Buying firewood does not need to be complicated. A few simple checks will help you choose logs that suit your stove, fit your storage space and give you good heat when you need it.
Terms such as “seasoned”, “hardwood”, “loose load” and “builder’s bag” can mean different things to different suppliers, so it is worth asking a few questions before placing an order.
The main things to consider are:
- Whether the logs are suitable for your stove or fire.
- How dry the wood is.
- How the quantity has been measured.
- The length and thickness of the logs.
- The amount of storage space you have.
- How the delivery vehicle will reach your property.
Here is how to make the right choice for your home.
Start with your stove and location
Your stove manual is the best place to begin. It should tell you which fuels can be used, the recommended log size and any important operating instructions.
It is also worth checking whether your home is within a Scottish Smoke Control Area. This is unlikely to affect many Barrel Bothy customers in Aberdeenshire, but it can be relevant in some Scottish towns and cities.
Wood can still be burned in a Smoke Control Area, but it generally needs to be used in an approved exempt appliance and in accordance with the appliance manufacturer’s instructions.¹
Aberdeenshire Council currently states that there are no Smoke Control Areas within Aberdeenshire.² Customers elsewhere in Scotland can usually check their position through their local council’s environmental health pages.
This need not be a complicated part of ordering. In most cases, it is simply a matter of knowing which stove you have and checking your postcode before buying.
Ask how dry the firewood is
When logs are intended for immediate use, look for a moisture content of 20% or lower. This is the level recommended by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.³
Dry firewood is:
- Easier to light.
- Quicker to bring up to temperature.
- Better at producing useful heat.
- Less likely to create excessive smoke.
- Less likely to leave heavy deposits in the stove or chimney.
The word “seasoned” means that the wood has been allowed to dry, but it does not necessarily confirm its final moisture content. The result depends on how long the wood has been stored, whether it was split before drying, the size and species of the logs, airflow through the stack and how well it was protected from rain. At the Barrel Bothy we air on the side of caution to avoid confusion when we say ‘seasoned’ we mean 20% moist content or lower.
A helpful supplier should be able to tell you whether the wood is:
- Ready to burn.
- Seasoned but best checked before use.
- Partially seasoned and intended for further drying.
A small firewood moisture meter is useful when you want to check logs at home. For the most representative reading, split a log and test the newly exposed internal face. Testing only the end or outside of the log may give a lower reading because the surface dries before the centre.⁴
Partially seasoned logs can be a good-value option when you are buying well in advance and have a covered, well-ventilated store. Allow them to continue drying and test them again before burning.
Understand what you are buying
Firewood may be sold by:
- Loose cubic metre.
- Stacked cubic metre.
- Weight.
- Bag.
- Crate.
- Trailer or vehicle load.
These measurements are not always directly comparable.
What is a loose cubic metre?
A loose cubic metre is the space taken up when split logs are tipped or loaded without being carefully arranged. There will be plenty of air gaps between the pieces.
At the Barrel Bothy our standard unit of measurement is a loose cubic metre with our most popular and cost effective quantity being a loose load of five cubic metres.
What is a stacked cubic metre?
A stacked cubic metre is measured after the logs have been arranged into rows. There are still gaps, but the logs fit together more closely than they do in a loose pile.
The final stacked volume will vary according to:
- Log length.
- Log diameter.
- How evenly the pieces are split.
- The species and shape of the wood.
- How closely the logs are stacked.⁵
Barrel Bothy describes its retail firewood loads by loose volume. For example, its seasoned softwood product is listed as a five-cubic-metre loose load.⁶
When comparing prices from different suppliers, make sure you are comparing the same type of measurement. A useful comparison should include:
- Loose volume versus loose volume.
- Stacked volume versus stacked volume.
- Similar moisture levels.
- Similar log lengths.
- Similar wood types.
- Delivery charges.
- The amount of splitting or processing already completed.
What about buying by weight?
Weight can be useful, but only when the moisture content is also known.
Water adds weight to a delivery without adding useful fuel energy. Two one-tonne loads can therefore contain different amounts of usable wood if one is much wetter than the other.
For most household customers, a clearly stated loose or stacked volume together with a moisture specification is easier to understand and much less ambiguous.
Check that the logs will fit your stove
Before ordering, measure the usable width and depth of your firebox.
Do not rely only on the external width of the stove or assume that every supplier’s standard log will fit. The log should pass comfortably through the door and sit properly inside the firebox without being forced against the glass.
Barrel Bothy currently lists an approximate standard log length of 25 centimetres for its seasoned softwood loads. Customers who require longer pieces are encouraged to enquire before ordering.⁶
Even where 25-centimetre logs are suitable for many appliances, owners of compact stoves should still measure their firebox.
A suitable log should:
- Fit easily through the stove door.
- Sit securely inside the firebox.
- Leave the space required by the appliance manufacturer.
- Be split to a practical thickness.
- Ignite without needing to be forced into position.
The thickness of the logs matters as well as the length. Smaller splits are useful for lighting the stove and bringing it up to temperature. Medium-sized pieces are convenient for normal burning.
Very large rounds take longer to dry through to the centre and can be difficult to light. They may need to be split again before seasoning or use.
Choosing between softwood, larch and hardwood
There is no single “best” firewood for every household. The right choice depends on your stove, storage space and the way you like to use your fire.
