A moisture gauge can be used to determine whether firewood is ready for burning.
When using a moisture meter, refer to the instruction manual. Make sure you know whether it gives a reading in ‘wet basis’ or ‘dry basis’. Normal practice is to split a log and probe across the grain in the centre of the log to gauge the worst part of a log. Start with the thickest logs, if these ‘pass’ then it gives a good indication that the thinner ones will pass. A mixed load of different species is difficult to gauge.
Wood for the fire should have a moisture content of 25% or less (wet basis).
Bringing seasoned logs indoors for a few days before burning will help to achieve low moisture content.
BUYER BEWARE – We recommend that logs are bought by volume. If buying logs by weight, remember that unseasoned logs are much heavier than seasoned logs due to their water content – more could mean less!
