Best kiln dried logs.

[Karen Louise]

Have just bought my first canal boat and will be taking up permanent residence in the New Year. What logs do people recommend for my wood burner?

Ideally over the Winter months I would like to keep my boat warm using just the wood burner. ☺️

[MtB]

Whatever logs are for sale near where your boat is. You won't be in any position to be picky! 

 

Welcome to the forum by the way  

 

 

[booke23]

Is your stove multifuel? If so, smokeless coal will work out much cheaper.

[MtB]

6 minutes ago, booke23 said:

Is your stove multifuel? If so, smokeless coal will work out much cheaper.

 

Eco worrier, perhaps. 

 

Like I said, whatever fuel is available when you need it is GREAT!

 

Fussy boaters tend to be cold boaters....

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Another advantage of smokeless "coal" is that it is six times the energy density of hardwood. A lot less storage space required, or longer between restocking for the same volume stored. Boats have limited storage space, either on board, if cruising, or on land, if on a mooring, so the density of coal wins out.

[Alan de Enfield]

24 minutes ago, Karen Louise said:

Have just bought my first canal boat and will be taking up permanent residence in the New Year. What logs do people recommend for my wood burner?

Ideally over the Winter months I would like to keep my boat warm using just the wood burner. ☺️

 

If your fire will use it, use smokeless fuel.

Smokeless fuel produces about 2x the heat (per kg) that wood does.

You will burn thru a huge volume of wood as a cubic metre of wood weighs a lot less than a cubic metre of smokless fuel.

Wood needs to be stored undercover and kept dry.

 

Have you got a storage shed ?

 

To generate the same amount of heat you will need about 4 to 6x the storage area for wood as you do for smokeless fuel.

Edited December 6, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[Cheshire cat]

Yesterday, I put some wood on my stove at home which had been out for a while (the wood). Disaster. Zero heat. All the energy was used boiling off the water content. Logs or smokeless, make sure they aren't damp.

Regarding your plaudits for smokeless, I'm not so sure. Since the new regulations came in last year the smokeless I have been using has mostly been cement. Very disappointing

 

[Ewan123]

For me, the ideal is the logs that come to me on the fuel boat. Where are you boating @Karen Louise? There might be local recommendations to be had.

 

I can at least say that the Homefire logs that you can order from the likes of Wickes are expensive and not any better for it in my limited experience.

 

Personally (and many will disagree with my preference) I like to use 'heat logs'. Homefire heart logs are good but pricey again. Hotties are good and a bit less pricey. Fuel Express are cheaper for a reason - very ashy, not worth it for me. This winter the Big K ones seem to be a good balance of price and quality. We usually get delivery from Wickes to wherever the boat is, or if I have a car for work I fill it up at the nearest branch.

 

We did get a load of normal logs from the fuel boat last week which are doing nicely, slightly more expensive than the mid-range heat logs though. Nice thing about the heat logs is that they're so predictable. You do need to be able to keep then Dry though.

 

I won't burn fossil fuels (smokeless fuels i.e. the stuff that looks like coal), I can't find a good enough excuse when wood is a viable renewable option. (Yes it's still not perfect, yes I have a diesel engine).

Edited December 6, 2023 by Ewan123

[Peanut]

What logs do people recommend for my wood burner?

You will need to find space to store them, cheaper by the ton bag, expensive in little bags from the shop. But you will need to be where a ton bag can be delivered. Then pack it away wherever you can. Get a tarpaulin to cover them over and keep them dry. They don't last long, and probably won't stay in overnight.

That is why a multifuel stove is being suggested.

[Karen Louise]

5 minutes ago, Ewan123 said:

For me, the ideal is the logs that come to me on the fuel boat. Where are you boating @Karen Louise? There might be local recommendations to be had.

 

I can at least say that the Homefire logs that you can order from the likes of Wickes are expensive and not any better for it in my limited experience.

 

Personally (and many will disagree with my preference) I like to use 'heat logs'. Homefire heart logs are good but pricey again. Hotties are good and a bit less pricey. Fuel Express are cheaper for a reason - very ashy, not worth it for me. This winter the Big K ones seem to be a good balance of price and quality. We usually get delivery from Wickes to wherever the boat is, or if I have a car for work I fill it up at the nearest branch.

 

We did get a load of normal logs from the fuel boat last week which are doing nicely, slightly more expensive than the mid-range heat logs though. Nice thing about the heat logs is that they're so predictable. You do need to be able to keep then Dry though.

 

Any experience of Lekto products ? Alot of offers from them turning up in my inbox. 🙂

[manxmike]

I note Karen Louise hasn't responded - maybe she's sorted her fuel query elsewhere.

I wonder if off-cuts from a local timber yard would be of use - provided they're dry of course.

[Tonka]

9 minutes ago, Ewan123 said:

For me, the ideal is the logs that come to me on the fuel boat. Where are you boating @Karen Louise? There might be local recommendations to be had.

 

I can at least say that the Homefire logs that you can order from the likes of Wickes are expensive and not any better for it in my limited experience.

