Wood is wood, right? You’d think so, wouldn’t you? But not all wood types are the same, and not all wood is suitable for burning. Fortunately, the right firewood is always within reach. In this post, we’ll tell you everything about the best wood for your wood stove.
Best firewood for a wood stove: What should I pay attention to?
When it comes to burning wood in a stove, wood choice isn’t necessarily the most crucial factor. What’s far more important is the condition of your wood. Firstly, it should not be treated. That means:
- Lacquered, painted, pressed, or treated wood. Burning these releases harmful substances that can harm both the environment and your health.
- Impregnated wood. Since this wood has been treated with chemicals, burning it will release toxic fumes.
Additionally, firewood must be dry. Wet wood causes many negative effects:
- Wet wood burns poorly, produces less heat, and generates smoke. This is because water has a much lower boiling point than wood’s combustion temperature. Energy is first spent evaporating the moisture before it can ignite the wood.
- Freshly cut wood must dry for at least two years before it’s suitable for burning. Fresh wood contains too much moisture (>80%). Firewood is ready for use when it contains 20% moisture or less.
Wood should be dry and clean, but how dry is dry? And how can you tell if your wood is dry enough? You can measure wood’s moisture content with a moisture meter. Read here about the best ways to source clean and dry firewood.
Once you have enough dry and clean wood, you can start burning.
Which wood is best for your wood stove?
Several types of wood are easily available and suitable for your stove. The most commonly used woods are birch, oak, ash, beech, and alder. These woods provide plenty of heat and are well-suited for burning in a wood stove. However, there are differences between them:
| Wood type |
Hard/soft wood |
Flame type |
Special characteristic |
| Birch |
Soft |
Bright flames |
Doesn’t spark |
| Beech |
Hard |
Beautiful flames |
Pleasant aroma |
| Oak |
Hard |
Beautiful flames |
Retains heat longer |
| Alder |
Soft |
Calm flame |
Burns quickly |
| Ash |
Hard |
Nice, calm flame |
Doesn’t spark |
| Maple |
Hard |
Bright, lively flame |
Doesn’t spark |
Burning birch wood
Birch is one of the most common trees in Europe and North Asia, growing up to 30 meters tall. This makes it readily available as firewood.
Birch is a softwood, which has advantages for burning. It’s great for starting a fire, produces a lot of heat, burns with a beautiful flame, and doesn’t spark. Additionally, birchwood creates little smoke, making it a clean fuel.
Burning beech wood
The beech tree is one of Europe’s most iconic trees, growing up to 40 meters tall and found in almost all forests.
Beech is a hardwood with high efficiency, burning slowly and steadily. It produces a beautiful flame and spreads a pleasant aroma throughout your home.
Burning oak wood
The sturdy oak tree represents the same durability in its firewood. Oaks can live for hundreds of years and develop strong root systems.
Oak wood is perfect for burning. It has high efficiency, a long burn time, a beautiful flame, and burns cleanly. Want to fully enjoy your stove? Listen to the crackling sound of an oak log—it’s pure relaxation.
Burning alder wood
The lesser-known alder tree is an excellent fuel source. It grows only in the Northern Hemisphere.
Looking for wood with a soft structure, high efficiency, quick ignition, long-lasting flame, and a pleasant aroma? Then alder wood is a great choice! Keep in mind that alder burns faster, so you’ll need to refill your stove more often.
Burning ash wood
Native to Europe and Asia, ash trees can grow up to 40 meters tall. They are easily recognized by their gray-brown bark with deep grooves.
Ash is a hardwood that burns slowly and gives off a lot of heat. Unlike some other hardwoods, it is easier to ignite and splits easily. The calm, steady flame is enjoyable to watch, and best of all—it doesn’t spark.
Burning maple wood
Finally, maple is also a great choice for your wood stove. This tree is common across Europe.
Maple hardwood is easy to light and burns evenly. Its caloric value is decent, though slightly lower than oak or beech.
Which type of wood is suitable for a Leenders wood stove?
When it comes to burning wood in a Leenders stove, the type of wood is not the most important aspect. All the mentioned wood types are suitable for burning in our stoves. A more important factor is the condition of the wood. With dry and clean wood, you get the most out of your high-efficiency wood stove.
Also, pay attention to the size of your wood logs. Stoves like the Lobbe and Lobbe Compact can handle logs up to 25 cm. Meanwhile, the Mats, Lynne, and Sorenne can process logs up to 30 cm in length. The Boxer Plus and Stor take the crown—these stoves have an extra-large combustion chamber, suitable for logs up to 45 cm.
There are also wood types that are not suitable for burning in wood stoves. For example, poplar wood produces a lot of soot, while pine, spruce, and fir clog the air duct and chimney with resin. Additionally, these wood types burn much faster and unpredictably. Other softwoods, such as linden and willow, burn too quickly, providing little heat.
Burning tropical hardwood in a wood stove? Don’t do it!
Finally, we strongly advise against burning tropical hardwood in a Leenders stove. This wood is often sourced through illegal logging. Additionally, burning it can lead to chimney fires due to soot buildup, increased fine dust emissions, and an unpleasant odor. Moreover, the risk of damage to your stove is high due to the (excessively) high combustion temperature of tropical hardwood.
