Wood guide
Softwood Logs: Pine and Douglas Fir Firewood Explained
Softwood logs, such as pine and Douglas fir, light quickly and burn hot and bright, but they burn faster than hardwood because they're less dense. Weight for weight they give about the same heat, so a bag of softwood costs less but doesn't last as long. Dry softwood is fine in a stove: wet wood and a fire burned too low are what tar a chimney.
The Logs Local team Kiln-dried logs from our yard in Keighley
In this guide
Pine and Douglas fir at a glance
Pinus sylvestris and Pseudotsuga menziesii
- Heat per log
- Less per log than hardwood
- Density
- About 510 to 550 kg/m³
- Drying time
- Two summers or more if air dried. Ours are kiln dried below 20%
- How it burns
- Lights fast and burns hot and bright, but quickly
- Smoke
- Low when dry and burned hot
- Sparks
- Can spit, more so if not fully dry
Good value for quick fires and for getting a stove going. Burn it dry and hot, and add hardwood for long evenings.
Heat rating: our 1 to 5 scale based on density, where 5 is densest. Density: the Wood Database, at 12% moisture.
How do softwood logs compare with hardwood?
HETAS says the energy in a kilogram of hardwood and softwood is very similar, and the defining difference is density. A softwood log weighs less than a hardwood log of the same size, so it holds less heat and burns down sooner. Forest Research adds that softwoods are easier to light and burn more quickly.
| Wood | Density (kg/m³ at 12% moisture) |
|---|---|
| Beech | 710 |
| Oak | 675 |
| Scots pine | 550 |
| Douglas fir | 510 |
| Norway spruce | 405 |
Densities from the Wood Database for solid wood. Logs in a bag have air gaps, so a bag weighs less than these figures suggest.
Is softwood bad for my chimney?
Not if it's dry. Burnright, a campaign run by chimney sweeps, lists "burning pine or softwoods is bad for the chimney" as a myth: it says all wood is bad for the chimney if it's wet or not burned hot enough. HETAS puts creosote build-up down to wet wood, a flue that's too large for the stove, and missed sweeps, and says to burn wood below 20% moisture with enough air to burn hot.
Some older council leaflets, such as Hyndburn Council's firewood guide, say pine leaves an oily soot. The answer is the same either way: dry softwood properly, burn it hot, and keep the chimney swept. See how often to sweep your chimney.
Does softwood spit?
It can, especially if it isn't fully dry. Hyndburn Council says conifers tend to spit when fresh, and a community energy leaflet says spitting woods are fine in a wood burning or multi-fuel stove but shouldn't go on an open fire. On an open fire, use a fireguard, as West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue advises.
What's in our softwood bag?
Kiln dried pine and Douglas fir, dried below 20% moisture, in an 80 × 80 × 80 cm tonne bag for £95. Prices correct as of 21 October 2026.
When is softwood the right choice?
- Quick fires: it catches fast and throws out heat soon after lighting.
- Lighting: a few softwood logs get the stove hot before you add hardwood.
- Budget: a bag costs less, though it holds less heat than a bag of hardwood. See the cost of running a log burner.
- Mixing: start with softwood, then add hardwood for a longer burn. See hardwood vs softwood logs.
How do I burn softwood well?
- Light it from the top down. See how to light a log burner.
- Add a few logs at a time, more often than with hardwood.
- Don't shut the air down to make it last. Burnright says slumbering clogs the chimney.
- Keep the chimney swept.
Questions
Is softwood cheaper to burn than hardwood?
Cheaper per bag, but a bag holds less heat, so per kWh it works out about the same or a little more. See the cost of running a log burner.
Is Douglas fir good firewood?
Yes, when dry. It's lighter than most hardwoods, so it lights easily and burns faster.
Can I burn softwood in a multi-fuel stove?
Yes. Burn it on a bed of ash, as you would any logs.
Can I burn softwood on an open fire?
Yes, outside a smoke control area, with a fireguard, as softwood can spit.
More in our guide to the best wood to burn.
Logs for this guide
Kiln dried below 20% moisture and ready to burn. Add a bag to your cart, then check out as normal.
Free delivery within 40 miles of our yard
On orders over £75, on weekdays, usually within 24 to 48 hours. Or collect from Farrahs Saw Mill in Keighley.
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Call 07435 515639