Perhaps you have seen kiln dried logs for sale and you have wondered if is it worth buying kiln dried logs? You are not alone. Many people think so. When you are about to buy wood fuel for your pizza oven, outdoor chiminea, wood burner, or campfire; one thing that comes to your mind is that the wood must contain moisture below 20% for burning.
There are two options for firewood with less than 20% moisture content seasoned and kiln dried logs. Kiln dried logs burn in an incredibly efficient way and produce more heat and less mess. For indoor fires and wood-burning stoves kiln dried logs is the perfect one for a consistent fire.
If you want to know more about kiln dried wood then this guide is for you. here, in this article, we are going to wrap up what types of wood is kiln dried hardwood, why you should use kiln dried oak logs, 5 things you must know before buying kiln dried oak logs, and how long kiln dried logs burn for.
Table of Contents
What types of wood is kiln dried hardwood?
When producing kiln dried logs for firewood then hardwood species are used. There are mainly five types of hardwoods that are used to produce kiln dried logs such as oak, birch, ash, beech, and sycamore.
Among all oak is a very dense species of wood which means the logs of oak can take longer than other hardwood types to build up to the appropriate temperature. Also, it creates a lot of heat; more than the other varieties. Hardwood logs will keep your fire burning for a longer time.
Moreover, if you use kiln dries oak logs as your firewood then you will be greeted with a beautiful aroma when it burns.
The term kiln dried means that the logs are dried using a kiln before it being offered to you for sale. A kiln is a giant oven that dries up the logs in a controlled manner. It assures the ideal moisture containing. Kiln dried wood is the category of wood whose moisture level is controlled and reduced through the process of “kiln drying”.
Why you should use kiln dried Oak logs?
For internal use, kiln dries oak logs are the perfect choice as their low moisture content suits the lower humidity of the environment.
Most people know oak logs are used to produce high-quality furniture. The reason behind this is that the oak log is extraordinarily strong because of is highly dense. The oak logs have antifungal qualities too.
Many people prefer oak logs as kiln-dried firewood as the oak logs burn for a longer time. It produces more heat and less mess. During burning the oak logs reaches to considerably high temperature. Because of these properties, the kiln dries oak logs also used in commercial pizza ovens.
Now the kiln dries oak logs are available in online stores and this makes buying kiln dried oak logs accessible and easy for a lot of people.
Oak logs are also perfect for small wood burners. Oak produces a high flame initially but in some time the flame reduces to a small flame.
How do oak logs burn:
- Burns slowly and burn for a longer time.
- Burn for a longer time than ash, birch, and sycamore.
- Gives off a small flame
- Produces a long-lasting heat
- While burning, it greets with a beautiful aroma
- It doesn’t produce smoke
5 things to know before buying kiln dried Oak logs?
If you are trying to buy kiln dried oak logs then you must consider some factors. Here are 5 things that you can consider to make the perfect choice for you.
#1. Moisture content is very much important:
When buying firewood, you must ensure that you only burn hardwood that has a moisture content of less than 20%. Burning wet wood is not good for the environment and also not for your appliances because wet wood will produce more smoke, ash, and pollutant to the environment.
If you purchase wet wood at a cheaper rate then you must kiln dry it before it is burned. If you need some firewood that can immediately burn then you must look for kiln dried oak logs. Kiln dried wood is more efficient to produce consistent heat and flame.
There are various ways to check the level of moisture content in your firewood. You can carry out some of these when you are inspecting the kiln dried wood.
- Be clean
- Be hard
- No smell of mould
- Be dry
- Be light in color
- Not having much bark
- Visible growth rings
If you have found the kiln dried oak logs that tick every box from the list then you probably found the best logs that are ready for burning.
#2. Weights can be misleading:
Generally, firewood companies try to sell kiln dried wood by volume instead of weight. When the oak logs are cut they may contain 60% moisture that carries a lot of weight. The firewood needs to lose a lot of water and must have a moisture content below 20%.
After going through the kiln drying procedure, the wood becomes ready to be used as firewood. Commonly, the drier the wood lesser the price, so you need to compare the price of weight.
#3. The packaging can be damaging the wood:
Smaller quantity firewood is generally sold in two ways-plastic bags or plastic nets. If the kiln dries oak logs are kept in plastic bags for a longer period then it can be harmful to the wood. The wood may sweat and can get mouldy. It remains not in good quality for burning.
We all know that plastic nets can cause devastation when not properly disposed of. So you can look for recycled cardboard packages that come with proper tape to seal the wood logs.
#4. Most wood sold in Britain is not from the British:
Most kiln-dried oak logs sold in Britain are from Eastern Europe because it is significantly cheaper than the wood grown in the British. The quality of European wood is comparable to UK wood but it takes a long way to reach in Britain.
So, it will come with a lot of transportation costs. While buying, you must be conscious of the price of the wood.
#5. Buying in bulk is a wiser step:
If you can buy firewood in bulk then it will be cheaper than in smaller quantities. So, if you have a large, and easily accessible log store then you must look for bulk purchasing.
But if you don’t have enough space then you can look for a space to store them. The space must be dry, and well-ventilated; the wood won’t get rained on.
But, some people prefer to buy manageable quantities so that they can space the wood. Another consideration while buying in bulk is that some work is needed for unloading the wood from the pallet and taking it into the log store. Then you need to put effort to bring the logs into your home.
FAQ:
How long do Kiln dried logs burn?
Ans: Kiln dried logs burn for a longer time with moderate flame. Studies have sowed that kiln logs will burn for 2 to 3 hours. But, there are so many factors that affect burn time. So, the burn time may vary depending upon some circumstances.
How long do kiln dried logs take to dry?
Ans: kiln drying is a process where the logs take 60 hours to a week to be dried. Kiln drying is a quite faster version than natural drying which takes 18 months to 3 years to dry the logs with moisture containing 10-20 %.
Conclusion:
Kiln dried logs are the best ones to perform well. As the logs are kiln dried, they will light without problems, provide high heat output, and burn excellently. As the logs will be burning cleanly, your stove gas should not go black and may not cause tarring inside the flue.
Kiln dried logs contain less moisture meaning a much hotter burn, and you are burning a completely natural product. With the increase in online suppliers, kiln dried logs are much available in the UK.
