First stove? Why seasoned logs matter (a real story from Gower)

A first stove is only as good as the wood you put in it. On Gower, a household with a brand-new wood burner found that out quickly: unseasoned logs would not burn. They emailed SA Firewood Suppliers on a Sunday afternoon. The next day a starter bundle was on the drive, and the fire was lit before the van had left.

A first stove, then logs that would not burn

The story, in our words, is simple. A customer had recently had a new wood burner installed. It was their first stove. Another supplier had already delivered unseasoned logs. Those logs would not burn, so the new appliance sat cold.

They emailed SA Firewood Suppliers with an order on a Sunday afternoon. SA Firewood, based at Tyle House Farm, Burry Green, Gower, Swansea, delivered its starter bundle the next day. The customer had the fire lit before the delivery van had left the driveway. They later left a Google review and said they plan to order from SA Firewood all winter.

The stove was new. The fuel was not dry enough. Dry logs, not the badge on the appliance, decided whether there was a fire that night.

What the customer wrote

An SA Firewood customer, Google review:

“Excellent value, service and logs. This is the first time we have used SA Firewood and fencing for logs but would definitely reorder. I had the fire lit before my husband had even finished putting them in the log shed!!!”

That public note matches the supplier’s own account of the same delivery: the fire was going while the wood was still being stacked. We have not named the customer, and we have not named the supplier who delivered the unseasoned load.

Why unseasoned logs fail

Unseasoned, or green, wood still holds a lot of water. The fire spends its energy driving that moisture out instead of heating the room. You get smoke, little heat, dirty glass and tar in the flue. A modern stove will still sulk if the load is wet.

HETAS says freshly felled wood often has moisture up to 50 percent, and that you should only burn wood at 20 percent or less. Wet wood gives much less heat per log, more soot, more creosote and a higher chimney-fire risk. Defra’s Burn Better, Breathe Better pages say wood above 20 percent moisture produces lots of smoke, particles and tar. See burning wet wood and kiln-dried versus seasoned logs.

Ready to Burn is an England sale rule

GOV.UK guidance on selling wood for domestic use in England says wood sold for household heating in volumes of less than 2 cubic metres must be certified Ready to Burn, which confirms a moisture content of 20 percent or less. Sales of 2 cubic metres or more do not need that certificate, but the seller must give you the official customer notice on drying and moisture. The Ready to Burn scheme, run by Woodsure for Defra, uses the same moisture rule.

SA Firewood Suppliers is in Wales, at Burry Green, Gower, Swansea. The Ready to Burn wording above is the England sale rule. It is not a claim about this listing.

Moisture still decides whether a Welsh stove lights. On Gower the practical test is the same as anywhere: is the wood dry enough to burn this week? Our Ready to Burn guide covers the buyer checklist for that England scheme.

Simple checks for first-time buyers

Before you order for a new stove, ask questions that a listing cannot answer for you:

• Ask the supplier about moisture content, and whether the load is meant to be burned this week or stored to dry.
• In England, look for Ready to Burn or Woodsure on wood sold in volumes of less than 2 cubic metres. That England rule does not apply in Wales.
• A moisture meter is cheap. Split a log and read a fresh face, as HETAS describes. Aim for 20 percent or less.
• Seasoned logs often sound hollow when knocked together, show cracked ends, and feel lighter than green wood. Those clues help, but a meter reading is clearer.

Do not treat the word seasoned as a certificate. It is a drying method. Kiln-dried is also a drying method. The SA Firewood listing names kiln-dried hardwood among its products. We do not quote a moisture figure for those logs. See how to choose a log supplier near you.

SA Firewood on Log Price Guide

SA Firewood Suppliers is listed at Tyle House Farm, Burry Green, Gower, Swansea, SA3 1HR. The listing says it delivers to Gower, Swansea and Neath. Published products are kiln-dried hardwood, kindling nets, smokeless coal, hardwood briquettes, eco friendly firelighters and extra long matches. Prices are on request; contact the supplier.

Starter bundle is the supplier’s own term. We have not stated its contents or its price. Confirm the current product, volume and delivery with the business before you order.

After the van leaves

Dry wood can take on rain again on an open drive. Have a store ready: a roof, air through the sides, and the stack raised off the soil. See how to store firewood outdoors.

We will keep adding real supplier stories when a listing and a public review give us a lesson other stove owners can use. If you need fuel near you, find local log suppliers on Log Price Guide, then confirm delivery and dryness with the business. Log Price Guide is a free directory. Optional listing plans are Featured at £95 a year and Premium at £199 a year.

Common questions

Why do unseasoned logs fail in a new stove?

Unseasoned wood still holds a lot of water. The fire spends energy driving that moisture out, so you get smoke, little heat and tar in the flue. HETAS says you should only burn wood at 20 percent moisture or less.

What happened in the Gower first-stove story?

A customer had a new wood burner installed, their first stove. Another supplier had delivered unseasoned logs that would not burn. They emailed SA Firewood Suppliers on a Sunday afternoon. SA Firewood delivered its starter bundle the next day, and the fire was lit before the van left the driveway.

Does Ready to Burn apply in Wales?

GOV.UK says wood sold for domestic use in England in volumes of less than 2 cubic metres must be certified Ready to Burn, which confirms a moisture content of 20 percent or less. SA Firewood Suppliers is based in Wales. That sentence is the England sale rule, not a claim about this listing.

What should first-time stove owners ask before they order?

Ask about moisture content, whether the load is meant to be burned this week, and where it will be placed. A moisture meter on a freshly split face is a cheap check. Seasoned logs often sound hollow, show cracked ends and feel lighter, but those clues are not a reading. Then find local log suppliers on Log Price Guide and confirm those details with the business.