Which woods are best to burn

Best Wood for burning in Woodburning Stoves, (Woodburners)

Wood needs to be well seasoned before it is burnt in a stove, irrespective if you have a woodburning stove, (Woodburner), or a Multi fuel Stove. So the best wood to burn is dry wood! Different woods take varying amounts of time to season but, as a general guide, before being used in a stove, wood should be cut to length, split and then stacked under cover (with the sides open to the air) for at least a year. It is then good practice to have it in the log basket, inside the house, for a few days before it is actually used in the woodburner.

If you have your wood delivered 'ready to burn', stress to your supplier that the wood must be well seasoned, as it is being burnt in a stove and, as a way of checking, most woods tend to get splits across the grain on the ends of the log when it is dry. A moisture meter can be handy to test how dry your firewood is.

Conifer wood tends to be rather resinous and is best used as kindling. Nothing, however, beats old skip wood / builders timber as kindling (remember not to burn treated or painted timber though).

If you do a fair bit of slow woodburning, it is good practice to burn a good, hot stove a couple of times a week to keep your chimney dry and prevent the build up of tar. It is important to use your woodburner regularly for to get the best results from your stove.

Do NOT be tempted to burn unseasoned wood in your woodburner.

As for the best types of wood to burn, in your woodburner, these old rhymes are as good a guide as anything to the best, and worst, sorts. But, but, don't believe what they say about Ash. Ash is just drier when you chop the tree down than other species, but it is still just as bad an idea to burn wet ash as it is to burn any other type of wood wet:

Alternatively have a look at this wood as fuel chart

Beechwood fires are bright and clear

If the logs are kept a year.

Chestnut's only good, they say,

If for long 'tis laid away.

But Ash new or Ash old

Is fit for a queen with crown of gold.

Birch and fir logs burn too fast

Blaze up bright and do not last.

It is by the Irish said

Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.

Elm wood burns like churchyard mould,

E ' en the very flames are cold.

But Ash green or Ash brown

Is fit for a queen with 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's cold.

But Ash wet or Ash dry

A king shall warm his slippers by.

Oaken logs, if dry and old,

Keep away the winter's cold

Poplar gives a bitter smoke,

Fills your eyes, and makes you choke

Elm wood burns like churchyard mould,

E'en the very flames are cold

Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread -

Or so it is in Ireland said,

Applewood will scent the room,

Pearwood smells like flowers in bloom,

But Ashwood wet and Ashwood dry,

A King can warm his slippers by.

Beechwood logs burn bright and clear,

If the wood is kept a year

Store your Beech for Christmas-tide,

With new-cut holly laid aside

Chestnut's only good, they say

If for years it's stored away

Birch and Fir wood burn too fast,

Blaze too bright, and do not last

Flames from larch will shoot up high,

And dangerously the sparks will fly...

But Ashwood green,

And Ashwood brown

Are fit for Queen with golden crown.