# Best type and cost of firewood



## baldyman27 (13 Jan 2009)

Searching through the forums leads me to believe that oak, ash and beech, among others, are the best wood log for burning. I'm fast running out of firewood, have an open fire, and just wondering what I can expect to pay for a coalbag size of any of the mentioned logs? A good storm would possibly sort things before that need arises.


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## MacTheKnife1 (14 Jan 2009)

Get yourself a small stove - cost about 400 euro up - and you will reduce your firewood consumption by 60-70%. You will reduce draughts up the chimney when fire is not being used.

It is amazing the difference it will make. Payback in 1 year if you use the fire as often as I use mine.

Best wood to burn is ash/oak/beech/hawthorn, worst is pine. 1 load of ash is worth 3 of pine.


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## dewdrop (14 Jan 2009)

Aipart from heat many people like having an open fire..cleaning it out..getting started..hearing the hissing noise of fresh..getting the fire going again..like a pipe!


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## MacTheKnife1 (14 Jan 2009)

I agree. I love the open fire. But with a glass fronted stove you still see the open fire, you still have to empty the ash box and you save a fortune in fuel.

Also the fire can actually be more interesting - once it gets going the stove can let air in from the top to the wood - wood contains a lot of gas and that ignites and you get amazing weird fire effects towards the top of the stove - and all visible thru the glass.

I used to have an open fire, now I have a stove and I will never ever go back.


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## Dinny (14 Jan 2009)

Paying €4 per caol bag for Beech and Ash logs in the Carlow area
Regards 
Dinny


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## allthedoyles (14 Jan 2009)

There's a guy in Wexford town delivers a nice big load of timber blocks for around € 250


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## baldyman27 (15 Jan 2009)

MacTheKnife1 said:


> Get yourself a small stove


 
Have been looking into that too, fireplace is very small though, only about 2ft X 1 1/2 ft. What are the chances of getting something to fit that as alll the ones I've seen online seem much too big. Fireplace surround has sentimental value (grandfather cladded it in stone) so I'd really rather not have to go hacking out a larger space.



Dinny said:


> Paying €4 per caol bag for Beech and Ash logs in the Carlow area
> Regards
> Dinny


 
Excellent, know what to bargain with now.


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## MacTheKnife1 (15 Jan 2009)

baldyman27 said:


> Have been looking into that too, fireplace is very small though, only about 2ft X 1 1/2 ft. What are the chances of getting something to fit that as alll the ones I've seen online seem much too big. Fireplace surround has sentimental value (grandfather cladded it in stone) so I'd really rather not have to go hacking out a larger space.



The stove can sit in front  of the fireplace and the flue pipe comes out the back of the stove and into the fireplace and up the chimney.

Also there are some really small stoves out there that should fit that fireplace.

http://www.stovesonline.co.uk


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## baldyman27 (15 Jan 2009)

Mac, thanks a million, couple of nice ones on there. Didn't realise the flue could go out the back. Will be making a call. Cheers.


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## MacTheKnife1 (15 Jan 2009)

baldyman27 said:


> Mac, thanks a million, couple of nice ones on there. Didn't realise the flue could go out the back. Will be making a call. Cheers.



If you are near Galway Murphy Home heating do a big selection of stoves:

http://www.murphyheating.com/

no connection - did buy a stove from them before and was happy.

Spend time choosing one. Get a really efficent one. Study how they work. Will you burn mainly wood or other stuff? How much room in front of the fireplace have you I would spend a few weeks looking into it. Maybe bring a photo and measurements of your fireplace into a stove dealer and get advice.

I know of noone who has installed a wood burning stove who regrets it.


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## baldyman27 (18 Jan 2009)

Seems to be a massive price difference on the same stoves between here and UK. Seems I'm pretty limited in choice as I'm looking for an insert stove but found one that looks like it'll do nicely for 675 stg.

Thanks for your input Mac, indebted.


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## jameswburke (4 Aug 2009)

A guy in Goresbridge, Co Kilkenny sells seasoned hardwood firewood (or you can collect on Saturdays). He has a new website at


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## Jonno (18 Aug 2009)

I use a Company in Lymm Cheshire that specialise in the sale of wood burning stoves. They charge £4.50 for a large bag of seasoned hardwood. I noticed they also sold bags of pellets and had a live AGA pellet stove (very impressive) in their showroom.

http://www.thegreenercompany.com

I'm not sure what they charged for the pellets but the sales guy told me it costs nothing to run.


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## Woodsman (18 Aug 2009)

While open fires are lovely to sit by they are very wasteful and burn at app 20% efficiency as opposed to 70% efficiency for good stoves. Dont buy a cheap stove. As with everything, you get what you pay for. The better Austrian makes are among the best but be prepared to pay at least €1500 for a stove that will last. Firewood is now available relatively freely but be very careful to only burn DRY timber. Wet wood will create a build up of tar in the chimney and corrode the stove. Why pay for water? The  logs often seen in plastic bags full of condensation at petrol stations are useless. Timber should be seasoned for at least one year and virtually all wood burns well in a stove once it is DRY. 

Good information on firewood and systems of burning it is available from the COFORD website www.coford.ie 

Try and purchase Irish firewood. There are a lot of logs coming here from Eastern Europe and surely we should shop local where possible.

www.forevergreen.ie


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## Sconhome (18 Aug 2009)

MacTheKnife1 said:


> Best wood to burn is ash/oak/beech/hawthorn, worst is pine. 1 load of ash is worth 3 of pine.



Always heard that you generate more heat splitting ash than burning it.


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## jmrc (18 Aug 2009)

"a man that cuts his own firewood warms himself more than once"


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## ninsaga (21 Aug 2009)

Anyone burning spruce? How does it compare to ash?


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