Wood for log fires.

[10ClarionSt]

What's the best kind of wood to use on a log fire? My mate is burning logs that just smoulder. I told him he was using the wrong type of wood but he just laughed. Does anyone know what is best?

[Rollo]

Wood that has been cut into logs and then left to dry out.

[pbeach]

I live in France, and wood is used as a major form of heating here.
1. Wood should have spent 2/3 years drying out after being cut
2. Dense wood (oak etc) burns better and slower than non dense wood.
3. Never burn pine, pine is the main cause of chimney fires because of the resin.

[notalot]

Seasoned ash

[Clanad]

Actually, pine, fir and other related woods are as good of fuel as most others. It's the temperature at which one maintains the fire that's the culprit in causing a dirty flue that can lead to a creosote stoked chimney fire.

Here in the western U.S. we use a lot of pine, since it's the most available. Any wood, as mentioned, must be well aged. At least 6 months but longer is better. During the aging time it should be covered and kept off the ground.

Your friend is doing exactly the wrong thing. The smoldering logs are either too wet or too green. The low tempratures at which he/she is maintaining the fire allow flue gasses to condense on the upper chimney and the build-up causes the chimeny fire hazard. Pine, when well seasoned burns hotter (and faster) than other woods. The higher temps can help keep the condensing creosote at a minimum.
One should always have a chimney fire extinguisher at hand. This is usually (at least here) a tube about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and may be `14 inches long that you would throw on the fire if a chimney fire happens. The fumes from the chemicals inside the tube will extinguish most chimney fires...

[sheribee]

We burn everything in our woodburner, just go out looking for fallen trees or people chopping them down in their garden, we ask them if we can have the tree, and take it away for them, they all seem pretty pleased.
but they need to be chopped up to smaller pieces and then left to dry out.
I love my free heating!!!!

[terence7556]

we have been burning all sorts of softwoods which all spit out embers but the best of the lot is ash.
i,ve obtained the ash foc off my construction site ,offcuts etc. and it burns well , produces good heat and does not spit out embers

[Barmaid]

When I had open fires, I used to use "hot logs". Basically bits of wood that had been sawdusted and then compacted into logs. The heat they used to chuck out was great. And nowhere near the mess of ordinary logs.
I used to order them by the lorry load from a local company and they were a lot cheaper than traditional logs.

[alan30]

Dry the wood well and get the fire temperature right and most seasoned wood will burn well. Elm will smoulder no matter how dry and needs to be burnt with a hot base of other wood. Ash burns well green or seasoned but better heat if seasoned

Beech wood fires are bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year.
Chestnuts only good, they say
If for long its laid away.
But ash wood new or ash wood old
Is fit for a queen with a crown of gold.
Birch and fir logs burn too fast,
Blaze up bright and do not last.
Is by the Irish said
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.
Elm wood burns like churchyard mould -
Even the very flames are cold;
But ash wood green and ash wood brown
Is fit for a queen with a golden crown.
Poplar gives a bitter smoke,
Fills your eyes and makes you choke.
Apple wood will scent your room
With an incense like perfume.
Oaken logs if dry and old
Keep away the winter cold.
But ash wood wet and ash wood dry
A king shall warm his slippers by.

Oak logs will warm you well,
If they're warm and dry.
Larch logs of pine wood smell
But sparks will fly.
Beech logs for Christmas time;
Yew logs heat well.
Scotch logs its a crime
For anyone to sell.
Birch logs will burn too fast,
Chestnut scarce at all.
Hawthorn logs are good to last,
If cut in the fall.
Holly logs will burn like wax,
You should burn them green.
Elm logs like smouldering flax;
No flames to be seen.
Pear logs and apple logs,
They will scent your room.
Cherry logs across the dogs
Smell like flowers in bloom.
But ash logs all smooth and gray,
Burn them green or old,
Buy up all that come you way,
They're worth their weight in gold.

[beso]

Nothing is better than Australian hardwoods but the rest of the world has to make do with inferior fuels.