Choose the Best Firewood to Get the Most Out of Your Wood Heat

Getting good firewood is the really the biggest factor in building a successful fire. Three key elements to good firewood are density, moisture content, and size. Learning how to select firewood based on these elements will help you use your wood stove more effectively.

Traditional advice says to use hardwoods as firewood, like oak or maple. Hardwoods are denser and have a higher energy content per mass. All woods have approximately the same energy content per weight, but since hardwood is denser, it weighs more and has more energy content than a similarly sized piece of softwood. Hardwoods have higher btu content than softwoods. Hardwoods burn hotter and longer. However, hardwoods are more expensive and they may not be available in your area. Hardwoods have some other disadvantages as well. They are difficult to start a fire with because they are so dense. I’ve also noticed that hardwoods tend to overheat my stove and my house. For these reasons, I tend to burn softwoods, mostly fir. They are easier to work with, easier to light, and easier to maintain a good temperature. If you are new at building fires, you will definitely want to start with a softwood. The only disadvantage with softwoods is that you will have to make more trips to load your firebox since the wood burns faster.

Moisture content is by far the number one criteria of good firewood. Trying to burn non-seasoned wood will be unsuccessful and even dangerous. Non-seasoned wood does not burn well and can lead to creosote buildup in the chimney. Seasoned wood has about a 15-20% moisture content. It takes about a year (give or take depending on the type of wood) for cut wood to dry enough to burn. But it’s not just the age that determines how well a wood is seasoned, it’s also how it was cut and stacked. The first firewood cord I bought was from a guy who claimed the wood had been seasoned for a year. When I got it, the wood was still very green and was unusable. Sure it had been cut down a year ago, but it had been thrown in a big pile so the pieces in the middle (the ones I bought) hadn’t been able to dry. Plus, I think the wood was a little moldy. I learned my lesson from that experience- always check the wood you are going to buy, and know what you are looking for.

How to recognize seasoned wood?

Seasoned wood:

• Weighs much less than green wood. This will take some experience in handling both kinds of wood.
• Often has large cracks on the ends.
• Has looser bark that should peel right off. Bark on green wood is firmly attached.
• Sounds hollow or makes “clunk” sound when knocked together.
• Is darker and has a grayed or yellowed appearance.

Recognizing seasoned wood can take experience, but it’s an important skill because you can waste alot of money on unusable wood. This is the area where wood buyers get ripped off- whether intentionally or unintentionally. The best way to ensure you get seasoned wood is to buy it in the spring or a year in advance. Another good alternative is to use a wood moisture meter. These devices will measure the moisture content in your wood, letting you know immediately if it is a good investment. Be sure to use the wood moisture meter in the center of a split piece wood, not just the ends.

Wood that is too large will not fit in the firebox and can make it impossible to use. The second firewood cord I bought, though perfectly seasoned, was cut too long. Trying to wedge in too large of pieces into the firebox can cause dangerous situations, as the burn holes in my carpet can attest. For easiest loading, firewood pieces should be about 3 inches (7.5 cm) shorter than the firebox. The average firewood length is 16 inches (40 cm). You should definitely measure both your firebox and your firewood before buying.

The other factor to consider is the diameter of the firewood. Pieces too thick will not ignite unless the fire is very hot; pieces too thin will burn rapidly and will leave you constantly stoking the fire. Firewood is best split into a variety of sizes. Thinner pieces are useful to initially build the fire, and thicker pieces are better in maintaining the fire. Pieces ranging from three to six inches (7.5- 15 cm) in diameter make for a good variety.

If you are cutting your own firewood to size, here are some tools to help the job: