What You Should (and Shouldn’t) Burn in Your Woodburner

Choosing the right firewood is vital. This guide explains what to burn in a woodburner, what to avoid, and how fuel choice impacts efficiency, safety, and stove lifespan.

Introduction: Why Fuel Choice Matters

When it comes to burning fuel in your stove, it might seem simple — find wood, light it, enjoy the heat. But anyone who has tossed damp logs, treated timber, or the wrong species into their fire will know the results: spitting embers, acrid smoke, poor heat, and a sooty chimney.

Choosing the right fuel isn’t just about getting more warmth from your stove. It affects safety, air quality, stove longevity, and even legal compliance if you live in a Smoke Control Area. In this post, we’ll explain exactly what you should burn in your woodburner, what to avoid, and how to get the most from your firewood.

 

 

The Golden Rule: Burn Only Clean, Dry Wood

The most important rule for anyone wondering what to burn in a woodburner is this: use clean, dry wood. “Dry” means logs with a moisture content of 20% or less. Anything wetter will smoulder, release tar and creosote, and clog up your chimney while wasting heat.

  • Seasoned wood: Naturally air-dried for 12–24 months, depending on species.
  • Kiln-dried wood: Dried in controlled conditions, giving consistently low moisture and a reliable burn.
  • Ready to Burn scheme: In the UK, look for Woodsure’s certification as proof your fuel meets legal moisture standards.

A useful rule of thumb is to buy this year’s wood for next year. Well-seasoned logs are darker on the outside, brittle to the touch, and often cracked at the ends. Split a log and the inside should look bone white and dry, not freshly cut or damp.

The Best Woods to Burn in Your Stove

Different species burn in very different ways. Some are slow and steady with excellent heat, others flare up quickly but vanish in minutes. Here’s a breakdown of what you should burn in your woodburner if you want to enjoy efficient, clean heat.

Hardwoods vs Softwoods

  • Hardwoods (oak, ash, beech, hornbeam) are dense, burn longer, and give excellent heat output.
  • Softwoods (pine, spruce, larch) light quickly and are perfect for kindling, but burn through faster.

 

Best Performing Woods (Green Zone ✅)

  • Ash: Often considered the best firewood. Excellent heat and flame, burns well even when not fully seasoned.
  • Oak: Dense and long-burning. Needs proper seasoning but offers steady heat and little smoke once dry.
  • Thorn: Slow-burning, great heat, minimal smoke.
  • Apple, Cherry, Pear, Plum: Steady burn, good heat, and wonderful aromas.
  • Hornbeam: Comparable to beech with excellent heat.

 

Good but with Caveats (Orange Zone ⚠️)

  • Beech: Good heat but throws embers.
  • Birch: Burns quickly with a lovely scent — best mixed with denser logs.
  • Holly: Burns green but better when seasoned.
  • Cedar: Great scent and heat, little flame.
  • Larch & Pine: Crackly, resinous, can spit — best in moderation.
  • Sycamore & Maple: Moderate heat, good flame when dry.

 

Woods to Avoid (Red Zone ❌)

  • Laburnum: Poisonous, acrid smoke, dangerous.
  • Elder: Smoky, little heat.
  • Elm: Needs two years seasoning, still smoky.
  • Poplar & Lime: Dull flame, poor heat.
  • Willow: Little flame, prone to sparking.
  • Spruce: Burns too quickly, creates sparks.

👉 For quick reference, imagine your logs labelled like traffic lights: green = excellent, orange = adequate with care, red = avoid.

Alternative Fuels for Woodburners

Logs aren’t your only option. If you’re thinking about what to burn in your woodburner beyond traditional firewood, consider these alternatives:

  • Eco briquettes: Compressed sawdust blocks with low moisture. High heat, consistent burn, and easy to store.
  • Smokeless fuels: For multi-fuel stoves, certain approved coals and briquettes are DEFRA-exempt.
  • Pellets: Only for pellet stoves, not traditional woodburners.
  • Offcuts and waste wood: Fine if untreated and properly seasoned.

These can be excellent supplements, especially if you want consistent performance or easy storage.

Helpful Links

What You Should Never Burn in a Woodburner

Equally important is knowing what you shouldn’t burn in your woodburner. Some fuels are dangerous, others simply inefficient.

  • Treated or painted wood: Releases toxic fumes (arsenic, lead, formaldehyde).
  • Plywood, chipboard, MDF: Glues and resins give off harmful smoke.
  • Household waste: Plastics, packaging, glossy papers — toxic and damaging.
  • Coal in wood-only stoves: Produces sulphur-based smoke, damages grates.
  • Wet garden waste: Smoky, low heat, creosote build-up.
  • Driftwood: Salt corrodes your stove and flue.
  • Problematic species: Laburnum (toxic), Elm (too smoky), Elder (little heat).

Burning the wrong fuel can shorten stove life, damage your chimney liner, or even invalidate your warranty.

The Risks of Burning the Wrong Fuel

If you’re still tempted to throw “any old wood” on the fire, here’s what can happen:

  • Poor efficiency: Damp logs waste energy boiling off water instead of producing heat.
  • Chimney fires: Creosote and tar build up quickly when burning wet or unsuitable fuel.
  • Stove damage: Corrosion from salts, warping from extreme burns.
  • Health risks: Toxic fumes harm indoor air quality.
  • Legal trouble: Non-compliant fuels can breach DEFRA rules in Smoke Control Areas.

In short, what you burn in a woodburner directly affects safety, costs, and comfort.

 

 

Tips for Storing and Using Firewood

Even the best logs won’t perform if stored poorly. Follow these tips to make sure you’re always burning the right fuel:

  • Store logs off the ground in a ventilated log store with a roof.
  • Stack loosely so air can circulate.
  • Use a moisture meter to check logs before burning.
  • Mix woods for best results: oak for overnight heat, birch for quick flame, cherry for aroma.
  • Avoid chemical firelighters — use natural alternatives or kindling.

Common Myths About Firewood

  • “All wood burns the same” – False. Moisture and density make all the difference.
  • “Softwood is useless” – Wrong. It’s excellent for kindling and quick heat.
  • “Burning rubbish saves money” – Short-term only. It ruins stoves and can risk your health.
  • “Woodburners are banned” – Not true. Modern EcoDesign stoves are here to stay.

 

So, what should you burn in a woodburner? The answer is simple: clean, dry hardwoods such as ash, oak, or fruitwoods, occasionally mixed with softer species for character. What you shouldn’t burn in a woodburner is equally clear: damp logs, treated timber, and smoky or toxic species that risk your health and stove.

Choosing the right fuel not only gives you a warmer, more efficient fire, but also keeps your stove in peak condition for years to come.

👉 Have you ever tried kiln-dried logs, briquettes, or unusual species like cherry or cedar? What’s your favourite wood to burn? Share your experiences in the comments below — we’d love to hear from you.

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Reece Toscani

Reece has over two decades in the fireplace and stove world — testing, reviewing, and occasionally getting covered in soot, all in the name of wood-fired home heating. He cuts through the nonsense, busts the myths, and shares straight-talking advice to help you enjoy your stove without the confusion. From Fireplace Products to Redefining Woodburners, if it burns wood, he’s probably tested it, fixed it, or argued about it. Now, through Woodburner Insights, he shares that experience with the world — both here and on YouTube.

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