If you own a piece of forest, you immediately know where to start. Not everyone has this luxury. Fortunately, there are many other ways to obtain suitable and sustainable firewood for your wood stove. Ask around among family and friends. Maybe they have a few square meters of forest where you can cut wood. Or perhaps they have some trees in their garden they want to get rid of. With two or three large trees, you can typically get through about a year. Of course, everything depends on the type of wood, the efficiency of your fireplace, and your burning method.

Many forest owners make their woodlands available. They’re happy to see you come and cut wood. You can also inquire with local companies. There’s a good chance they have leftover wood that’s perfect for your wood stove.

On the website www.houtverkopen.be, you can find more information about public wood sales. This site is managed by the Agency for Nature and Forests. They also provide locations where you are allowed to cut wood yourself.

Once you have found a few trees, the real work can begin. It’s best to use a chainsaw to fell the tree, which saves a lot of time. Of course, cutting down the tree must be done carefully. Be sure to ask a professional for advice if you have no prior experience. Once the tree is felled, you can saw the trunk into smaller pieces of 30 to 50 centimeters.

Next, split the wood into smaller blocks. The finer the wood, the better the combustion. Wet wood is easier to split, so don’t wait too long to do this. It will save you a lot of time and energy later. Fresh wood has a moisture content of about 35%. The ideal moisture content for firewood is 15%. Curious which types of wood are suitable for your wood stove?

There are various tools to split your wood. Some work better with a traditional axe, while others prefer more modern tools. One example is a log splitter. This tool is more user-friendly and less physically demanding. You can also consider investing in a wood-splitting machine.

Once you have a stock of split wood, it needs to be stored properly. Dry wood tends to absorb water, which you naturally want to avoid. Burning wet wood produces more smoke and fine particles. Moist wood logs also lower the temperature in your stove, causing essential energy to be lost. Additionally, dry wood reduces the risk of chimney fires. If you cut your own wood, you should wait at least two years before burning it sustainably.

Store fresh wood under a covered area. You can cover the top of the pile with a plastic sheet if needed, but don’t cover it completely. The wind still needs to circulate well through the stack. For the same reason, it’s best to stack the logs crosswise. This helps the wood dry further. Do not place the wood directly on grass or soil; instead, stack it on pallets or a stone base.

Sustainable burning deserves your attention. You contribute to a better environment and get the most out of the burning process. It all starts with the amount of wood you put in your fireplace. Fill your wood stove up to two-thirds with wood. This way, enough air can flow in. Sufficient combustion air and airflow are essential. Only then can you prevent slow and incomplete combustion.

Maybe you’re used to stacking firewood in a pyramid and lighting the fire from underneath. If you want to burn sustainably, that’s not the best method. The Swiss method is a better choice. You build a tower with thicker logs at the bottom, then place thinner pieces of wood on top. You finish with a firelighter or dry twigs. You then light the fire from the top. This method produces less smoke and leads to faster combustion.

Don’t wait to refill when your fire is almost out. Add new firewood while the flames are still strong. Follow the two-thirds rule again to ensure proper airflow at all times.

With the fireplaces and stoves from JDB Fireplaces and Interiors, you’re in good hands. All our installations comply with current environmental regulations.

Discover our range and visit our showroom. See you soon!