FAQ's
Log Journey
There is a surprising amount of work that goes in to getting logs from the woodland to your home. In fact by the time you put a log on your fire it will have already been handled at least five times!
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Felling the tree: All our logs come from trees felled in sustainably managed woodlands in the South of England
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Forwarding: Once the selected trees have been felled, the wood can be collected by a tractor, driven to the woodland edge (“forwarded”) and unloaded again where the stack will begin seasoning and await collection.
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Haulage: A timber lorry can then collect the wood from the woodland edge and transport it to our yard where it will be stacked again and await processing.
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Processing: The timber can then be cut into logs and left to continue drying.
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Delivering: Your order is received and the logs are loaded onto our vehicle for delivery to your home. All products remain the property of South Coast Firewood Ltd until delivered.
Burn our logs to help conserve our planet
We are very conscious about the environment and we would like to help you reduce your carbon footprint with our products.
When using our firewood in a wood burning stove, you will also benefit from lower CO² emissions. Our logs are a carbon neutral way of heating a house - while the tree was growing, it was taking pollutants from the atmosphere which negates the effect of burning the wood in the home. Logs provide a renewable heating source from a local supplier – an ideal way to reduce your carbon footprint and help conserve our planet!
When you burn wood, you release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Much of the carbon that is absorbed and stored in the wood of living trees is released as the wood rots down, or when the residues from clearing or forest harvesting are burnt. Under sustainable forest management systems, all of this released carbon is then reabsorbed by the actively regrowing forest – a carbon neutral cycle. If instead of being burnt in-situ, the residues from sustainable managed forests are harvested and used for firewood, no additional carbon dioxide is created (apart from a small amount from chainsaw fuel, road transport, and splitting machines). Using this carbon neutral form of bio-energy to replace energy derived from fossil fuels such as coal generated electricity, natural gas or LPG, inevitably results in an overall reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions.
Environmental Benefits
Many of the woodlands that exist in the UK today do so partly because in the past they were used by people to make a wide range of products - The woodlands therefore had a high value to their owners. For hundreds, possibly thousands of years, woodlands were managed using mainly coppice techniques, to provide fuel, building materials and other products. The eco-systems that exist in these often ancient woods today depend on continuing management for their survival. They require changing patterns of light and shade, with a healthy understory of shrubs and young trees as well as mature trees. Many of these woodlands, especially the smaller ones, are no longer managed because they no longer provide any economic benefit to their owners. Neglect however, is not a good option for these woodlands, and if left alone, their structural and biological diversity will continue to decline. Woodlands require ongoing management if they are to be valuable bio-diverse habitats, and if managed sustainably they are a source of renewable carbon neutral energy. So using wood as a fuel has a number of benefits. Buying and burning locally sourced logs and timber products are ways to help woodland management and conservation continue, because there is some economic return for the work done. You are also reducing the amount of fossil carbon you are releasing in to the atmosphere by heating your home with logs, so reducing your carbon footprint.
Storage
Always store logs under cover and in a well-ventilated area.
We season our logs as much as we can to ensure that you get the best quality log that we can provide. However, logs will always retain some moisture and readily absorb it from the British weather.
You can reduce the moisture build up by ensuring that there is plenty of air circulating around the wood once stacked. If stacking alongside a wall, only cover the top, leaving the front open. Unrolling bin liners over the top of a stack is a cost effective simple solution. Storing logs in a shed or garage is fine. Leave a window or vent open to create air circulation and prevent mould.
How much wood will I need?
Always a difficult question as it depends on your type of appliance, its efficiency, the house insulation etc. However as a guide a single stove/open fire is likely to require 3-4 cubic metres each season.
Chimney Sweeping
You should still ensure your flue or chimney is swept a minimum of once a year and we recommend you use an approved chimney sweep. For chimney sweep enquiries please call KleenSpace Chimney Sweep on 07761954576 or speak to us in the office.
Moisture Content
There are ways of telling how dry the wood is such as knocking two logs together and getting nice hollow sound, rather than a dull thud, or observing how many cracks are appearing in the log end. Well cracked will normally suggest, well dried.
Seasoned logs are naturally air dried to an average moisture content of 20-40% and by the nature of the process, will vary between logs and species. All our logs are suitable for immediate burning. We aim to allow our logs to reach a moisture content of below 40% before delivery.
How many logs are in a cubic metre?
There are approximately 280 logs in a cubic metre.
How is our wood delivered?
Our wood is delivered loose and is tipped in a convenient location to suit you. NB - Contents are sold in volume and may settle in transit. All products remain the property of South Coast Firewood Ltd until delivered.
Where do we source the timber from?
Our firewood is produced from Sustainable British Woodland, locally sourced within a 60 mile radius.
When is the best time to buy my logs?
You can purchase your timber at any time of the year from South Coast Firewood, however we would recommend you buy in and store during the summer months ready for the winter.
Approximately how many nets of logs are there in a cubic metre?
There are approximately 28 nets of logs in a cubic metre.
Approximately how many logs are there in a net?
There are between eight and twelve logs in a net.
Length of logs
Our logs are generally cut to 10" however, they can be cut to 8” minimum if required. (Please request by email - info@southcoastfirewood.co.uk)
Where do you deliver?
We deliver across southern Hampshire, including (but not limited to) Southampton, Portsmouth, Petersfield, Eastleigh, Winchester, Havant, Gosport, Hayling Island, Fareham and Waterlooville