- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
We have switched to Supertherm ovals as we can no longer use smokey coal from next year.
Harder to get going but lasts longer.*
*A bit like me tbh.😁
Show us: your log burners and open fires
- Thread starter Gunk
- Start date
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We have switched to Supertherm ovals as we can no longer use smokey coal from next year.
Harder to get going but lasts longer.*
*A bit like me tbh.😁
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Currently a mix of ash, oak, hazel, mulberry and bullace being fed into the heating here. Some of it is seasoned stuff I've had stacked for a few years, some is dead stuff I've just taken off the trees as it's good to go once it's dried out.
Profpointy
Legendary Member
Just to be clear we use proper smokeless coal as we live in the city, and the fire is really good and efficient as half a bucket keeps the room really warm for a whole evening
Lovely room @Profpointy
Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
Recently installed....
Adam4868
Guru
Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
Nope!
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
Have now tried the following woods, some commercial, some scavenged. All burnt with 20% or lower mousture content.
Hornbeam = heavy, long-lasting, burns well at any thickness or air setting, hot and fairly bright. The best.
Ash = similar to hornbeam but not quite as good or long lasting.
Birch = burns easily, hot and clean, bright yellow flames. Burns a bit quicker than ash.
Eucalyptus = excellent if you are offered any, but the devil to split due to its twisted grain. Burns very hot.
Cherry = a lot like oak. Burns hot but can take some encouragement to get going.
Oak = lasts almost as long as hornbeam but needs splitting quite thin for starting a fire. Once the fire is very hot, it burns fine but bigger logs need less air, or they burn off all the volatiles and then just smoulder. My chimney sweep won't use oak in his own stove due to its indifferent burning. You may recall that oak-framed buildings have surprisingly good fire resistance!
Leylandii - not for open fires, but rather wonderful in a stove. You can often get it for free. I'm surprised it's not grown for firewood, as it is about as sustainable as it gets (grows like a rocket).
Alder = cheaper than other woods and this is the only reason you might want to use it. Burns poorly, smells bad, dull flame.
Hornbeam = heavy, long-lasting, burns well at any thickness or air setting, hot and fairly bright. The best.
Ash = similar to hornbeam but not quite as good or long lasting.
Birch = burns easily, hot and clean, bright yellow flames. Burns a bit quicker than ash.
Eucalyptus = excellent if you are offered any, but the devil to split due to its twisted grain. Burns very hot.
Cherry = a lot like oak. Burns hot but can take some encouragement to get going.
Oak = lasts almost as long as hornbeam but needs splitting quite thin for starting a fire. Once the fire is very hot, it burns fine but bigger logs need less air, or they burn off all the volatiles and then just smoulder. My chimney sweep won't use oak in his own stove due to its indifferent burning. You may recall that oak-framed buildings have surprisingly good fire resistance!
Leylandii - not for open fires, but rather wonderful in a stove. You can often get it for free. I'm surprised it's not grown for firewood, as it is about as sustainable as it gets (grows like a rocket).
Alder = cheaper than other woods and this is the only reason you might want to use it. Burns poorly, smells bad, dull flame.
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midlife
Guru
Just out of curiosity is it possible to tell one wood from another easily ?
We reinstated a fireplace and now have a log burner, planned a few years ago but covid put a 2 year delay...... It was originally for show but a few logs keeps the chill off the room and means we don't have to fire up the oil boiler.
The wood comes in dumpy bags from a local cumbrian supplier, seems to be a few types in the bag and wondered what was what?
We reinstated a fireplace and now have a log burner, planned a few years ago but covid put a 2 year delay...... It was originally for show but a few logs keeps the chill off the room and means we don't have to fire up the oil boiler.
The wood comes in dumpy bags from a local cumbrian supplier, seems to be a few types in the bag and wondered what was what?
bluenotebob
Veteran
- Location
- France
Yes .. but it'll take you a while to learn them all.
Most obvious is by looking at the bark - that's the most distinctive difference between the various types of wood.
Try googling oak, chestnut, cherry, willow etc
ClichéGuevara
Legendary Member
- Location
- Kingston upon the River Hull
Today is the 70th anniversary of the London Smogs that killed thousands and left countless others with long term health issues.
Just saying like.
Just saying like.
Eucalyptus is decent but needs seasoned for a good year or so IMO. I’ve burned quite a bit in my stove until someone grassed me up to the council TPO !
