Ready to Burn: the logs rule every wood-burner owner keeps breaking

Since May 2023 it has been illegal in England to sell wet wood in units smaller than 2 cubic metres. Moisture content must be below 20% and the product has to carry the Ready to Burn logo, issued by Woodsure.

Walk into a few rural filling stations, though, and you'll still find net bags of damp logs stacked by the door. Enforcement has been, to put it gently, patchy.

Why it matters for your bill

Wet wood is not cheaper. It is roughly half as energetic per log as kiln-dried equivalent. You end up burning twice as much to heat the same room — plus:

• Creosote builds up in the flue at 3–4× the rate, pushing up sweeping frequency.
• Glass doors black up within a single evening.
• Particulate emissions climb dramatically, which is now the main reason DEFRA tightened the rules in the first place.

How to tell at the point of sale

1. Look for the green Ready to Burn logo on the packaging.
2. Check the bag is netted and the wood is lightweight for its size — dry hardwood feels surprisingly hollow.
3. Ask for the moisture content and whether it was kiln-dried or seasoned. Under 20% is the legal threshold.
4. If buying loose from a local supplier, take a moisture meter. Decent ones cost £15 and pay for themselves in a weekend.

And if your supplier can't (or won't) tell you any of that, walk away. Reputable merchants are proud of their drying process.

See Ready to Burn certified suppliers →