Best Firewood to Burn UK Chart | BTUs, Seasoning Time, Heat Output, Burn Time

Despite what many wood heating novices think, not all firewood logs are created equal. Ask any wood heating expert, and they'll tell you that selecting the right type of firewood logs makes all the difference in home heating. Understanding which types of logs work best for your stove can help you save time, money, chimney sweep visits, and even reduce the environmental impact of your heating.  

In order to help you make the right decision, we've created this article. It contains the collective knowledge of over a dozen Lekto Woodfuels experts. Read on to find out about your best options for firewood in the UK.

What Is the Best Firewood to Burn in the UK?

According to wood fuel experts, kiln-dried hardwood logs are the best types of logs to burn. The most popular hardwood logs on the market today are kiln-dried oak, birch, and ash.

So what makes hardwood logs so good?

As any expert will tell you, hardwood logs tend to produce more heat and burn longer than softer woods. They also typically have a longer burn time, don't contain any sap, produce little smoke when burned, and leave very little ash behind.

Another important factor is moisture content (read our blog post on the subject). To choose the best firewood, look for options that are kiln-dried to ensure a moisture content below 20% (read more about kiln-drying). Burning wet wood is always a bad idea as it produces harmful smoke (including cancerogenic creosote), burns inefficiently, and gives off less heat.

What Is the Best Firewood to Burn For Efficiency?

If you're looking for kiln-dried logs that are the most efficient, choose hardwoods like oak, birch, and ash. When properly kiln-dried, these species are among the best firewood choices due to their high heat output, low ash production, and long burn time.

Best Firewood to Burn Chart UK

The following chart contains the most popular firewood types with essential characteristics. These are their heat output (measured in BTUs per cord), burn time, and average seasoning time (check out our FAQ on firewood to learn more). These factors have the biggest impact on how well the wood will perform in a fireplace or wood stove.

Properties of Different Firewood Log Species

Each type of firewood has its own different properties and characteristics, which are not always clear when looking at data in a chart. Listed below is the digested Cliffs Notes version of their main properties.

What Are the Burning Properties of Oak Logs?

Oak is one of the densest hardwood tree species. As a result, produces a very high amount of heat and has a far longer burn time than most tree species. This makes oak ideal for cold winters.

Is Oak Easy to Season in the UK?

As a result of its high density, oak is very hard to air dry oak properly in most British climes. This means you're better off choosing kiln-dried oak logs over seasoned oak logs.

Learn more about oak by reading our article about oak firewood logs.

What Are the Burning Properties of Ash Logs?

Ash is the most popular and commonly recommended wood heating fuel type in the UK. Second only to oak, ash has a very high burning temperature and long burn time. On top of this, ash is very easy to light, which makes it suitable for novices who might struggle with lighting oak.

Want to learn more about ash? Read our expert-written article about ash logs.

What Are the Burning Properties of Birch Logs?

Birch firewood logs are super easy to light, aesthetically pleasing, burn beautifully, and even produce a pleasant aroma when burned. This makes them incredibly popular with people in the UK. This being said, birch logs don't burn as long or as hot as oak or ash.

Curious about birch logs? Read our article about the topic.

What Are the Burning Properties of Pine Logs?

Being a softwood tree species, pine isn't a good choice for firewood. It burns out quickly and produces very little heat. Pine also contains a lot of sap, which makes it smoke a lot when burned. Its main pluses are its low price and ease of lighting, which makes it a prime choice for kiln-dried wood kindling.

What Are the Burning Properties of Maple Logs

Maple is a hardwood tree species that is known to provide steady heat and a moderate burn time, making it a decent option in certain parts of the world. In the UK, maple logs are relatively expensive, which makes them less popular than better-performing ash or oak.

What Are the Burning Properties of Cherry Logs?

Cherry logs produce moderate heat and emanate a pleasing scent when burned. This makes them a semi-popular choice for occasional use. For daily heating, you'll get a lot more value from ash or oak firewood logs.

Find out more about cherry logs in our expert-written article about cherry logs.

Firewood Seasoning Time Chart (Air-Drying, UK Climate)

Seasoning is the process of drying firewood to reduce its moisture content. The purpose of drying is to improve its burning efficiency, make it easier to light, and reduce the production of harmful smoke compounds (including creosote). According to DEFRA, firewood logs with a moisture content under 20% burn cleaner, hotter, more efficiently, and reduce creosote buildup in your chimney. This is why they use this figure as the bases for their Ready to Burn wood fuel quality standard.

