Why Kiln dried is better for your fire

Why Kiln Dried instead of Seasoned? All Stove Manufacturers recommend Kiln
Dried Firewood for burning versus Seasoned wood. This is because the consistency of Seasoned wood isn’t reliable.

Lots of firewood producers will tell you they have very dry wood and it has been
seasoned for 6 months or more, but when you burn it, it smoulders in the fire and
blackens the glass. It hasn’t been truly dried all the way through to the centre of the
log and tested correctly for moisture content.

Firewood needs to be low in moisture to burn well and to produce maximum heat.
High heat will reduce the build up of unwanted deposits of soot, creosote or ash in
the chimney flue. Wood that has a high moisture content produces water vapour
and gives a low heat which is too low to burn sap from the wood. This causes a
build-up in the Stove, causing the glass to blacken and tar build up in the flue,
affecting the performance of the stove, fire and chimney flue.

At Surefire Wood, our Kiln Dried logs and kindling are certified Woodsure ‘Ready to
Burn’. They are guaranteed below 12% moisture content for Kindling and 20% for
Logs, which makes them ideal for burning in wood-burning stoves, open fires and firepits as they catch alight easily and burn for a long time with a high heat.

What is the process of kiln drying firewood and why are they more sought-
after than seasoned logs?

All our firewood is seasoned for at least six months, we then use industrial kilns that
are specifically designed for drying firewood. Our kilns have a large chamber where
the firewood is loaded, heat is then introduced via piping that ensures air is
circulated evenly within the space. The kilns operate at a temperature of 80
degrees. The firewood is checked to ensure moisture content is below 20%. It is
then removed from the kiln and stacked ready for packaging. As we season our
firewood before kiln drying it saves drying time and ultimately the consumer money.

With kiln dried firewood you get a product that is reliable and consistent. After the
drying process is complete, the firewood is not exposed to any dampness. The
packaging, transport and delivery process that follows the drying also ensures the
firewood is not open to any environment that will impact its quality. Kiln dried
firewood will give you hours of heat in your wood burning stove, open fire or fire pit.