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Understanding dry firewood
A practical explanation of moisture content, certification and why correctly seasoned logs make a better fuel.
Quick answer
The Ready to Burn mark helps customers identify wood fuel that meets the scheme’s moisture requirements. Woodham Nursery is proudly Ready to Burn certified, and our firewood is seasoned to well below 20% moisture content.
Moisture matters because wet logs use part of their energy evaporating water before they can provide useful heat.
The official scheme, simply explained
It is a Defra certification scheme. HETAS and Woodsure are not-for-profit organisations involved in running it, with Woodsure appointed as the certification body for wood fuels.
Ready to Burn wood is independently verified as having a moisture content of 20% or less. Woodham Nursery goes further in practice: our seasoned firewood is prepared to well below 20%.
Under the rules applying in England, wood fuel sold for domestic burning in volumes below 2m³ must be certified as Ready to Burn.
Larger loose-wood sales are treated differently. The customer must be given advice about storing and seasoning the timber so it is suitably dry before burning.
Woodsure administers certification for wood fuels. HETAS administers the related scheme for manufactured solid fuels. The badge should be linked to the specific certified fuel and supplier.
The scheme is focused on fuel moisture and regulatory compliance. It is not a claim that burning fuel has no environmental impact, and it does not replace correct storage or appliance instructions.
Source: About the Ready to Burn scheme, accessed 23 August 2026.
Why dryness matters
Dry kindling and seasoned logs establish a flame more readily than timber carrying excess moisture.
Less energy is wasted driving water from the wood, allowing more of the fuel’s energy to warm the room.
Properly seasoned logs make it easier to build a stable fire and then manage it using the appliance controls.
Even dry logs should be kept sheltered from rain, raised from damp ground and surrounded by moving air.
Using your logs
Store the main supply in a dry, ventilated place. Bring in only a modest amount for your next fire and always follow the operating instructions supplied with your stove or fireplace.
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