What Is Ready To Burn?

As the demand for sustainable heating solutions increases, many households are turning to wood-burning stoves and fireplaces. However, the type of wood used can significantly impact both efficiency and environmental footprint.

‘Ready to burn’ refers to wood that has been correctly seasoned and dried to a moisture content of 20% or less. This process ensures that the wood burns more efficiently and cleanly, reducing the release of harmful pollutants into the atmosphere.

So why should I buy ready to burn?

Wood that has been certified as ready to burn typically has a higher cost due to the additional time and energy spent in order to meet the certification standards. However, burning appropriately seasoned wood is the better option for many reasons:

Reduced smoke and pollution

Wood with a moisture content of 20% or less burns hotter and more efficiently, producing more heat and less smoke. Lower moisture content means fewer particulates and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released during combustion, leading to cleaner air.

Efficiency

‘Ready to burn’ wood maximizes the heat output of a stove or fireplace, providing better value for money. This is because less energy is used to evaporate moisture that would otherwise be in under-seasoned logs.

Reduced Handling & Space Saving

Buying a load of kiln dried logs eliminates all of the time processing the logs that would be otherwise spent. For example, buying unseasoned logs would require splitting, stacking and many months of seasoning. This process also requires a good degree of foresight to ensure enough wood is ready when you need it. Households with limited space would have difficulty storing enough seasoning wood to ensure a constant supply.

Where can I find the cheapest ready to burn wood?

Firewood prices are seasonal, meaning the best time to buy is typically in summer when you won't be burning the logs to heat your home. Suppliers will also have sales and price drops throughout the year that could mean an even better bargain.

We've built a price monitoring system that sends email alerts that remind you to buy at the right time. Whether this is when the seasonal prices start to rise, or if a supplier drops their prices. Subscribe here to ensure you always high-quality firewood at the lowest prices - it's free.

To see today's lowest prices for different types of firewood, click here.