Barn dried vs kiln dried logs: what's the difference?
Shop around for firewood and you will see a lot of labels. They all describe different ways of getting water out of wood. Here is what they mean.
Seasoned / air dried
The wood is split and left to dry naturally in the air. “Seasoned” on its own does not tell you how long, or how well it was kept out of the rain.
Barn dried
Air dried wood that is stored under a roof while it dries, so the wind can get to it but rain cannot. This is how we dry ours: split in Wenvoe and stacked in racks in a covered store.
Kiln dried
The wood is dried quickly in a heated kiln. It can reach low moisture levels fast, but the process uses a lot of energy.
What actually matters
Whatever the label, the number that counts is the moisture content. Under 20% and the wood will burn hot and clean. Every batch of ours is tested with a moisture meter before bagging. Here is how to check your own logs.
