log Dog, we take the guesswork out of sourcing top-quality firewood. We offer a range of high-quality options, including seasoned wood, kiln-dried firewood, and hardwood logs, all designed to ensure the perfect fire every time. To make things even more convenient, we also provide firelighters, kindling bags, and loose logs available in 1 and 2-cubic metre loads.
Contact The Log Dog today at 01295 256436 or visit our website to explore our extensive range of firewood products for seasoned logs in all shapes, sizes and quantities to give you the best possible results for your fire.
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