Are Kiln Dried Logs Worth It? Benefits of Kiln Dried Firewood & Whether It's Worth the Money

Are kiln dried logs worth the money? Your burning questions answered

Have you seen kiln dried logs for sale and wondered “are kiln dried logs worth it” as an investment? If so, you're not alone. Whether you're new to wood burning or you've been burning wood for years, everyone has at some point wondered “is kiln dried wood worth it”. Here are some of the common burning questions we get asked, to help you make up your mind.

What are kiln dried logs?

Kiln-dried logs are logs that have been dried in a kiln. Sounds simple, right? And it is!

How does kiln drying actually work?

The logs are dried in a commercial kiln, often for anything as long as 4-6 days depending on the kiln and the type of wood being used. Usually, the kilns will operate at around 70°C, to provide a consistent and controlled drying process.

To start the drying process, the green pre-cut wood is stacked into various metal cages before being pushed into the kiln. The kiln itself is essentially a large commercial oven, with a large fan or multiple fans to help improve air circulation. Many commercial kilns can process up to 100 pallets at a time. The heat and the airflow will help gradually eliminate any moisture from the logs. Read our detailed guide to the kiln drying process in our article – “How are kiln dried logs made? The ultimate explanation”

What are the benefits of kiln dried firewood logs?

Kiln-dried logs have many benefits over seasoned firewood or pure green wood, we list some of the benefits of kiln dried firewood below:

1. They're ready to burn straight away

With kiln dried logs, you're able to put them straight on the fire. You can have them delivered to your woodpile and start a fire straight away. There are no further seasoning, drying, or other considerations required - they're ready to go from the moment you take delivery. Generally, you'll find that kiln dried logs are much easier to start lighting than other kinds as well, due to the minimal moisture content. This makes starting your fires easier and quicker.

2. A cleaner, longer, and more controlled burn

Kiln-dried logs will also generally burn much cleaner than other kinds. This means if you're using your logs in a wood-burning stove, you shouldn't have to worry so much about your glass going black, or excess soot or tar building up in the flue. Kiln-dried logs tend to burn more evenly as well, as the wood has a consistently low firewood moisture content, which means you get a much more efficient and longer-lasting burn than with alternative wood types.

3. Mould and insects are destroyed during the kiln dry

Something you always need to consider when it comes to firewood is the presence of other life forms. Not only are insects and mould undesirable in themselves, but they also present a risk to your current log store. Putting an infected log with the others could see the whole lot infected. With kiln drying, however, insects and mould are killed off during the drying process, which means when the logs are delivered to you, you know they're as safe as possible.

4. Kiln dried logs are always available, and ethically sourced

As kiln drying brings an element of consistency to the process, much less wood is wasted than through other methods of providing firewood. This means that you can always find kiln-dried wood available for delivery online when you need it. Kiln-dried wood is only sourced when it's required, as well, which means less wood is wasted as most of what is harvested can be processed. Ultimately this means kiln-dried wood is an ecologically sound, as well as a practical, choice.

The above are just a few examples of the benefits of kiln dried firewood logs. It is impractical to list them all here, that would be an article in itself! These benefits are why we always answer YES, to the question “is kiln dried firewood worth it?”

Are there any downsides to kiln dried logs?

For the purposes of a balanced argument, it's important to know the downsides of kiln dried logs too - but there aren't many!

1. Kiln dried wood is a more expensive choice

The primary downside of kiln-dried wood is that it's a more expensive choice than seasoned firewood. This is because kiln-dried wood has to be processed, and the costs involved in doing so are naturally presented in the purchase price. With seasoned firewood, you can simply gather, chop, and season it yourself if you really want to, which costs you nothing but time and effort. The trouble is that the wood will not burn as well and may still be infested if it's only seasoned.

Are kiln dried logs worth it then?

So, to conclude, is kiln-dried wood actually worth it as an investment? The simple answer is that it's up to you, and what you're looking for.

If you're only looking to save money, then kiln-dried wood isn't going to be ideal as it's always the more expensive option (from an initial outlay perspective) than the alternatives.

Buy cheap, buy twice!

If, however, you want wood that's going to be free from bugs and mould, offers a longer and cleaner burn and provides you with much easier fire-starting, kiln dried logs offer all of that. The question is whether you're willing to pay a little bit extra for the convenience and quality that kiln dried logs offer.

We return to the original question posed by this article “are kiln dried logs worth it?” In our opinion, YES! If you buy green wood for example, not only is it illegal to burn in the UK, but you will also need to buy it twice as often, as it burns for a shorter time, with a smoke-impaired burn.

Buy in confidence – a valuable investment

More and more people are seeing kiln dried logs as a valuable investment because they make the process of starting a fire so much quicker, and they provide a more efficient burn that's also cleaner than the alternatives. You also have to put a price on your peace of mind - when you use seasoned wood, you're always unsure if it's too damp to be useful, and you may find you waste logs. With kiln-dried logs, you can be confident that every log is going to be usable and the best wood for burning.

Contact Cozilogs for further information

Are you still wondering “is kiln dried wood worth it” as a worthwhile investment? If you would like to discuss the potential benefits of kiln dried firewood logs and related topics, please reach out to us at Cozilogs. You can contact us through our website, email, or phone number: