Is it dry

Is it dry? - This is the first question we are asked on most orders. Lets get into some essential info on seasoned wood verses fresh cut wood. Hopefully this will help you with the right questions to ask and ensure you get dry ready to burn wood delivered.

Is it seasoned?

When it comes to warmth fresh wood just doesn't burn right.
Fresh-cut wood has a high moisture content, which makes it hard to get burning. It also gives off more smoke.
Worse yet, fresh cut or unseasoned wood is a major contributor to creosote build-up in chimneys, which leads to chimney fires.
To keep your chimney cleaner and your home smelling less like a campfire, it is essential you buy and burn seasoned dry wood.
Aging of firewood (also called seasoning firewood or curing firewood) makes it lighter to carry, cleaner burning, easier to ignite, and safer for your chimney. Well seasoned and dry wood will test at a maximum moisture content of 20% and below. This is tested by splitting a piece of firewood and measuring the moisture on the inside face. Depending on wood type the ultimate method is to season wood in log form for a minimum of 1 year before then cutting, splitting and  storing in a well ventilated dry area with good airflow for a further 6-12 months. Good things take time and properly seasoned wood is at least a 2 year process.

How do I know the wood has been seasoned?

  1. Appearance – it should be pale in colour with some visible cracks, while the bark should easily come loose.
  2. Weight – without its moisture content, seasoned wood should feel light in weight.
  3. Sound – when you tap two of the logs together, it should make more of a clear knocking sound than the dull thud of green wood.

You can also buy a moisture meter to test the water content of the wood more scientifically. To use one of these, take a couple of readings from a sample of logs and if you are wanting to burn the wood immediately make sure they are ideally below 20% moisture. If you are buying wood out of season and have a 3-5 months lead-time before burning it we recommend 30% as the absolute maximum moisture content to ensure it is dry for winter.

Why do we sell out of "dry wood" every winter?

If you are getting wood delivered by us from March onwards it will be dry and ready to burn. Our wood is stored for a minimum of 12 months and sometimes up to 2-3 years for gum before we split and process the wood. We then store it in our custom drying shed and load it by hand to ensure your delivery contains dry ready to burn chunks of clean firewood.