As the nights are drawing in, winter approaching and the temperatures dropping, re-stocking your firewood supplies is important. Choosing the best types of firewood can create the perfect fire.
A wood burning fire is a welcome and comforting sight during the winter months. Flickering flames, cracking and popping of burning bark, and the smell of wood smoke all help to forget the British winter. Worcester Timber Products are here to help you prepare for the months ahead. Here we highlight the best firewood, and providing tips on how to store your logs, and build the perfect fire.
Which woods to burn?..
- Ash – Ash wood produces a steady flame in fires with a good heat and burns well even when green. It will burn successfully on its own, so does not need to be burned in a mix of different species. Traditionally said to be one of the best woods for burning.
- Oak – Oak is the slowest wood to season, at approximately 2.5cm a year and ideally should be seasoned for a minimum of two years. Because of its density, it is slow to burn as firewood and is best used in a mix of faster-burning logs. It can help to keep the fire going at night if required.
- Birch – Birch makes excellent firewood, producing a good heat, although it burns relatively quickly, so in a fire, it’s best to use it in a mix of slower-burning woods, such as elm or oak. Birch will burn unseasoned although the sap can cause a build up of deposits in the flue. The bark can be peeled off and used as a natural firelighter.
- Beech – Beech is a superb burning firewood, although it has a high-water content so needs to be dried well; ideally, it should be seasoned for three years before use. It does not need to be burned in a mix.
- Cherry – Cherry burns slowly with a good heat output in a fire and gives off a lovely aroma. Needs to be well seasoned, although strips of the bark can also be used as natural firelighters.
- Sycamore – Sycamore burns in a fire well when seasoned with a moderate heat output. It seasons very quickly, usually within just one year.
How to stack firewood
Keep your logs as dry as possible and do everything you can to keep them from getting firewood wet or damp. A log store is a great addition and keeps things neat and tidy too!
Never stack your logs on the ground as your firewood needs constant air circulation. An old pallet makes an ideal base.
Make sure your logs are under cover but open on one side. This is particularly important if you use polythene to cover your logs as they need to breathe to avoid sweating.
When building the stack, start at the outer edge and work inwards, keeping the logs level, and avoid sloping in or out. Corners should be created with one layer being laid at 90 degrees to the next, similar to the brickwork on the corner of a house.
Creating the perfect fire
Make sure your logs are dry and fully seasoned before you bring them indoors and use a good mix of species, as they will burn at different rates. Having a plentiful supply of components to hand is essential, especially on a cold, wet night. Keep a basket full of kindling wood close to the fire so that it’s ready for use at a moment’s notice.
Start with a good layer of loosely rolled balls of newspaper – avoid weekend supplements as many seem to be almost fireproof.
Add a good handful of kindling, small pieces first and larger pieces last. Try not to lay all the pieces in the same direction.
Finish with the logs. The first to go on should be smaller in size, ending with the largest.
Light the paper, sit back, watch the fire roar into life and enjoy the warming glow.
