Question 1

Are air-dried logs as dry as kiln-dried?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our logs are as dry as, if not drier than, many kiln-dried logs.

Our logs are split and tested through the middle with a moisture meter to ensure that they contain less than 20% moisture. At certain times of year, they can be around 16% moisture, which is close to the ambient moisture level for wood stored in a shed during a Cumbrian winter.

Without kiln drying the logs below this level and then sealing them to prevent them from reabsorbing moisture, they could not remain significantly drier.
This allows us to guarantee that our logs will burn well, provide maximum useful heat and help reduce deposits inside your stove and flue.

Question 2

Why has kiln-dried firewood become so popular?

Accepted Answer

Customers are often advised to buy kiln-dried logs by their stove supplier.

This is understandable, as stove installers do not want customers to have a bad experience with a new stove because they have burned wet logs and then concluded that the stove itself is not working properly.

The important thing, however, is that the logs are genuinely dry. Properly seasoned, naturally air-dried logs containing less than 20% moisture will burn just as effectively.

Question 3

Why do suppliers kiln-dry logs rather than air-drying them?

Accepted Answer

Kiln drying allows suppliers to process timber and sell it much more quickly.

Instead of buying timber well in advance and giving it sufficient time to dry naturally, they can potentially sell the finished logs before they have even paid the original timber supplier.

This can make good business sense and greatly improve cash flow, but it offers no particular benefit to the customer when properly seasoned, naturally air-dried firewood is already available.

We believe that money is better invested in buying timber well in advance and providing suitable covered, well-ventilated storage in which it can dry naturally.

Question 4

Are kiln-dried logs better for a wood-burning stove?

Accepted Answer

The stove needs properly dry logs; it does not specifically require logs dried in a kiln.

Question 5

Does kiln drying use additional energy?

Accepted Answer

The kilns used to dry firewood are generally heated by burning wood. This is preferable to using oil or another fossil fuel, but it still requires additional fuel and energy that would not be needed with an effective natural air-drying system.

Some kiln operators also receive payments through the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive for the heat they generate and use.

Kiln-dried logs can then be sold to the customer as a higher-priced premium product. We do not believe this additional process is necessary when the logs have already been naturally dried to less than 20% moisture.

Question 6

What are the concerns around imported firewood?

Accepted Answer

A significant quantity of kiln-dried firewood sold in the UK is imported, often after travelling considerable distances.

With imported firewood, it can be more difficult to establish:
- where the timber originated;
- whether it came from sustainably managed woodland;
- the conditions in which it was processed;
- what fuel was used to operate the kilns;
- and how far it travelled before reaching the customer.

There is also a risk of importing plant pests and diseases with timber products. Kiln treatment is sometimes required specifically to help imported timber comply with regulations relating to pests and diseases, but we prefer to source and process timber much closer to home wherever possible.

Question 7

Can kiln-dried logs still be wet in the middle?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If kiln drying is not carried out as a carefully controlled process, logs may not dry consistently.

If logs are heated too quickly, the outer layers can dry and the cells may collapse or harden before moisture has escaped from the centre. This can make the outside of a log appear dry while the core still contains considerably more moisture.

That is why we split sample logs and test the freshly exposed centre rather than simply measuring the outside.

Question 8

Can excessive kiln heat affect the way logs burn?

Accepted Answer

Artificially high temperatures may drive off some of the volatile compounds and gases naturally released from wood as it burns.

These gases are burned during secondary combustion, sometimes referred to as gasification. This is one of the most efficient stages of combustion and produces a substantial amount of the heat.

The kiln-drying process therefore needs to be carefully controlled rather than simply exposing the timber to as much heat as possible.

Question 9

Is blowing hot air into a shed the same as using a proper kiln?

Accepted Answer

No. Some suppliers simply close a large shed and blow hot air into it.

This is not the same as using a purpose-built and carefully controlled drying kiln. It can be inefficient and may waste a great deal of heat as warm air escapes through the building.

Managing the process properly and efficiently requires a specially designed kiln with controlled airflow, temperature and moisture monitoring.

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