Ash vs Oak Firewood: Which Burns Best for Home Heating in 2026?

Ash vs Oak Firewood: Which Burns Best for Home Heating in 2026?

When the question of ash vs oak firewood comes up around a wood-burning stove in winter, it rarely has a simple answer. Both are hardwoods. Both burn cleanly when properly dried. But the differences between them, from heat output and seasoning time to how they behave at midnight when you want the fire to last until morning, are real and worth knowing before you place your next order. At Wood-Břežany, we have supplied quality firewood across Europe for years, and we want to give you a straight answer backed by data.

Choosing between ash firewood and oak firewood for home heating? At Wood-Břežany, we supply both premium hardwoods, kiln-dried to below 20% moisture for clean, efficient burns. Ash lights quickly, seasons in 6–12 months, and delivers a steady, low-smoke flame. Oak burns longer and hotter, making it ideal for overnight fires in wood-burning stoves. Both are available to buy firewood online across Europe, with fast delivery and certified quality you can count on.

What Is Ash Firewood and Why Do Homeowners Rate It So Highly?

Ash firewood is a dense hardwood that seasons quickly, burns with a clean flame, and produces minimal smoke, making it the most practical everyday firewood for most households.

Ash earns its reputation honestly. According to Lekto Woodfuels, ash is “the most popular and commonly recommended wood heating fuel type in the UK,” ranked second only to oak in burning temperature and burn duration. What sets it apart is its low moisture content even when freshly cut, which means it seasons in roughly 6 to 12 months in most European climates.

For households that want reliable, no-fuss heating from a fireplace or wood stove, ash delivers a steady, even flame with very little creosote buildup. It also splits cleanly, saving time and effort whether you are preparing logs yourself or stacking a delivery.

You can buy ash firewood online directly from our shop, kiln-dried and ready to burn.

Key Ash Firewood Properties at a Glance

• BTU rating: approximately 20 to 23.6 million BTUs per cord (depending on species)
• Seasoning time: 6 to 12 months
• Ease of splitting: high
• Smoke production: very low when dry
• Best use: everyday home heating, open fireplaces, wood stoves

What Is Oak Firewood and When Is It the Best Buy?

Oak firewood is the densest common hardwood in Europe, producing up to 26.5 million BTUs per cord and burning slowly for hours, ideal for overnight heating.

Where ash offers balance and convenience, oak offers raw endurance. According to data compiled by Chainsawnerds, white oak delivers approximately 26.5 million BTUs per cord, significantly more than ash. The trade-off is patience: oak typically requires at least two years of seasoning before it burns at full efficiency. Green or under-dried oak will smoke, smoulder, and leave creosote in your flue.

Once properly seasoned or kiln-dried, oak becomes the long-burn champion. The fire holds overnight. The embers glow for hours. For cold-climate homes with wood-burning stoves running through Central and Eastern European winters, oak is a serious investment in warmth.

We offer oak firewood for sale kiln-dried to under 11% moisture content, removing the two-year wait entirely.

Key Oak Firewood Properties at a Glance

• BTU rating: approximately 21.7 to 26.5 million BTUs per cord (by species)
• Seasoning time: 18 to 24 months (kiln-dried removes this requirement)
• Ease of splitting: moderate to difficult
• Smoke production: minimal when fully dry
• Best use: overnight burns, wood-burning stoves, sustained room heating

Ash vs Oak Firewood: Head-to-Head Comparison Table

Property	Ash Firewood	Oak Firewood
BTU per Cord	20.0–23.6 million	21.7–26.5 million
Burn Duration	Moderate (3–5 hours)	Long (5–8 hours+)
Seasoning Time	6–12 months	18–24 months
Ease of Splitting	Easy	Moderate to Hard
Smoke Output (when dry)	Very Low	Very Low
Ignition Speed	Fast	Slow (needs embers)
Creosote Risk	Very Low	Low (only if damp)
Best For	Everyday heating, open fires	Overnight burns, stoves
Availability	Widely available	Widely available
Price Point	Moderate	Moderate to Higher

Source: BTU data from Lekto Woodfuels and Chainsawnerds. Burn characteristics from Sevenoaks Firewood.

How to Choose the Best Firewood for Your Wood-Burning Stove

The best firewood depends on your stove type and heating pattern: ash suits daily use and quick ignition, while oak suits long overnight burns in high-output stoves.

Understanding how to choose the right firewood for your fireplace comes down to three questions: How long do you need the fire to burn? How patient are you with the lighting process? And what is your moisture content situation?

According to UK Government DEFRA standards, firewood logs must have a moisture content under 20% to qualify as “Ready to Burn.” Kiln-dried logs consistently reach below 11%, which is why buying kiln-dried timber from a certified supplier is the most reliable approach for clean, efficient burning in both fireplaces and wood stoves.

“Firewood logs with a moisture content under 20% burn cleaner, hotter, more efficiently, and reduce creosote buildup in your chimney.” — UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

For households heating primarily through the evening, ash is the practical choice. For those running a log burner around the clock through a Northern European or Central European winter, oak earns its place in the woodpile. Many of our customers mix both: ash to get the fire started and build a strong ember bed, then oak to carry the heat through the night. You can explore our full range of hardwood firewood products to build exactly the right combination for your home.

