Log Suppliers – Making Your Choice

There are a number of things you need to consider and ask if you are planning to buy your wood logs from a supplier.

• Price – does it include delivery.
• Size of logs (will they fit in your stove). You really don’t want to have to re-split it all yourself.
• Green or seasoned (green will be cheaper but you will need to store them and dry them yourself to get the best results from your wood – you will also need to allow for space for log drying).
• Buying buy weight or by volume.
• Origin of the wood (carbon footprint, is it a sustainable wooded area).

There is a list of log suppliers available on the Biomass Energy Centre website: www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk

Alternatively, you can find local log suppliers in your Yellow Pages or even contact your regional woodfuel officer from the Forestry Commission.

Other tips for buying good firewood are:

• Ask friends and neighbours for recommendations
• Shop around.
• Don’t just order your logs by phone. If you can, pay them a visit and see the wood for yourself.
• Check that the wood is clean. Sand and dirt affects the burn.
• Only buy stack logs that can be counted. Don’t buy randomly piled stacks.
• Measure the stack before delivery. That way, once it is delivered you can measure it and make sure you get the volume you pay for.
• If possible, buy the wood in spring so you can stack it yourself and control the seasoning process until winter.