Why Moisture Content Matters in Firewood – Why Under 20% Is Best
At Barochan Farm Firewood in Houston, Renfrewshire, all of our kiln dried firewood is dried to a moisture content of under 20%.
This is one of the most important factors in firewood quality and performance.
What is moisture content in firewood?
Moisture content refers to how much water is still inside the wood after it has been cut and processed.
Wet or unseasoned wood burns poorly, while dry wood burns efficiently and cleanly.
Moisture Content Is More Important Than Wood Type
Many people focus on whether they should burn hardwood or softwood, but in reality, moisture content is often far more important than the type of wood being burned.
A properly kiln-dried softwood with a moisture content below 20% will usually outperform wet or poorly seasoned hardwood. When firewood contains too much moisture, a large amount of the fire’s energy is wasted evaporating water rather than producing heat.
Burning wet wood can also create excessive smoke and increase the build-up of soot and creosote within your stove and flue system. Over time, this can reduce stove efficiency, increase maintenance requirements and potentially lead to costly repairs.
For this reason, choosing dry, ready-to-burn firewood is one of the most important decisions you can make, regardless of whether you prefer hardwood or softwood. At Barochan Farm, all of our hardwood and larch logs are kiln dried to below 20% moisture content, ensuring clean, efficient burning and helping to protect your stove.
Why under 20% matters
Firewood with a moisture content under 20% is considered ready to burn.
Benefits include:
- Easier lighting
- Higher heat output
- Less smoke production
- Cleaner burning
- Better stove efficiency
Kiln dried firewood vs seasoned wood
Seasoned firewood can take years to dry naturally and often remains above ideal moisture levels.
Kiln dried firewood:
- Dries wood quickly in controlled conditions
- Ensures consistent moisture levels
- Produces reliable ready to burn logs
