Which Wood Is Best For My Log Burner??

The best wood to use in your log burner is British hardwood, kiln-dried to below 20% moisture and cut to the right length and thickness for your wood burner.

When it comes to finding the best wood for a log burner, hardwood wins every time. Hardwood is denser than softwood so it burns for longer, produces more heat, and you'll probably use fewer logs — saving you money in the long run.

While softwood may be cheaper, in most log burners, you’ll need to burn more softwood to get the same heat output as hardwood, so the savings don’t add up. Hardwood also has a lower resin content, meaning it produces less smoke and soot — making it better for your log burner, your health, and your home.

Softwood kindling works brilliantly to start a fire, but once it’s burning well, switch to hardwood logs to maintain a consistent, clean fire in your log burner

Kiln-dried hardwood is the best wood for log burners because it’s reliably dried to below 20% moisture content. This means your firewood will:

• Burn hotter and longer than softwood or wetter wood

• Produce minimal smoke 

• Leave less soot on your stove glass and flue compared to wet logs

When wood is freshly cut, it can contain up to 60% moisture. Burning wet wood results in smoky fires, poor heat output, and increased soot build-up. Kiln dried wood ensures a clean, easy-to-light fire that’s efficient and better for your health.

If you're wondering specficially which hardwoods make the best wood for your log burner, our favourites to burn are ash and beech as we think they have the best burning properties

• Ash is a great wood to burn in a your log burner as it lights easily and burns consistently, not too fast and not too slow.
• Beech is a great wood that lights easily and burns very hot. Although it burns through more quickly than the other species, it leaves a great bed of hot embers which will continue to give out heat from your log burner once the wood has burned away.

However, if you can't get ash and beech, any hardwood species including Oak, Birch and Alder will burn well in your log burner.

At Love Logs, all of our Boxes of British Kiln Dried Logs and Hobbit logs are a mix of Ash and Beech, and we also offer Oak logs for those of you who want a slower burning wood to use in your log burner.

Most standard firewood sold is around 25cm/10 inches long which fits around 90% of wood burning stoves. 

However, if you have a smaller stove such as a Salamander, Anevay or Outbacker stove, you'll need to choose shorter wood to fit your log burner. Our Hobbit Logs are specifically designed for small stoves and come in two lengths – 20cm and 15cm so you can find the wood that’s best for you and your log burner.

Buying British wood is better for the planet and better for local communities. Here's why:

• Lower CO₂ emissions: British firewood travels fewer miles than imported firewood, reducing environmental impact.

• Sustainably sourced: UK woodlands are managed responsibly to support biodiversity.

• Protects against imported diseases: Supporting British wood helps prevent imported diseases like ash dieback.

• No import delays or extra costs: Avoid post-Brexit customs fees and long waits.

Looking for the best kiln dried wood near you? There’s no need to hunt down a local supplier — Love Logs delivers great quality, British kiln dried wood straight to your door, next working day when you order by 1pm with free delivery over £30.

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We started Love Logs after struggling to find reliable, sustainably sourced British firewood. Many “local” suppliers actually import from Eastern Europe, so always check where your wood comes from. If it’s not clearly labelled as British wood, it probably isn’t.

The best wood for a log burner is kiln dried hardwood such as ash or beech logs, ideally from sustainable British sources, as it burns hotter, lasts longer, and produces less smoke.

We obviously think the best wood for your log burner is Love Logs kiln dried ash or beech logs, delivered directly to your door!

We'd love it if you shared it with your fellow log burner enthusiasts!