How much firewood do I need for a Cornish winter?
The amount of firewood you need for a Cornish winter depends on how often you use your stove or open fire, the size and efficiency of your appliance, the insulation of your home and whether wood is your main source of heating or an occasional supplement.
As a broad guide, a household using a wood burner for a few evenings each week may use around 1 to 2 cubic metres of firewood over winter. A home lighting the stove most days may need approximately 3 to 5 cubic metres, while a larger, older or poorly insulated property relying heavily on wood heating could use 6 cubic metres or more.
Cornwall generally experiences milder winters than many inland parts of the UK, but the county’s damp, windy and exposed conditions can still create a significant heating requirement. Coastal homes, granite cottages, rural farmhouses and properties on exposed moorland may lose heat more quickly than sheltered or modern homes, even when outdoor temperatures remain relatively moderate.
Estimated Winter Firewood Requirements
| Level of use | Typical usage | Estimated firewood requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Occasional use | One or two fires each week | 0.5–1.5m³ |
| Regular evening use | Three to five evenings each week | 1.5–3m³ |
| Daily supplementary heating | Stove used most days | 3–5m³ |
| Main household heating | Stove used for long periods every day | 5–8m³ or more |
These figures are estimates rather than guarantees. Two households with similar properties can use very different quantities depending on the temperature they prefer, the length of each fire and how efficiently they operate their stove.
What Affects Firewood Consumption?
The efficiency of your appliance makes a considerable difference. A modern, correctly sized wood burning stove normally produces more useful heat from each log than an open fire. Older stoves, oversized appliances and open fireplaces may require substantially more wood to maintain the same room temperature.
Your property also matters. A well-insulated modern home may retain heat for hours after the fire has reduced, while a traditional Cornish stone or granite cottage can require more sustained heating. Draughts, high ceilings, exposed walls and large rooms can all increase consumption.
The type and moisture content of the logs are equally important. Dry hardwood burns more efficiently than damp firewood because less energy is wasted evaporating water. Logan’s Logs kiln dried hardwood averages below 18% moisture, helping each load produce more usable heat and a cleaner burn.
Converting Cubic Metres into Firewood Products
As an approximate guide, one cubic metre of firewood is equivalent to:
- one loose cubic metre load;
- one large crate;
- approximately four barrow bags;
- around eight boot bags; or
- approximately 50 nets of logs.
The exact amount can vary because loose logs naturally contain gaps and different products may be stacked or filled differently.
When Should You Order?
It is sensible to order your winter firewood before the coldest weather arrives. Buying in late summer or early autumn gives you time to organise a dry, ventilated storage area and reduces the risk of running low during busy periods.
You do not necessarily need to order your entire winter supply at once. Customers with limited storage can begin with a smaller quantity, monitor their weekly consumption and arrange further deliveries as required.
The most reliable way to estimate your needs is to track how many logs you burn during a typical week. Multiply that amount by the number of weeks you expect to use your appliance, then include a modest reserve for colder spells. This provides a much more accurate estimate than relying on property size alone. Read: Why kiln dried logs are the right choice in Cornwall.
