What is the best type of wood you have used with your stove?

[Steven P]

To the thread header:

On 10/01/2025 at 08:36, BillQ said:

it's free and plentiful here

 

That always makes the best firewood!

 

 

"Boiled his central heating" - the hottest fire I've had this season was with 'fresh' (standing dead wood felled about 2 months ago) - softwood so constantly feeding the fire, it threw out some heat... but had to stand on the stove to keep feeding it. Beech I've got on now will burn an hour or so but the fire isn't nearly that hot. Cannot remember if the day I got the stove glowing red whether it was wood or coal in the days I only had softwoods (Spruce I think)

[Rob_the_Sparky]

For the fast burning woods, try leaving it in bigger chunks when you split it.  That way there is less surface area so it burns more slowly.  I.e. lasts longer and does not get so stupid hot.

[Peasgood]

That's all very well but then the missus can't light it. 

(I'm sure your response to that would be well meaning but it would be a waste of breath, believe me I have tried)

[Stubby]

9 hours ago, Rob_the_Sparky said:

For the fast burning woods, try leaving it in bigger chunks when you split it.  That way there is less surface area so it burns more slowly.  I.e. lasts longer and does not get so stupid hot.

I agree the bigger the lump the slower it burns ( in relative terms for a given species ) but a bigger lump has more surface area than a smaller lump , surely . 

[Alan Smith]

He really means surface area to volume ratio. Like elephants vs shrews and metabolic rates!

[Stubby]

3 minutes ago, Alan Smith said:

He really means surface area to volume ratio. Like elephants vs shrews and metabolic rates!

 

 

Well why didn't he say so then ! 😁

[Rob_the_Sparky]

Because I'm crap sometimes

[Rob_the_Sparky]

Just now, Rob_the_Sparky said:

Because I'm crap sometimes

I was also thinking same amount of wood in one big piece versus two smaller ones but again didn't say that either!  I.e. put just one big lump on rather than two smaller ones...