Top-notch Firewood for Wood-Burning Stoves, Including Stack and Store Strategies, along with Fire-Laying Techniques
As the winter months approach, the glow of a fire pit or wood burner becomes a welcome sight. In this guide, we will discuss the best wood for burning, eco-friendly firelighters, and tips for storing and lighting firewood.
The Best Wood for Burning
Ash tree wood, known for producing a steady flame with good heat, burns well even when green. Oak, a dense wood that burns slowly, is best used in a mix of faster-burning logs. Sycamore seasons quickly and burns with a moderate heat output, making it suitable for wood burners, stoves, or open fires. Birch, which produces a good heat, burns relatively quickly and is best used in a mix of slower-burning woods. Cherry wood, known for its lovely aroma, can be used as natural firelighters after proper seasoning.
Eco-Friendly Firelighters
To ensure a clean and sustainable fire, consider using eco-friendly firelighters. Among the best options available online are:
- Eco Fire Natural Fire Starters (72 pack): These all-weather, odorless, and eco-friendly firelighters are suitable for grills, campfires, and fire pits.
- Fire Dragon Liquid Firelighter (1L): Made in the UK from traceable, sustainable, naturally derived bio-ethanol, it is quick and easy to ignite, non-toxic, and considered eco-friendly.
- NOMAD Fire Starters: Made from 100% all-natural pine wood shavings and wax, these fire starters offer a long burn time (15 minutes), are smokeless, odorless, non-toxic, and dense for easy charcoal ignition.
- Eco-LITE Firelighters: Made from non-toxic, pressured wood and wax, these odorless, natural starters are ideal for both indoor and outdoor fires.
- Kamado Joe Fire Starters (24 pieces): Made from pure paraffin wax cubes, these eco-friendly fire starters burn clean, hot, and odorless.
Storing and Lighting Firewood
To keep firewood dry and ready for use, store it on an old wooden pallet or similar base with plenty of gaps to allow air circulation. Cover your stack of logs outside with a simple hard cover to keep the rain off and still allow air to circulate around them. When building the wood stack, stacking wood is like dry stone walling - start at the outer edge, with a supporting wall or structure, and work inwards. Work on keeping the logs level and avoid any sloping in or out.
To light a fire, start with a good layer of loosely rolled balls of fibrous newspaper. Add a generous handful of kindling, stacked vertically on end - not packed too tightly. Finish with smaller logs, ending with the largest on top. Light the paper and enjoy!
Remember, beech is not recommended for use in wood burners or stoves due to lack of specific information. Birch bark can be peeled off and used as a natural firelighter for wood or log burners.
By choosing eco-friendly firewood and firelighters, storing and lighting firewood properly, and understanding the best woods for burning, you can enjoy a warm and sustainable winter.
Adding variety to your home-and-garden landscape by incorporating well-chosen plants can enhance the ambiance created by a crackling fire. For instance, consider planting mixed borders of evergreen shrubs and deciduous trees around your gardens to frame the landscape.
When the days grow warmer and the nights milder, tending to these plants becomes an enjoyable part of your lifestyle, fostering a greater connection with nature at home.
