Few things are more comforting in the winter than sitting by a crackling fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate. And when it comes to building a great fire, certain types of wood are better to use than others. The experts at the Greater St. Louis area’s top firewood and mulch delivery service, Jay’s Firewood & Mulch, are here to tell you which types of firewood are best to use in your home this winter.

There are two types of wood: hardwood and softwood. Hardwood is usually a little more expensive, but it will burn longer than softwood. It’s entirely up to you which set of pros and cons you choose.

Whether you decide to go with hardwood or softwood, there are certain types of each wood that are best for firewood. 

Of the hardwoods, oak, hard maple, and birch make the best firewood. Oak in particular can be a bit difficult to ignite, but once you get your fire going, you’ll be rewarded with a great slow burn. Of these species, birch is generally the easiest to find and the cheapest, but because it burns quickly, you’ll end up using a lot of it. The best thing to do is to mix birch in with one of the other types of wood instead of just building an all-birch fire.

Of the softwoods, pine and fir make the best firewood, but beware: both produce sparking (pine especially), which can lead to creosote buildup in your chimney. Again, a mix can be your best option: a lot of people like the get the fire going with a softwood, since it’s usually easier to ignite than a hardwood, and then switch over to hardwood to keep the fire going longer and to cut down on the sparking.

One extra tip from the experts: When you’re choosing firewood to bring home, make sure you pick pieces that are dry and will fit in your fireplace or wood-burning stove. Wet wood or pieces of firewood that don’t really fit into your wood burner can not only burn inefficiently, but they can also leave behind creosote deposits, which can set the stage for a dangerous chimney fire.

For over 17 years, Jay’s Firewood & Mulch has been a proud member of the Greater St. Louis, MO, community. In addition to providing residents and businesses with fast firewood and mulch delivery in 48 hours or less, the team at Jay’s offers the area’s most-sought-after firewood bundling, landscaping, and full tree service. Not only will they treat you like a neighbor, but they’ll also make sure you’re 100% satisfied with whichever service they provide you with.

To learn more about getting seasoned firewood from Jay’s Firewood & Mulch, visit their website or call (877) 492-2970 today.