Fuel - Dean Forge Stoves

Fuel

All stoves will burn kiln dried wood, peat and wood pulp briquets. Stoves fitted with multi-fuel grates will burn all types of smokeless fuel recommended for enclosed appliances. Dean Forge customers can be confident that the wood fuel being sold has a moisture content of less than 20% and is ready for immediate use. By looking for the Ready to Burn logo, supplier’s name, and unique Ready to Burn certification number you can be assured that the wood meets these requirements.

As with all wood burning stoves the wood you burn must have a moisture content of less than 20%. It is imperative the wood you use should have at least one year’s air drying in a covered position before use on any stove.

WHAT IS THE BEST SORT OF WOOD TO BURN ON YOUR WOODBURNING STOVE?

There are a myriad of wood types to choose from, all of which have their own burning qualities and properties and although there are references to burning green wood in this guide, we would stress that for the most efficient and effective burn in your wood burning stove only very dry wood should be used. We have listed below a brief but by no means comprehensive guide. In addition there are of course the compressed reclaimed ‘eco’ type of logs and briquettes. Theses tend to burn well and for a decent length of time because they are dense and very dry, however try to choose a product that does not break apart too easily.

Alder	Poor	Produces poor heat output and it does not last well
Apple	Good	A very good wood that burns slow and steady when dry, it has small flame size, and does not produce sparking or spitting
Ash	V.Good	Reckoned by many to be one of best woods for burning. It produces a steady flame and good heat output. It can be burnt when green but like all woods, it burns best when dry
Beech	V.Good	Burns very much like ash, but does not burn well when green
Birch	Good	Produces good heat output but it does burn quickly. It can be burnt unseasoned, however the sap can cause deposits to form in the flue with prolonged use
Blackthorn	Good	Has a slow burn, with good heat production
Cedar	Good	Is a good burning wood that produces a consistent and long heat output. It burns with a small flame, but does tend to crackle and spit and the sap can cause deposits to form in the flue with prolonged use
Cherry	Good	Is a slow to burn wood that produces a good heat output. Cherry needs to be seasoned well
Chestnut	Poor	A poor burning wood that produces a small flame and poor heat output
Douglas Fir	Poor	A poor burning wood that produces a small flame and poor heat output and the sap can cause deposits to form in the flue with prolonged use
Elder	Poor	A poor burning wood that produces a small flame and poor heat output
Elm	Medium	Is a wood that can follow several burn patterns because of high moisture content, it should be dried for two years for best results. Elm is slow to get going and it may be necessary to use a better burning wood to start it off. Splitting of logs should be done early
Eucalyptus	Poor	Is a fast burning wood. The sap can cause deposits to form in the flue and can increase the risk of a chimney fire if burned unseasoned
Hawthorn	V.Good	Is a good traditional firewood that has a slow burn with good heat output
Hazel	Good	Is a good but fast burning wood and produces best results when allowed to season
Holly	Poor	Is a fast burning wood that produces good flame but poor heat output. Holly will burn green, but best dried for a minimum of a year
Hornbeam	Good	A good burning wood that burns similar to beech, slow burn with a good heat output
Horse Chestnut	Good	A good wood for burning in wood stoves but not for open fires as it does tend to spit a lot. It does however produce a good flame and heat output. Good (for Stoves)
Laburnum	V.Poor	A very smokey wood with a poor burn – Do not use.
Larch	Medium	Produces a reasonable heat output, but it needs to be well seasoned. The sap can cause deposits to form in the flue with prolonged use
Laurel	Medium	Burns with a good flame but only reasonable heat output. It needs to be well seasoned
Lilac	Good	Its smaller branches are good to use as kindling, the wood itself burns well with a good flame
Lime	Poor	Not a good wood for burning as it produces very little flame or heat output
Maple	Good	Is a good burning wood that produces good flame and heat output
Oak	Good	Because of its density, oak produces a small flame and very slow burn, it is best when seasoned for a minimum of two years as it is a wood that requires time to season well
Pear	Good	Burns well with good heat output, however it does need to be seasoned well
Pine Species	Good	(Including Leylandii) Burns with a good flame, but the resin sap can cause deposits to form in the flue and can increase the risk of a chimney fire must be well seasoned (with caution)
Plum	Good	A good burning wood that produces good heat output
Poplar	V.Poor	A very smokey wood with a poor burn
Rowan	V.Good	Is a good burning wood that has a slow burn with good heat output
Rhododendron	Good	The older and thick stems can burn well
Robinia (Acacia)	Good	Is a good burning wood that has a slow burn with good heat output. It does produce an acrid and dense smoke but this is of course not a problem in a stove
Spruce	Poor	Produces a poor heat output and it does not last well
Sycamore	Medium	Produces a good flame, but with only moderate heat output. Should only be used well-seasoned
Sweet Chestnut	Medium	The wood burns ok when well-seasoned but it does tend to spit a lot. This is of course not a problem in a stove
Thorn	V.Good	One of the best woods for burning. It produces a steady flame and very good heat output, and produces very little smoke
Walnut	Medium	Is a moderate to good burning wood
Willow	Poor	A poor fire wood that does not burn well even when seasoned
Yew	V.Good	A good burning wood as it has a slow burn, and produces a very good heat output

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