 

Personally (and many will disagree with my preference) I like to use 'heat logs'. Homefire heart logs are good but pricey again. Hotties are good and a bit less pricey. Fuel Express are cheaper for a reason - very ashy, not worth it for me. This winter the Big K ones seem to be a good balance of price and quality. We usually get delivery from Wickes to wherever the boat is, or if I have a car for work I fill it up at the nearest branch.

 

We did get a load of normal logs from the fuel boat last week which are doing nicely, slightly more expensive than the mid-range heat logs though. Nice thing about the heat logs is that they're so predictable. You do need to be able to keep then Dry though.

 

I won't burn fossil fuels (smokeless fuels i.e. the stuff that looks like coal), I can't find a good enough excuse when wood is a viable renewable option. (Yes it's still not perfect, yes I have a diesel engine).

dont you have logs attached to your nearest branch?

[Ewan123]

4 minutes ago, Karen Louise said:

 

Any experience of Lekto products ? Alot of offers from them turning up in my inbox. 🙂

I've always had lots of adverts for them. Whenever I've looked they seem more expensive than the ones I get from Wickes, unless you're able to take to big bulk deliveries.

 

I have a cratch cover on my bow deck by the way, it makes a good dry storage spot. The heat logs are also much more energy dense than normal logs so I can easily get a couple of weeks worth in there.

4 minutes ago, manxmike said:

I note Karen Louise hasn't responded

Blimey give her a chance! She asked the question less than an hour ago.

[MtB]

7 minutes ago, manxmike said:

I note Karen Louise hasn't responded

 

Well on my screen she posted again, one message above yours!

 

Not that you'd think she has read any of the replies. 

 

 

 

[Tonka]

3 minutes ago, Ewan123 said:

I've always had lots of adverts for them. Whenever I've looked they seem more expensive than the ones I get from Wickes, unless you're able to take to big bulk deliveries.

 

I have a cratch cover on my bow deck by the way, it makes a good dry storage spot. The heat logs are also much more energy dense than normal logs so I can easily get a couple of weeks worth in there.

Blimey give her a chance! She asked the question less than an hour ago.

Caldo also do heat logs

 

[magnetman]

Photo of the fire with the door open please. 

 

It is likely to be a multifuel although there are some woodburners on boats. 

 

If it is a multifuel then smokeless coal as delivered by the coal boat is a lot better if you don't have access to a well timbered country estate with plenty of rather old deciduous trees. 

Edited December 6, 2023 by magnetman
shocking error

[Tonka]

1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

Well on my screen she posted again, one message above yours!

 

Not that you'd think she has read any of the replies. 

 

 

 

Think she ran out of bog roll in the toilet as she has asked for some

[ditchcrawler]

13 minutes ago, Karen Louise said:

 

Any experience of Lekto products ? Alot of offers from them turning up in my inbox. 🙂

Same here

[magnetman]

There arrr a number of different rather obvious reasons why someone on a small canal boat would tend not to have access to a well timbered country estate but these things can happen. 

 

 

[Karen Louise]

I don't have a cratch cover and I don't want to burn fossil fuels. I do have a small storage room and am happy to store heat logs there. Where would you recommend I buy from if I wanted to load my car up ? Fiat 500 😄 but you'd be surprised how much stuff you can cram in. 😆

7 minutes ago, magnetman said:

There arrr a number of different rather obvious reasons why someone on a small canal boat would tend not to have access to a well timbered country estate but these things can happen. 

 

 

Not that small, actually. 😊

[manxmike]

14 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Well on my screen she posted again, one message above yours!

 

Not that you'd think she has read any of the replies. 

 

 

 

According to the time stamp I got there 2 minutes ahead of her. Having said which, I was probably a bit quick off the mark - apologies

 

[Ewan123]

6 minutes ago, Karen Louise said:

I don't have a cratch cover and I don't want to burn fossil fuels. I do have a small storage room and am happy to store heat logs there. Where would you recommend I buy from if I wanted to load my car up ? Fiat 500 😄 but you'd be surprised how much stuff you can cram in. 😆

B&Q, Homebase and Wickes are the ones I'm most aware of. Lidl and Aldi sometimes have them, B&M even has before too.

 

I usually find Wickes has the best selection and good prices but worth keeping an eye out.

 

Once you've tried a few options (of whichever fuel), if you can fork out for a bulk delivery and are confident you've got enough dry storage space, it would certainly be cheaper and more convenient in the long run to get a full pallet load delivered.

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, manxmike said:

According to the time stamp I got there 2 minutes ahead of her. Having said which, I was probably a bit quick off the mark - apologies

 

 

[magnetman]

12 minutes ago, Karen Louise said:

... you can cram in. 😆

Not that small, actually. 😊

I'm too self centred

Big boat small car. Good idea !

[Karen Louise]

2 minutes ago, magnetman said:

I'm too self centred

Big boat small car. Good idea !

Big boat, small car = happy life. 😊