Your Guide to Buying Firewood
Not only is it that time of year again, but we're also living in unprecedented times with regards to energy bills and that'll effect the way we're heating our homes. But if you have a log burner or an open fireplace where you can heat your home with ready-to-use wood, then it can help to offset the amount you're spending on your heating.
We haven't put ours on yet because we're relying on our log burner to keep, at least, the living room warm, if nowhere else. But wood can be expensive (not nearly as costly as the heating bills of today, mind) so it's important that you know what you're doing if bulk-buying ready-to-burn wood. In addition to buying from somewhere reputable and from someone who has good reviews, there are some other things you need to keep in mind!
Pay attention to moisture content
The dryer your wood is, the better. If it has high moisture content, you'll have a difficult time making it catch and keeping it like that. As well as that, burning wet wood is a big no-no as it can, in severe cases, cause a chimney fire. Make sure it's been kiln-dried and labelled as 'ready-to-burn'. It also needs to be certified to ensure your own safety as well as the integrity of your burner and the chimney.
Ask whether it's ready-to-burn
I know I've already touched on this, but be sure to ask the supplier if their wood is ready to burn. In some cases, it could take years for a tree trunk to dry out, mainly so it can drain itself of both water and sap. That's if you don't have a kiln, which most people don't.
Please don't be tempted to go out and chop down your own wood then burn it the same day. It will, seriously, take years to get to a state where it can be burned. Leave it to the professionals to provide you with wood that's ready and safe to burn.
Don't buy a bag of wood based on weight
You should always go on cubic metres as opposed to weight. The suppliers we use only work in cubic metres. This is especially the case if buying a whole pallet of hard wood, which will burn for longer but has a heftier price tag, because it could weigh a considerable amount but you won't get enough log to see you through the winter. Stick to cubic metres rather than weight.
Understand the volume of wood a supplier is offering
A cubic metre might work for one supplier, but another might use a builder's bag. Understand the difference between the two so you know which one will give you more. We go for full builder's bags as they're often larger than one cubic metre, but it's down to how the supplier works.
Do your research and choose the best option for you. Also, bare in mind that the wood isn't neatly stacked in the bag or pallet, it's literally thrown in, so it might not actually be a complete cubic metre if you take into account gaps etc.
When buying in bulk, you'll need lots of space for storage
Before buying wood in bulk, make sure you actually have the room to store it. It needs to be housed somewhere that's dry. Also, a builder's bag might look waterproof, but it isn't. If you're planning to put it outside, make sure it's off the floor or build a wood store with some shelter and protection from the elements, like a curtain made of tarpaulin, for example. Also keep in mind that spiders and other creepy crawlies like to live in wood of this quantity so store it somewhere away from entrance ways into the house.
Buying in bulk is hard work, physically
Buying wood in bulk is a lot of work, because the supplier will lift it off their van and leave you to take care of the rest, unless they offer a particular service or if your log storage areas are completely accessible. If not, then you'll have to lug it all from the bag to the store and it can take a long time, not to mention it can be heavy work. So be prepare to do a bit of manual labour and maybe ask for some help if you can't do it all yourself.
Species of tree isn't too important
It doesn't really matter what species of tree the wood has come from. The only thing that matters, really, is whether the wood is hard or soft. The only way the species could impact you is the price of the wood. A bag of pine will cost less than oak or birch, for example. But like I say, don't pay too much attention to this when bulk buying wood.
Hardwood burns longer than soft wood, but it is more costly
I've already touched on this, but it's something to bare in mind if you're trying to stick to a budget. Hardwood will burn longer than softwood, but softwood will be better for getting the fire started and to keep it consistently hot, so they both have their benefits. A mixed bag of wood would be the better way to go as opposed to a whole bag of soft or hardwood.
Wood that's sold in Britain isn't necessarily British
Like with anything, just because it's sold in this country doesn't mean to say it was sourced from here. Make sure you do some research about this to keep your carbon footprint as low as possible, If there are air miles attached to your order, for example, then it's not very sustainable. The supplier we go to will replant their trees to make the process as sustainable as possible, so make sure you buy from somewhere as local as you can.
You need quality kindling to get going, so don't miss it off your shopping list
You might be tempted to use paper to start the fire, but this isn't very good for your chimney because of the ink. You're much better off buying good quality kindling from a reputable supplier. The person you buy the bulk of your wood from will usually be able to provide you with the kindling as well for an additional cost.
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Do you have any tips for bulk-buying firewood? If so, let me and others know in the comments below and I'll see you again very soon with a brand new blog post :)
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