For centuries, wooden logs have been in circulation for burning, used to heat homes, cook food, and provide light.
Wood briquettes, however, are a relatively new phenomenon that is becoming ever more popular and a trusted fuel type for fires. What’s the difference between the two types of wood? And why use one over the other? Let’s look at why you should choose logs or wood briquettes to get the best fire for you.
Need To Know Information About Wooden Logs
Probably the most well-known form of wood around are wooden logs, cut from trees and supplied to homes across the globe for many purposes.
Wood logs must be seasoned after they’re first cut because the moisture content within the logs can be far too high - a lot of the time, it is over 45%.
Therefore, kiln-drying wood is a very effective way of ensuring that a large amount of moisture is removed from the logs and they become safe to burn. Typically, you would want your logs to contain less than 20% moisture. Choosing to season your logs at home is also fine but requires space and time, sometimes up to 2 years, depending on the type of wood.
While the burn can be significant, it might be challenging to add more logs if your fire is dying, as they’re not as compact. Also, remember that insects can live inside wooden logs, and transporting this into your home is unwise; kiln-drying will help combat this, just as wood briquettes do.
Need To Know Information About Wood Briquettes
As a more compact and contemporary way of using wood, these briquettes are made from compressed wood and can be a real space-saver. Piling these wood briquettes into your combustion chamber ensures you get the most from this highly efficient product, burning energy within the briquettes to a better level than wood.
Storage, because of its shape, can be more straightforward, too. Often supplied as Heat Logs, wood briquettes are very efficient and sustainable for those holding concerns like this.
However, they might not offer you the pleasing aesthetic that wooden logs do when burning in a fireplace, even if the fire produced is arguably more efficient; this is beautiful to watch during the colder seasons.
The Verdict: Wood Briquette vs Logs
Wood briquettes or Heat Logs tend to perform better than wooden logs because they are ultra-dry and can last longer, producing a tremendous amount of heat. Wood briquettes are far more efficient than classic logs that haven’t been appropriately seasoned.
Then there are those who prefer traditional firewood because of the beauty that logs can offer and the nostalgic smell of burning wood. Make sure that seasoning has been achieved thoroughly, ideally via kiln-drying.
Ultimately, the choice is yours, but make sure you explore our entire catalogue of products on the HouseFuel website now you are fully informed.