Wood Quality: Wet wood can cause the fire to smoke as the moisture produces more smoke than the flue can extract. The flue system needs to be hot to extract the smoke correctly.
Softwood (pine, redwood, douglas fir) is good for kindling and getting a fire started. Once a good bed of coal is established, hardwood (manuka, gum or plantation wood)can be added as this will burn for longer.
In general, hardwood comes from a deciduous tree which loses its leaves annually, and softwood from conifers, which remains evergreen. Hardwoods tend to be slower growing, and are therefore usually more dense.
Do not use chemically treated wood or salt impregnated wood such as driftwood. These can corrode your woodburner and flue and may also emit toxic gases when burnt and will leave toxic residues in the ash and flue.
