Knowing which firewood is best for you depends on your appliance and what you're using your firewood for.
In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about selecting the best firewood for different uses, including log burners, pizza ovens, and fire pits.
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Which firewood is best for my log burner?
The best firewood for a log burner is kiln-dried hardwood, with less than 20% moisture content and make sure the wood is cut to the right size for your stove!
Using dry hardwood logs ensures your firewood will light easily, burn hotter, and produce less smoke, which is much better for you and your log burner.
Why should I use hardwood in my log burner?
We would never recommend using softwood as firewood.
Softwood logs might seem tempting as they’re often cheaper than hardwood logs, but they are a false economy as softwood logs will burn through more quickly than hardwood so you’ll use more firewood.
Softwood has a higher sap content than hardwood so softwood logs will be smokier and leave more sooty deposits compared to hardwood logs which is not good for air quality or your log burner!
Softwood has its uses, but when it comes to firewood, you should always choose hardwood.
What species of firewood should I use in my log burner?
When deciding which firewood is right for you, you might want to try out different species of wood.
Whilst any hardwood will work great as firewood in your log burner, they do all have slightly different burn properties. Here's a quick rundown of the burning properties of some popular hardwoods:
- Ash : An excellent all-rounder that is brilliant to use as firewood as it lights easily and burns well.
- Beech : Another great firewood, beech wood burns very hot and leaves a good bed of embers, keeping the heat going.
- Oak : Densely packed and burns for the longest time, though it’s harder to light and doesn't burn as hot. Some people swear by oak as firewood, but we think it's more suited as a 'low and slow' cooking wood.
The most important factor is that your firewood logs are hardwood and dried to below 20% moisture, regardless of the specific species.
At Love Logs, most of our firewood, including our Kiln-Dried British Logs and Hobbit Logs are a mix of ash and beech.
What size logs will fit in my log burner?
The next thing you need to consider when choosing the best firewood for your log burner is size – what is the maximum length log that will fit in your stove?
At Love Logs, we do three different lengths of firewood – our ‘Box of British Kiln-Dried Logs’ are approx. 25cm long and fit around 90% of wood burning stoves. However, if you have a smaller stove such as a Salamander, Anevay or Outbacker stove, you’ll want to look for a shorter log. Our Hobbit Logs come in two lengths – 20cm and 15cm so you can find the one that’s right for you and your log burner.
Once you’ve chosen the best firewood for your log burner, don’t forget you need kindling and decent, natural firelighters to get your fire started without any hassle. Our Wood Burner Fuel Kits contain both.
What else should I consider when buying firewood for my log burner?
When deciding which firewood is best for your needs, you should also consider factors like storage space and budget. Check out our guide 7 Things You Need to Know When Buying Firewood
Which firewood is best for my pizza oven?
The best firewood for most pizza ovens is hardwood logs cut to the right size.
Softwood will burn too quickly and leave too much ash which is not what you want when you're cooking!
The best size logs for your pizza oven depend on which type and model of oven you have. An Ooni Fyra takes different fuel to the Gozney Dome which is totally different to a large, custom built oven. We cover them all in our article Which Wood Is Right for My Pizza Oven
Which firewood is best for my fire pit?
We've all had a night around the fire pit ruined with smoke blowing everywhere and making us cough - that was probably due to wet or poor quality firewood!
When firewood is burned with too high a moisture content, it’s hard to get a good fire going. Wet or damp wood doesn't burn as hot and they emit a lot more soot and smoke than dry wood – why would you bother??
The best firewood for your fire pit is hardwood logs, dried to below 20% moisture so they burn with very little smoke. There will always be some smoke when burning firewood, but you should be able to sit close to the fire and carry a conversation without coughing or your eyes streaming.
Firewood burned outside will burn through more quickly than in an indoor fireplace or log burner due to the wind, so make sure you have plenty of firewood on hand to keep your fire topped up and roaring throughout the night.
At Love Logs, our Fire Pit Fuel Kits contain a mix of ash and beech hardwood British logs, dried to below 20% moisture, and enough kindling and firelighters for a few nights around the fire pit.
Conclusion: Which Firewood is Best?
In summary, which firewood is best for you depends on your appliance and what you are using the firewood for.
Whether it’s a log burner, pizza oven, or fire pit, the answer is nearly always hardwood logs, dried to below 20% moisture content for optimal burning. Choose the right size and species for your specific needs, and you’ll have a fire that’s efficient, long-lasting, and enjoyable.
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