Firewood guides
Straight answers on buying, storing and burning logs, from our yard in Keighley.
- Comparison Oak vs Ash vs Beech: Which Firewood Is Best?All three are excellent, and per log they give similar heat because their densities are close: beech about 710 kg/m³, ash 680 and oak 675. The...
- Buying guide Hawthorn and Blackthorn FirewoodHawthorn and blackthorn both make good firewood. Hawthorn is very hard and dense, and the Woodland Trust says it has a reputation for burning at high...
- Buying guide Cherry, Apple and Other Fruitwoods as FirewoodFruitwoods make good firewood once they're well seasoned. Apple is very dense and burns slowly, cherry burns well with a sweetly scented smoke, and pear burns...
- Buying guide Sycamore Firewood: Is Sycamore Good to Burn?Sycamore is a good firewood. The Forestry Commission says it burns well when dry, though it isn't as dense as some other hardwoods, so each log...
- Buying guide Birch Firewood: Is Birch Good to Burn?Birch is a good firewood, and its bark makes excellent tinder. It's a little less dense than oak, ash and beech, so it burns faster, and...
- Buying guide Beech Firewood: Is Beech Good to Burn?Beech is a dense hardwood that splits easily and burns well, and the Forestry Commission says it makes excellent firewood. It's slightly denser than oak, so...
- Buying guide Ash Firewood: Can You Burn Ash Green?Ash is one of the best firewoods: dense, easy to split and quick to dry, and the Forestry Commission says it makes excellent fuelwood. It's famous...
- Buying guide Oak Firewood: Is Oak Good to Burn?Yes, oak is one of the best firewoods. It's dense, so each log holds a lot of heat and burns slowly, giving long-lasting warmth. The catch...
- Buying guide Wood You Should Never Burn (and What to Burn Instead)Never burn wood that's been treated, painted, varnished or glued, such as pallets, old furniture, fence panels, MDF, chipboard and railway sleepers. They give off toxic...
- Buying guide Willow, Poplar and the Worst FirewoodsThe worst firewoods are light, very wet when felled and slow to dry: poplar, willow, alder, horse chestnut and spruce. Weight for weight, dry wood gives...
- Buying guide Can You Burn Pine in a Log Burner?Yes. Dry pine burns well in a log burner. Burnright, a campaign run by chimney sweeps, says the idea that pine or softwood is bad for...
- Buying guide Softwood Logs: Pine and Douglas Fir Firewood ExplainedSoftwood 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...
- Buying guide Can You Burn Coal and Wood Together?Never in a wood-only stove: it has no grate, and HETAS says you can't put coal on a wood-burning stove. In a multi-fuel stove, advice differs....
- Buying guide Is House Coal Banned? The Rules in EnglandYes, for sale. Since 1 May 2023 it has been illegal to sell traditional house coal for use in homes in England. Bagged house coal went...
- Buying guide Smokeless Fuel Guide: Types, Rules and How to Burn ItSmokeless fuel is solid fuel that gives off very little smoke. It is either naturally smokeless anthracite or manufactured ovoids and briquettes, mostly made from anthracite...
- Buying guide Can You Burn Wood in a Smoke Control Area?Only in a Defra exempt stove. Wood isn't an authorised fuel, so in a smoke control area you can't burn logs on an open fire or...
- Buying guide Defra Exempt Stoves Explained: What It Means and How to CheckA Defra exempt stove has been tested and shown to burn a fuel such as wood within the smoke limits for smoke control areas, and is...
- Buying guide Am I in a Smoke Control Area? Council Maps for Yorkshire and LancashireThe quickest check is Defra's smoke control map, but Defra says its map is only a guide, so confirm with your council. Across our delivery area,...
- Buying guide Wood Burner Rules in Yorkshire and Lancashire (2026)There is no ban on wood burners in England in 2026, and no new rules have come in this year. The rules that matter are older:...
- How-to guide How to Start a Fire Without FirelightersYou can light a stove without firelighters using newspaper and plenty of dry kindling. HETAS suggests two tabloid sheets crumpled into a loose ball about the...
- Buying guide Kindling Guide: What to Use and How Much You NeedKindling is small, thin, dry wood that catches quickly and gets a stove hot enough for logs. The best kindling is dry softwood such as pine...
- Buying guide How to Use a Log Burner: A Simple GuideTo use a log burner well, burn dry wood at 20% moisture or less, light it from the top down with the air open, then turn...
- Checklist Log Burner Safety Checklist: 10 Checks for Your HomeA log burner is safe when it's installed properly, swept and serviced, and backed up by a working carbon monoxide alarm. Use this list once before...
Which bag should I order?
Answer two questions and we'll suggest a bag. You can always call us on 07435 515639.
Our suggestion
- Most popular
Can't find what you need? Call us and a real person at the yard will help.
Call 07435 515639