The most important point is:
Dryness normally matters more than whether the log is hardwood or softwood.
At the same moisture content, hardwood and softwood contain broadly similar amounts of energy per kilogram. The main difference is density. A dense hardwood log normally contains more wood fibre than a similar-sized softwood log, so it usually provides more energy for the same amount of storage space.⁵
Softwood
Dry softwood is often easy to light and quick to produce heat. It can be particularly useful when:
- Lighting the stove from cold.
- Heating a room for a shorter period.
- You want a responsive fire.
- You have plenty of log-storage space.
Softwood generally burns more quickly than dense hardwood.
Larch
Larch is a softwood, although it is often denser than some other commonly available softwoods.
As with any firewood, its performance depends on the moisture content, split size and how the stove is operated. Dry larch can be a practical option for customers looking for responsive heat from a locally available softwood.
Hardwood
Dense hardwoods usually provide more energy per stored cubic metre. A similarly sized hardwood log may also burn for longer than a lower-density softwood log.
Hardwood can be a good option when:
- Storage space is limited.
- You prefer longer periods between refuelling.
- The stove is used for extended heating periods.
- You want a slower, steadier fire.
Mixed loads
A mixed load can offer the advantages of both.
Smaller softwood pieces are useful for lighting and quickly establishing a good fire. Denser pieces can then be added for a longer-lasting burn.
Whichever type you choose, properly dried softwood will generally be more useful than wet hardwood.
Make delivery day straightforward
Firewood is much easier to deal with when the delivery and storage arrangements have been planned in advance.
Before ordering, let us know about anything that may affect access, including:
- Narrow gateways.
- Single-track roads.
- Tight corners.
- Limited turning space.
- Low branches or overhead cables.
- Steep or soft ground.
- Gates that need to be opened.
- Access that becomes difficult in wet weather.
It is also helpful to agree where the load will be tipped. Consider the distance between the tipping point and your log store.
Before confirming the order, ask:
- Is delivery included in the price?
- Will the logs arrive loose or in bags?
- Can the vehicle tip beside the log store?
- Does someone need to be at home?
- Is there a limit to how far the vehicle can travel off-road?
- Will the load need to be moved immediately?
Try to have the store ready before the logs arrive. A loose heap left on grass or wet soil will begin taking up moisture from below, and the centre of the pile will receive very little airflow.
Does “Ready to Burn” apply in Scotland?
You may have seen the Ready to Burn logo on bags of firewood or in advice found online.
The specific legal requirement frequently described on UK websites applies to wood sold for domestic use in England. In England, firewood sold in loose volumes below two cubic metres must be certified as Ready to Burn, confirming that its moisture content is 20% or lower.⁷
That particular small-volume certification rule should not be described as a Scottish legal requirement.
For customers in Scotland, however, the practical aim is much the same:
- Choose firewood at 20% moisture or lower when you want to burn it immediately.
- Choose partially seasoned wood only when you have time and suitable storage to finish drying it.
- Test representative logs before use.
- Keep dry logs protected from rain after delivery.
- Remember airflow is really important when drying logs.
A logo can be useful, but good information about the moisture level, quantity, log size and storage requirements is just as important.
Choosing firewood from Barrel Bothy
Barrel Bothy supplies locally sourced firewood from the Huntly area, including seasoned and partially seasoned options in softwood, larch, hardwood and mixed loads.
Product descriptions state whether the volume is loose and give the approximate log length, helping customers compare the available options before ordering. Current local product listings include delivery within 15 miles of Glass, Huntly, with customers advised to check individual product pages for the latest prices and delivery arrangements.⁶
Not sure which load will work best? It helps to have the following information ready when getting in touch:
- The make or size of your stove.
- The approximate firebox width.
- Your available storage space.
- How soon you intend to use the logs.
- Your delivery postcode.
- Any access restrictions.
With those details, it is much easier to choose a load that fits your stove, your store and the way you heat your home.
How to order from The Barrel Bothy
You can send us a message directly using the contact form below or navigate to the ‘Buy Firewood’ button on the menu at the top of this page.
References
- Air Quality in Scotland. Smoke Control Areas guidance [Internet]. Edinburgh: Scottish Government and Ricardo Energy & Environment; [cited 2026 Jul 11].
- Aberdeenshire Council. Smoke from domestic fires and stoves [Internet]. Aberdeen: Aberdeenshire Council; [cited 2026 Jul 11].
- Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Chimney safety, stoves and carbon monoxide [Internet]. Cambuslang: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service; 2024 Jan [cited 2026 Jul 11].
- Rolls W. Testing moisture content: simple method [Internet]. Farnham: Forest Research; 2011 [cited 2026 Jul 11].
- Forest Research. Wood as fuel: technical supplement for fuel suppliers [Internet]. Farnham: Forest Research; 2010 [cited 2026 Jul 11].
- Barrel Bothy. Seasoned softwood logs: 5 cubic metres loose [Internet]. Huntly: Barrel Bothy; [cited 2026 Jul 11].
- Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. Selling wood for domestic use in England [Internet]. London: GOV.UK; 2021 [cited 2026 Jul 11].
This article provides general information for Scottish households and is not a substitute for the instructions supplied with your appliance, professional installation or sweeping advice, or guidance from your local authority. Regulations, appliance exemptions and local designations can change.
Safety and regulatory information last reviewed: 10 July 2026