Getting the right wood makes a significant difference to how well your stove burns, how clean your glass stays, and how long your flue system lasts. Here’s what you need to know.

Hardwood vs softwood

Hardwoods are generally better for burning in wood burning stoves than softwoods. Hardwoods come from slow-growing deciduous trees and have a greater density than the faster-growing softwoods from evergreen trees. A hardwood log will provide significantly more heat output than the same sized softwood log — up to 50% more — and you’ll need to refuel less often.

Seasoning and moisture content

Only ever use dried, fully seasoned wood with a moisture content of less than 20%. Well-seasoned wood makes a distinctive ‘clack’ rather than a dull ‘thud’ when knocked together, feels noticeably lighter than green wood, and will show bark peeling away with cracking around the outside.

Ideally, wood should be seasoned outdoors for 18 to 24 months — longer for harder woods. Stack it off the ground with space between the logs for airflow, and keep the top covered. Well-seasoned wood gives approximately 50% more heat output than the equivalent unseasoned log. A moisture meter is a worthwhile investment.

Wood species guide

Most hardwoods are suitable. As a rule, heavier wood gives greater heat output and longer burn times. Here’s a quick guide to the most common species:

• Alder — Produces little heat and burns quickly.
• Apple — Burns slowly and steadily with reasonable heat and a pleasant smell. Produces a modest flame.
• Ash — Widely regarded as one of the best burning woods. Low smoke, excellent flame, good heat output, and readily available across the UK and Ireland. Ash logs also dry out faster than most hardwoods. Note: Ash Dieback disease has restricted the movement of some Ash logs — always buy from a reputable source.
• Beech — Burns well but has a high water content and takes longer to season than most.
• Birch — Burns quickly with good heat, bright flames and a pleasing smell. Best mixed with slower-burning species like Elm, Ash or Oak.
• Cedar — Produces a well-burning log with long-lasting heat.
• Cherry — Slow burning with good heat output and a lovely smell.
• Chestnut — Reasonable flame and heat but not outstanding as a fuel.
• Cypress — Burns very quickly. Best mixed with other logs.
• Elm — Burns slowly with good long-lasting heat. Needs a faster-burning log to get it going. High water content means it takes time to season. A good overnight log.
• Eucalyptus — Must be very well seasoned. Burns reasonably well with a pleasant aromatic smell.
• Hawthorn — Good steady heat if you can source it already cut. Unpleasant to handle fresh due to thorns.
• Hazel — Burns fairly fast but produces very good heat.
• Holly — Fast burning with a bright flame but little heat.
• Laburnum — Not recommended. Every part of the tree is poisonous and it produces foul-smelling smoke even when seasoned.
• Larch — A softwood that produces reasonable heat but can leave oily deposits in the flue if not burned hot. Mix with other woods; not suitable for overnight burning.
• Lime — Not the best hardwood. Unimpressive flame.
• Oak — One of the best fuels available. Slow burning with excellent long-lasting heat. Must be seasoned for at least two years.
• Pear — Similar to Apple. Burns slowly and steadily with a pleasant smell.
• Pine / Deal — Resinous softwood. Fine for kindling or mixing, but excessive use can cause sticky deposits in the flue. Do not burn slowly.
• Poplar — Not recommended. Burns poorly and produces unpleasant black smoke even when well seasoned.
• Rowan — Slow, steady burning.
• Spruce — Softwood. Burns very quickly with low heat output and can be smoky. Good for starting fires only.
• Sycamore / Maple — Good fuel. Burns well with moderate heat and good flame.
• Willow — Poor firewood even when well seasoned. Slow burning with little flame.
• Yew — Slow burning with tremendous heat.

What to avoid

Never burn wet or unseasoned (green) wood. It causes excessive smoke, rapid creosote build-up in the flue, reduced heat output, dirty glass, and shorter stove life. Burning wet wood is also environmentally damaging and, in smoke control areas, may be illegal.

Wet or unseasoned wood typically produces: fires that are hard to start and difficult to keep going; dull, smoky flames; grey or blue chimney smoke; dirty glass and firebricks; and rapid creosote accumulation.

Manufactured or processed wood products — plywood, MDF, chipboard, tanalised timber — must never be burned. The chemical adhesives and preservatives used in their production produce harmful and potentially toxic fumes and will damage your stove and flue system.