As we enter into October the colder weather is creeping in and most of us are starting to prepare for the chilly months. If you have a fire at home or even a chiminea that you might want to make the most of in the garden during the autumn months, you may be searching the internet for places to stock up on your logs. Masons Tree Surgery are experienced in preparing and providing quality logs and kindling and have something to suit all requirements.

There are several questions you may be asking yourself when looking to receive a log delivery, especially if you are new to burning firewood. When you type ‘log deliveries’ into google you will be flooded with different options and it may be hard to choose a supplier that’s best for you. For example; are you looking for sustainably sourced logs? Do you know the type of wood that is best for your situation? Masons Tree Surgery can provide you with experienced advice on what is best for you.

How should logs be prepared?

Firewood should be as dry as possible for optimum burning. If the logs are wet a large amount of heat in the stove will be used to evaporate the water content, therefore meaning less heat is produced for you. The moisture content should ideally be below 20% and so it’s very important that you only burn quality, well-seasoned logs.

At Masons Tree Surgery the logs are seasoned, meaning the logs have been left to dry on their own. The logs are split and then stored under cover in a place that allows air to circulate around them, to dry them as quickly as possible. Logs can take between 12 – 24 months to dry out enough to burn depending on their variety, how quickly they are processed and how they are stored.

Are logs sustainable?

At Masons Tree Surgery all logs are sourced from the company’s tree surgery, woodland management and forestry operations. Also, our ‘Ultimate Premier’ range is sourced from a sustained woodland in Suffolk. On the rare occasion that any logs or timber are brought in from anywhere else, this is always from UK managed sustainable woodlands. This means that when you choose Masons you are not only supporting a local business, you are shopping responsibly and sustainably and helping support woodland management projects locally.

Choosing a local log supplier avoids:

• A large carbon footprint from logs either travelling from other parts of the country or being imported.
• Bringing in diseases to British woodland from logs from other countries.
• Mass woodland destruction which destroys habitat for natural wildlife.

So, if being eco-friendly is important to you and your family, purchasing your logs from a local tree surgery company like Masons is a much better option to do your bit.

Types of logs

There are several different options when choosing your wood type depending on your budget and the way you would like the wood to burn.

For those of you on a tight budget, Masons Tree Surgery provide a budget range of logs which comprises of Willow, Poplar and Sweet Chesnut. These logs are a popular choice due to their lower price, however due to being the lowest grade, they can smoulder and are not the best burners or heat generators.

Another option is softwood. These logs burn much faster than hardwood and are easy to start a fire with, they also are still very reasonable in price. However, these logs can spit and there is a risk of resin build up which isn’t always desirable for everyone.

Masons Tree Surgery offer two types of hardwood logs which are extremely popular with regular customers. Premier Hardwood logs are an excellent choice which provide a slow burn and good heat output. Alternatively, you can choose Mason’s Ultimate Premier Hardwood logs. Like the standard premier hardwood they provide great heat and a slow burn, however they are chunkier and much more uniform in size.

If you are unsure of whether soft or hardwood is the best option for you, Masons Tree Surgery also offer a 50:50 mixed type of logs which offers the slower burn of hardwood along with the easy starting of soft. Mason’s Tree Surgery are always happy to advise you on which type of seasoned logs are best suited to your need, so get in touch if you need any advice.

For all information regarding orders, deliveries and other FAQ’s about logs and kindling, visit the log section on the Masons Tree Surgery Website.