by William Remski

Created on: December 03, 2010   Last Updated: December 13, 2010

Fireplaces come in various sizes, and the correct wood should be used to get a proper fire. The first thing to consider when burning wood in a fireplace is the type of wood. Hardwood is the best, and possibly the only type of wood to burn in a fireplace. This is because softwood like pine or spruce is full of resins and produces a lot of creosote when burned, all of which can lead to a chimney fire. The next thing to consider is the diameter of the wood. If the logs are over four inches in diameter, they should be split before burning. Split wood burns more evenly and ignites faster.

When looking for wood for a fireplace, the size of the firebox should be considered. It is not a good idea to fill the firebox, or burning area of the fireplace, with more than about 25 percent wood. This is because the firebox is open to the room, and if it is filled too full, burning logs could shift off the grate and roll into the room, causing a fire hazard. Measure the size of the fire grate. Firewood should be of a length that does not extend over the edge of the grate. Any wood hanging over the edge of the grate could fall off onto the floor of the firebox and may cause smoke to escape from the front of the fireplace.

Logs for a fire should be of a size such that three or four of them can be stacked on the grate to form a fire. One log on a grate will not burn. Two surfaces of wood should meet, with a space for air, for a proper burn. If logs are too big there will not be enough room on the grate to stack them. A fire burns from the bottom up, as hot air and flame is less dense than the surrounding air. Larger logs should be placed on top of smaller logs, so that the fire can start in the small wood and spread to the larger pieces.

A fire in a fireplace is not made from logs that are all the same size and shape. Wood is a natural material and comes in many different sizes. Starting a fire requires a progression of wood, from small pieces to large. A fire will not start if it does not have the proper arrangement. Fire moves from the crumpled newspapers, to the small twigs, to the small branches, on to the small logs and then the larger splits. More large pieces are needed if a fire is going to be kept burning for a long time. A fire that is lit and then let burn out will require about as many small pieces as large.

Firewood is available in small packages from grocery stores. This might be just the thing for a single fire on a cold evening. If a fire in the fireplace is going to be a regular event, wood will have to be purchased from a firewood dealer. These are generally people with a woodlot and equipment to cut and split the wood to the proper size. Unless a person is going to cut their own wood and split it, size of wood is not an issue. Firewood comes in fairly standard sizes that should burn in any fireplace that is functional. The firewood dealer should also have small pieces of kindling wood for sale to start fires. Any wood that is small enough to stack on the grate should work for a fire. Larger pieces will burn longer, though pieces that are too large should be avoided.

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