Is it better to burn kiln dried wood?

When it comes to burning wood in a wood stove or fireplace, there are two main options: regular seasoned wood or kiln dried wood. Many homeowners wonder if it is actually better to burn kiln dried wood instead of regular seasoned firewood. There are pros and cons to both options that are important to consider.

What is Kiln Dried Wood?

Kiln dried wood, also known as KD wood, refers to wood that has been placed in a large oven or kiln to artificially remove moisture. Freshly cut wood normally has a moisture content of around 50-60%. In order to burn properly and efficiently, the moisture content needs to be reduced down to around 20%.

With kiln dried wood, the logs are loaded into a large kiln or oven and slow-cooked at temperatures between 160-220°F. This process slowly evaporates and drives off excess moisture from the wood until it reaches the target moisture content of less than 20%. The kiln drying process generally takes several days or weeks depending on the size and type of wood.

Benefits of Burning Kiln Dried Wood

There are several potential benefits associated with burning kiln dried firewood compared to traditional seasoned wood:

• Lower moisture content – The biggest benefit is that kiln dried wood will have a guaranteed moisture content around 15-20% because all the excess moisture has been removed during the kiln drying process.
• Burns hotter – With almost no moisture left, kiln dried wood will burn significantly hotter, resulting in more heat output.
• Less creosote buildup – Wood with higher moisture content tends to produce more creosote when burned. The lower moisture content of kiln dried wood results in much less creosote accumulation in your chimney.
• Less smoldering – Since kiln dried wood has no excess moisture, it is less likely to smolder and smoke. This results in fires that burn cleaner and more efficiently.
• Less frequent refueling – The hotter burn means that kiln dried firewood will last significantly longer between refueling.
• Convenience – Kiln dried wood is ready to burn as soon as you buy it. With seasoned wood, you typically have to buy it months in advance and store it to allow additional drying time.

Downsides of Kiln Dried Wood

Using kiln dried firewood also comes with some potential drawbacks:

• Higher cost – Due to the added time and energy involved in the kiln drying process, kiln dried wood is significantly more expensive than regular seasoned wood, often 2-3 times higher.
• Over-drying risks – If the kiln drying process is not monitored properly, the wood can become overly dried, brittle and prone to cracking.
• Less variety – Only certain wood species are commonly kiln dried. You may have less variety to choose from.
• Manufactured appearance – Some homeowners feel that kiln dried wood lacks the natural variances and appeal of homemade seasoned firewood.
• High burn temperature – The extremely hot burn can damage stoves and fireplaces not designed for it and may void warranties.
• Sap bleeding – The intense heat can make sap pockets bleed out and cause a creosote-like residue to accumulate.

Pros and Cons of Seasoned Wood

For comparison, here are some benefits and drawbacks of using traditional seasoned firewood:

Benefits

• Much lower cost – Seasoned firewood can cost 1/3 the price of kiln dried wood.
• Natural wood appeal – Retains more of the wood’s original properties, smell and aesthetic.
• Any species can be seasoned – Oak, maple, ash, elm and other wood types can all be seasoned at home.
• Milder burn – The lower heat output is gentler on stoves and fireplaces.

Drawbacks

• Higher moisture content – Typically 25-35% moisture unless properly stored for years.
• Less heat output – Won’t burn as long or hot as kiln dried wood.
• More smoldering – Higher moisture wood smolders more and burns inefficiently.
• Frequent refueling needed – Due to shorter burn times.
• Have to season it yourself – Requires planning months or years ahead to properly season.
• More creosote buildup – The higher moisture content contributes to chimney creosote.

Do You Really Need Kiln Dried Wood?

For most homeowners, kiln dried firewood is likely unnecessary. Here are some things to consider:

• Properly seasoned wood only needs to reach a moisture content of around 20-25% to burn efficiently. This can be achieved by seasoning logs yourself over 6-12 months.
• Unless you have a high-efficiency wood stove, you likely don’t need the hottest burning fire possible. Seasoned wood provides plenty of heat for standard fireplaces and older stoves.
• Kiln dried wood is mainly needed for wood furnaces and other applications where maximum heat and burn efficiency is required.
• The cons of kiln dried wood like high cost, over-drying risks and sap residue often outweigh the benefits for casual wood burning.

For most purposes, taking time to properly home season your firewood is enough to create great burning wood for stoves and fireplaces. Kiln dried firewood is best saved for large industrial applications rather than the average residential homeowner.

Tips for Seasoning Your Own Wood

If you decide to season your own firewood at home, here are some tips to follow:

• Start early – Cut wood into splitting sizes at least 6-12 months before you plan to burn it.
• Split wood as soon as possible after cutting to maximize exposed surface area.
• Stack wood off the ground on scrap lumber or pallets to allow air flow.
• Cover top of stacks to protect from rain, but leave other sides uncovered.
• Stack in open sun and wind to encourage maximum drying time.
• Consider a moisture meter to test wood moisture content before burning.
• When possible, burn seasoned wood within 2 years before it reabsorbs moisture.

It does require extra planning to ensure properly seasoned wood. But with the right preparation, you can achieve similar results to kiln dried firewood with wood seasoned at home. Plus you’ll save significantly on costs.

Kiln vs Seasoned Wood Comparison Table

Characteristic	Kiln Dried Wood	Traditionally Seasoned Wood
Moisture Content	10-20%	20-35%
Heat Output	Very high	Medium to high
Burn Time	6-10 hours	3-6 hours
Creosote Buildup	Very low	Medium
Cost	Expensive	Cheap
Fire Intensity	Very hot	Medium
Preparation Time	Ready to burn	6-12 month seasoning
Common Uses	Furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves	Fireplaces, wood stoves

Conclusion

Kiln dried firewood does provide some advantages in terms of guaranteed moisture content, increased heat output and reduced creosote buildup. However, for most residential purposes, taking time to properly home season wood can achieve similar benefits at a fraction of the cost.

Kiln dried wood is best reserved for large scale industrial applications where maximizing heat output and efficiency is critical. For casual home fireplace and wood stove use, seasoned wood is usually ideal. If you season wood yourself starting at least 6 months in advance and follow proper drying and storage methods, you can achieve great results without needing kiln dried wood.

The exception would be if you have a modern, high-efficiency wood stove that requires the absolute driest wood possible. In that case, the extra cost of kiln dried logs may be warranted. For any traditional wood stove or fireplace, save your money and season your own wood at home instead.