Your Guide To Burning Wood in Your Fireplace

The most important rule of wood burning: Always use seasoned firewood.

Seasoned firewood has been properly dried to reduce its moisture content, ideally to around 15-20%. Freshly cut (“green”) wood contains up to 50% moisture, which makes it hard to ignite and creates excessive smoke and creosote when burned. Proper seasoning ensures that the wood burns hotter, cleaner, and more efficiently.

Look for these signs of seasoning before loading logs into your fireplace or stove:

• Gray or light brown color (green wood is darker and damper).
• Hairline cracks or splitting on the ends.
• Noticeably lighter weight, since most of the water has evaporated.
• Faint, dry, woody scent, as opposed to a sappy or mossy scent.

You can also try the sound test: Smack two logs together, and if they create a sharp “clack” (rather than a dull “thud”), they’re likely seasoned.

And, of course, for the most reliable results, use a handheld moisture meter, aiming for a reading of 20% or less.

Seasoning your own firewood has a lot of perks, especially if you’re a household that burns regularly. Not only can it save you money, but you’re also in control of the quality – meaning you can choose hardwoods that burn hotter and cleaner. On top of that, preparing your own firewood means you’re never stuck waiting on deliveries or paying premium prices during peak season.

So, how is seasoning your own firewood done?

• Cut the logs correctly. Cut the logs to the size you plan to burn (typically 16-18 inches for fireplaces), then split them to expose the interior, remembering that smaller splits dry faster.
• Stack the wood properly. Use a raised platform or pallets to keep logs off damp soil, then create rows with space between for airflow. Orient the stack so it receives direct sunlight and prevailing winds, and avoid stacking tightly or against walls.
• Cover the stack (but only the top). Protect the pile from rain, sleet, and snow with a tarp or roof, but leave the sides open for ventilation.
• Be patient. Seasoning typically takes 6-12 months in good conditions. Hardwoods (like oak or maple) will take longer, while some softwoods (like pine or fir) will typically be ready in around 4-6 months.
• Follow the “first in, first out” rule. Burn the oldest, driest wood first to maintain a steady supply, rotating your log pile, as needed.

One thing is clear when it comes to burning firewood – not all logs are created equal. The species you burn, as well as how seasoned it is, can affect heat output, burn time, and creosote buildup, making wood selection an important part of fireplace and stove maintenance.

So, what’s better for heating – hardwoods or softwoods?

Generally, most fireplace experts will recommend burning with well-seasoned hardwoods. Hardwoods (like oak, maple, birch, and hickory) are typically denser, which allows them to burn longer and produce steady, high heat. And because they burn hotter and cleaner, they tend to create less creosote and ash.

Softwoods (such as pine, spruce, cedar, and fir), on the other hand, burn faster and at lower temperatures, so you’ll go through more wood to achieve the same heat output. Softwoods also contain more pitch and sap, which can lead to more smoke and creosote. That said, because they ignite quickly, they can be great for kindling or getting fires started.

The bottom line? Both have their place, so many homeowners use a mix of the two – softwood to get the fire going and hardwood to maintain heat. But for efficient heating and cleaner burns, seasoned hardwoods usually come out on top.

What types of hardwood burn the hottest and longest?

Among hardwoods, certain species stand out for their exceptional heat output:

• Hickory burns extremely hot and long, with minimal smoke.
• Oak is a classic choice for wood stoves, providing steady, long-lasting burns once fully seasoned.
• Sugar maple is dense and clean-burning with a pleasant aroma.
• Beech and birch both offer high heat and easy splitting, though birch requires careful storage to prevent rot.

For softwoods, douglas fir and cedar offer better burns compared to other soft species, but still can’t match the burn time of hardwoods.

For those who aren’t familiar, creosote sweeping logs (CSLs) are commercial products infused with minerals that help loosen creosote deposits inside your chimney as they burn. With their use comes a few common questions:

• Is it safe to burn creosote sweeping logs?
• Will creosote sweeping logs damage my fireplace?
• Can creosote sweeping logs replace a chimney sweeping?

Here’s the deal: Creosote sweeping logs are fine to use in your fireplace and can be a useful supplement, but they are not a replacement for professional chimney cleaning or inspection.

The log’s chemicals release a vapor that interacts with existing creosote, turning hard deposits into a flaky or powdery form that is easier for a chimney sweep to remove. Yet, while they can help loosen creosote, they cannot remove all creosote, especially heavy, tar-like stage 3 deposits.

In addition, they cannot replace the need for annual professional inspections per NFPA 211 guidelines.

So, sure – use them now and then, if you’d like, but be sure to book annual chimney sweepings, too, as getting professionals eyes and hands on your fireplace is the only surefire way to keep things in tip-top shape.

We get the appeal of this – it seems like a nice way to make storm cleanup quicker, while providing some nice heat on top of it.

Unfortunately, freshly fallen wood is one of the worst fuel sources you can use indoors. When a tree or limb comes down, it still contains a significant amount of moisture, often 40-60%. Wood in this condition is considered “green” and produces cooler, smokier fires that produce very little warmth…and a lot of pollution and creosote.

And storm debris adds even more risks, as the pile may contain leaves, bark, dirt, and splinters from structures or fencing. If anything treated, painted, or chemically coated ends up in the fire, it can release toxins and corrosive fumes, which isn’t just bad for indoor air quality, but can also damage your flue liner and metal components.

In short: don’t burn storm debris or freshly fallen wood right away. It’s inefficient, messy, and hard on your fireplace system. If you want to use wood from fallen branches, the safest and most efficient option is to cut and split it promptly, then stack it properly for seasoning.

Ash removal is an important, but often overlooked, part of maintaining a fireplace or wood stove. While it may seem like a good idea to clear out all of the ashes after every burn, keeping a small layer can actually help your next fire burn more efficiently. About an inch of ash acts as insulation, helping new logs catch more quickly.

That said, once ashes accumulate beyond that inch, they start to work against you. A thick layer of ash can limit airflow, attract moisture, smother coals, and make it difficult to start or sustain a strong fire.

• For fireplaces that are used daily in colder months, ashes often need to be cleaned out every few fires, or roughly once a week.
• For occasional use, you might only need to remove ashes every few burns.
• Wood stoves may require more frequent cleaning since they operate with a closed system and rely on controlled airflow.

And remember – when cleaning out ashes, safety is key. Even ashes that feel cool can retain hot embers for 24-72 hours, so always use a metal shovel and store ashes in a lidded, non-combustible container. Then, keep the container on a stone, metal, or concrete surface – never on a deck, near siding, or in the garage. Many house fires start when “cold” ashes reignite hours later in plastic buckets or trash cans.