How Does Wood Burn? | How Firewood Works and Why Kiln Dried Logs are Better

Burning wood might look simple, but there’s actually a lot happening when you light a fire. Understanding how wood burns will help you get more heat, less smoke, and better efficiency from your log burner, open fire or fire pit.

When a log is heated, it doesn’t burn straight away. The process happens in three main stages, which often overlap.

kiln dried logs burning

1. Water evaporation – why dry wood matters

Freshly cut wood can be made up of up to 50% water. Before it can burn properly, this moisture has to be driven out.

As a log heats up, the water inside it boils and turns to steam. This uses a large amount of energy, meaning much of the heat from your fire is wasted simply drying the wood rather than warming your home.

This is why kiln-dried and well-seasoned logs burn so much better. With a moisture content of under 20%, they:

  • Ignite more easily
  • Burn hotter
  • Produce far less smoke
  • Give off much more usable heat

In simple terms, dry logs give you more fire for less wood.

 

2. Wood smoke – where flames really come from

As the temperature rises, the wood starts to release gases and vapours. This is what we see as smoke.

These gases are actually highly flammable. When there is enough heat and oxygen, the smoke ignites – and this is what creates the bright flames in your fire.

f the smoke doesn’t burn properly, it drifts up the chimney where it can:

  • Form creosote (a major cause of chimney fires)
  • Increase air pollution
  • Waste a large amount of the log’s energy

Good airflow and dry wood are essential to make sure the smoke burns cleanly and efficiently.

3. Glowing charcoal – long-lasting heat

Once most of the gases have burned off, what remains is charcoal. This is the glowing red material at the base of a fire.

Charcoal burns with very little flame but produces a steady, powerful heat. This stage is ideal for maintaining warmth and creating a long-lasting fire-bed for new logs.

Although charcoal gives off little smoke, it can produce carbon monoxide, which is why fires must always be properly vented and homes should have a working carbon monoxide alarm.

-

If you want a fire that is easy to light, burns cleanly and produces maximum heat, always use properly dried firewood, good kindling and plenty of airflow.

At Home Farm Logs, we supply high-quality kiln-dried firewood and kindling, carefully prepared to help you get the best performance from your stove or open fire.

👉 Explore our kiln-dried logs and firelighting products to get started.