There’s no better way to enjoy the cold winter months than with a sexy, crackling fire, and having some good hardwood on hand is the best way to keep it roaring. Because we want to help you keep those flames going long into the night, we put together this guide with everything you need to know about different types of firewood and their benefits, so you don’t bring home just any old branch!

What Makes A Good Firewood?

The best firewood you can get your hands on will come from hardwood, but only if it’s properly “seasoned” or dried out. Many producers of cheaper firewood skip this crucial step, meaning their products still contain moisture from a not-so-long-ago living and growing tree. This fresher, greener wood won’t burn properly, meaning you’re in for a very smoky night! Our firewood, on the other hand, is seasoned for two years, ensuring you benefit from a clean, even burn. We even take it a step further by kiln-drying our firewood for maximal dryness and to remove any lingering bugs and pests.

Types of Firewood

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, “a tree is a tree, right?” Absolutely not! Hardwood and softwood trees—and the wood they produce—each have unique characteristics, including density, durability, and fire resistance. In the context of firewood, these characteristics affect the benefits you’ll reap from their use, including how well a specific type of wood will burn and for how long. Here are a few of the most and least beneficial types of wood to use in your next fire:

Softwood

To call someone a softwood might sound insulting, but it’s actually the term used to refer to wood from a gymnosperm tree. These trees usually have cones and needles and are much lower in density than their hardwood cousins. Softwoods do have certain benefits; they grow faster and are much more affordable than hardwoods, making them a more sustainable and accessible option. However, they also have poorer fire resistance, meaning they catch fire easily and burn out much quicker, so you’ll need to use more to keep your fireplace going. Overall, softwoods don’t burn as cleanly, produce more smoke, and don’t last as long as their hardwood equivalents, meaning you and your fireplace won’t benefit as much from this firewood option. 

Some examples of softwoods include:

• Cedar
• Juniper
• Spruce
• Pine
• Yew
• Douglas fir

Hardwood

Technically classified as angiosperms, hardwood trees and their lumber have many distinct characteristics that make them WAY better firewood options! Hardwoods are harder, denser, and more durable than their softwood counterparts, meaning both fireplaces and quality-made furniture, flooring, decks, and other major construction elements all benefit from their use. Indeed, builders, carpenters, and campfire enthusiasts alike have all admired the benefits of hardwood for centuries. 

Hardwood burns much cleaner and slower than softwood, making it a much more satisfying and beneficial fireplace option. While hardwood is a bit pricier, it also lasts for way longer, meaning you can get away with using less. It also doesn’t produce as much smoke as softwoods, resulting in a much more pleasant burning experience. Overall, the benefits of burning hardwood far outweigh its cost.

We stock the best types of hardwood to use in your next fireside snuggle session, including:

• Oak
• Maple
• Walnut
• Hickory
• Teak
• Mahogany

The team at Dees’ are in the firewood business every winter, and we have just what you need to survive the cold in style. We carry entire boxes of firewood along with many practical and fashionable firewood storage solutions, including our chic and rustic firewood rings, all available with the benefits of our local delivery and stacking services. If you’re a strong, independent pyromaniac who don’t need no delivery, we’ll also be on-site at our Long Island location to help you load your vehicle, so no need to bring any extra muscle! 

If you’re wondering where to buy the best hardwood in Oceanside, NY, look nowhere else! We at Dees’ Nursery have the wood to keep your fire going all winter long!