Are logs or briquettes better?

Of course this is a matter of opinion.  Logs are more romantic, but if you are after a good clean fire with no fuss and no mess you will struggle to beat our briquettes.  If you are used to poor quality logs that are not fully dried you will find our briquettes a revelation.

Are briquettes sustainable?

As with logs it all depends on whether the timber is obtained by sustainable forest management.  This is why Wentwood Timber Centre never buy any timber from outside the UK.  Some countries have an enviable record of sustainable forestry (e.g. France) but many do not.  For this reason we buy all our timber as close to home as we can, and usually from forests we know well.  UK forestry felling is tightly controlled and a felling license must be obtained before felling any more than a very small amount of timber.  Furthermore there is an assumption in UK law that forest and woodland will remain forest so replanting is usually mandatory.

How long do briquettes burn?

This is a very difficult question to answer as it depends on what appliance the briquettes are burned in, how far the vents are opened and many other factors.  The author of this website can, on a mild winter evening, operate his 14KW woodburner all evening with just two briquettes and a little kindling.

Do you need to mix briquettes with traditional logs?

No, but you will need some kindling to start your fire.  Many of our customers like to then mix the briquettes with other smaller pieces of wood, but it all depends on your woodburner or fire and how you manage it.

Are briquettes less or more polluting than traditional logs?

Any timber that is genuinely dry and burnt in a high quality woodburner will produce very little pollution unless you close the vents down and let it slumber.  Our briquettes are drier than the driest logs, so if burned correctly they will produce very low emissions.

But  burning any form of wood is releasing carbon?

Yes, but this is why good forestry practises are so important.  If the forest the tree is cut from is well managed it not only continues to absorb carbon into the trees that grow, but it also stores large amounts of carbon in the soil.  So the use of sustainably managed timber from reliable sources is actually an investment in our planet and in carbon capture.  

The UK has very low forest cover so shouldn't we should keep what we have?

Yes.  In fact the UK have ambitious plans to increase forest cover.  When the Forestry Commission was established in 1919 we had around 6% forest cover - one of the world's lowest.  Today that figure stands at around 13%.  This is still low but heading in the right direction.  Almost all of the upland areas of the UK used to be forest, and with the right management much could be returned to a forested state.  

Do you deliver firewood?

We do, and full details are given on our ordering page.  But of course we welcome visitors to our site to buy in person anytime we are open.  Instant order buttons appear below, but more details are on the ordering page.