When kiln-drying, this isn't a problem, as kiln-dried firewood logs can easily reach moisture levels of under 11%. When air-drying, reaching 20% can be difficult. The seasoning times vary by wood type and environmental factors, so here’s an estimated time range for air-drying in the UK.

UK Firewood Seasoning Time Lenght Chart (UK Climate)

How Long Does Firewood Need to Season in the UK?

Most common hardwood logs—such as oak, birch, and ash—require 12-24 months to season in UK climes. Softwood logs, such as fir and pine, may require as little as 6-12 months to season. The exact seasoning times will depend on what part of the country you're in and what time of the year you start the seasoning process.

Hardwoods vs. Softwoods: What Makes For Better Firewood Logs

Lekto Woodfuel experts are often asked whether hardwood or softwood is better for firewood logs. In general, hardwood logs are by far the best choice for firewood logs. Hardwoods—such as birch, oak, and ash—grow slower and are far more dense than softwood. This allows them to burn longer and produce more heat. In contrast, softwoods—like pine are less dense, burn out faster, and tend to produce more smoke due to their high sap content.

Hardwood vs Softwood Logs Chart

For heating purposes, especially in wood stoves, hardwoods are generally preferred. However, softwoods are useful for kindling as they are very easy to light and transfer the heat stored in them quickly.

Is Hardwood or Softwood Better for Fireplaces?

Hardwoods like oak, birch, and ash tend to burn longer and hotter. This makes them ideal for heating your home during the winter. Softwoods like pine and fir do not make for good firewood and are best used as kindling.

Top 5 Woods for Open Fires and Wood Stoves in the UK

Listed below are the top 5 tree species to use for firewood logs in the United Kingdom:

1. Kiln-Dried Ash Logs. By far the UK's most popular and commonly recommended firewood type, ash is known for its steady heat output, long burn time, and being very easy light.
2. Kiln-Dried Oak Logs. Oak is the longest-burning, highest-heating wood heating fuel on the market today. This makes it a fantastic choice for heating your home during the cold winter months.
3. Kiln-Dried Birch Logs. Birch logs are easy to logs, give off a good amount of heat, and emanate a pleasant aroma when burned. They have a shorter burn time compared to oak and ash, but are still a fantastic choice that most people will love.
4. Kiln-Dried Maple Logs. Maple logs can burn cleanly, have a decent heat output, and moderate burn duration. It’s a versatile choice for log burners and fireplaces in North America but is too expensive for use in the UK.
5. Kiln-Dried Cherry Logs. Cherry wood has a moderate heat output and a fragrant aroma that many people will enjoy. It has good aesthetic qualities and a consistent burn making it a popular choice for open fires. This being said, cherry is better reserved for special occasions due to its high price.

What Is the Best Wood to Burn in a Log Burner?

Ash, oak, birch, maple, and cherry are the top 3 choices for wood burners. Each of these have a good balance of heat output and burn time. Ash is the UK's most popular and versatile firewood log that is perfect for beginners. Oak is the longest-burning, hottest heating premium option. And birch logs are less expensive than both of the above and are super easy to light.

Frequently Asked Questions About Firewood Logs

What Is the Hottest Burning Wood Log in the UK?

Kiln-Dried Oak is the hottest-burning commonly-available firewood log type in the UK. Ash and birch are good alternatives for people who find oak too difficult to light.

Can I Burn Unseasoned Wood?

No, according to the UK's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs's Guide to Open Fires and Wood Burning Stoves, unseasoned wood creates smoke and harmful particulates when burned and can cause damage to your wood-burning appliance.

Which Firewood Has the Longest Burn Time?

Dense hardwoods like oak and ash have the longest burn times. You can expect 60-90 minutes of stable and consistent heat from them. This is far more than other firewood logs.

This being said, modern wood briquettes can burn for far longer. For example, Fire Logs can burn for up to 3 hours and Night Briquettes can burn for up to 8 hours.

For those in the UK looking for reliable, high-quality firewood, Lekto Woodfuels offers a range of seasoned hardwoods and innovative briquettes that meet all your heating needs.

Curious about who we are? Read everything you need to know about Lekto Woodfuels, the UK's most trusted wood fuel supplier with over 23,000 positive Trustpilot reviews.