What's the best wood to burn?

When you're choosing your wood, the most important thing to be sure of is that it's dry and seasoned! Wood needs to dry for at least six months to as much as two years before all the sap has dried out of it and it will give a good fire. If you try burning wet, green timber, you will be disappointed and cold! 

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Good old English hardwoods, like oak, ash, hawthorn, birch and beech, are best to burn. You will also find lots of sweet chestnut in Kent and Sussex. This wood is very good for woodburners, but not for open fires, because of its tendency to “spit”.

 

Conifers, like Leylandii, burn very hot, but are not good to burn in large quantities because they can create thick build-ups of creosote in chimney linings which is hard to remove.

 

Buy your wood from local sellers - it keeps local businesses going and helps make sure our fantastic countryside is looked after.  And it's good for the environment because you're cutting down on fossil fuels like gas and coal.