Where to Order Premium Ash and Oak Firewood Online Across Europe

At Wood-Břežany, based in the Czech Republic (IČO: 05273790), we supply kiln-dried firewood, wood briquettes, pellets, and more across European markets. Our range includes:

• Buy Dried Firewood Online — kiln-dried, moisture below 11%
• Buy Mixed Firewood Online — the perfect blend for daily use
• Buy Beech Firewood Online — another top-performing hardwood alternative
• Buy Hornbeam Firewood Online — extremely dense, excellent BTU output

We also offer a wide selection of wood briquettes and wood pellets for those seeking a more compressed, controlled fuel. If you are comparing heating costs, our guide on whether it is cheaper to burn wood or pellets is a useful read before deciding.

Key Takeaways

Ash firewood is the best all-rounder: easy to light, fast to season, clean-burning, and well-suited to everyday heating in fireplaces and wood stoves across Europe.

Oak firewood is the endurance specialist: denser, longer-burning, and better for overnight fires, but it demands proper drying before it performs well.

Mixing both species gives you the ignition advantages of ash and the sustained heat of oak, which many experienced wood-burners consider the optimal approach.

Always buy kiln-dried firewood with moisture content below 20% (ideally below 15%) to protect your chimney, improve efficiency, and meet emissions standards.

Ash vs Oak Firewood

Is ash or oak firewood better for a wood-burning stove?

Oak produces more BTUs and burns longer, making it better for overnight stove use. Ash lights faster and suits daytime heating. Mixing both gives optimal results.

Oak is the superior fuel for sustained output in a closed wood-burning stove, where its density and slow burn are major advantages. Ash, however, is far easier to ignite and performs well in both open and closed fireplaces. According to Kenny Fuels, oak is the best choice for “keeping a fire burning all night,” while ash provides “reliable, steady heat” for everyday use.

How long does ash firewood take to season compared to oak?

Ash seasons in 6 to 12 months. Oak requires 18 to 24 months. Kiln-dried versions of both are ready to burn immediately upon delivery.

This difference is one of the most important practical factors when planning your firewood supply. Ash has a naturally lower moisture content when freshly cut, which accelerates drying. Oak holds significantly more water in its dense grain, demanding a longer wait. Buying kiln-dried stock from a trusted supplier like Wood-Břežany eliminates this waiting period entirely.

Which firewood has a higher BTU rating: ash or oak?

Oak has a higher BTU rating, up to 26.5 million BTUs per cord for white oak, compared to ash at 20 to 23.6 million BTUs per cord.

BTU (British Thermal Unit) is the standard measure of heat energy per cord of wood. Oak consistently ranks higher, meaning more heat from the same volume of logs. However, ash is not far behind and burns more efficiently when oak is not yet properly seasoned. Data from the Permies firewood BTU chart confirms white oak at 26.5 million BTUs and ash at 19 to 23.6 million BTUs depending on species.

Can you burn ash and oak together in the same fire?

Yes, burning ash and oak together is a common and effective technique. Ash starts the fire easily; oak sustains it. The combination gives you both quick ignition and long burn time.

Mixing firewood species is standard practice among experienced wood-burners. Using ash as a starter alongside heavier oak logs produces a fast-starting fire that burns steadily for hours. Sevenoaks Firewood notes that “many users mix birch and oak or birch and ash to enjoy both quick ignition and sustained burn,” and the same principle applies to ash-oak combinations.

Is it worth buying kiln-dried oak or ash firewood instead of seasoned logs?

Kiln-dried firewood burns more efficiently, produces less creosote, and meets moisture standards immediately. For most households, the performance benefit outweighs any price premium.

Air-seasoned logs can reach acceptable moisture levels but rarely match the consistency of kiln-dried wood, which routinely falls below 11% moisture content. According to Firewood Fund UK, “moisture content is the single biggest variable” in firewood performance. Our dried firewood range is kiln-processed for guaranteed performance.

Where can I buy ash or oak firewood online in Europe?

Wood-Břežany (woodbrezany.com) supplies kiln-dried ash and oak firewood online across Europe, including the UK, Germany, Romania, Czech Republic, and Poland.

We stock a full range of hardwood firewood species, all available for online purchase with delivery. Visit our online shop to browse current availability, or contact us for bulk orders and pricing inquiries. You can also read our frequently asked questions for guidance on choosing the right fuel for your heating system.

References

1. Lekto Woodfuels. (2024). Best Firewood to Burn UK Chart. https://lektowoodfuels.co.uk/blogs/news/best-firewood-to-burn-chart
2. Chainsawnerds. Ash Tree Bark vs Oak: Firewood Heat and Quality. https://chainsawnerds.com/ash-tree-bark-vs-oak-firewood-heat-quality/
3. Sevenoaks Firewood Ltd. Birch vs Ash vs Oak: Choose the Right Firewood for Your Home. https://www.sevenoaksfirewood.co.uk/blogs/burning-inspiration/birch-vs-ash-vs-oak-choose-the-right-firewood-for-your-home
4. Kenny Fuels. (2025, March). Which Firewood Burns Longest: Ash, Oak, or Birch? https://www.kennyfuels.ie/2025/03/14/what-type-of-firewood-burns-the-longest-ash-oak-or-birch/
5. Finglas Fuels. Ash vs Oak Firewood: Which Is Best for Your Stove in Ireland? https://finglasfuels.ie/ash-vs-oak-firewood/
6. Permies Forum. Firewood BTU Rating Chart. https://permies.com/t/20012/Firewood-Guide-BTU-Rating-Chart
7. Firewood Fund UK. (2025, September). Top 5 Firewood Types Ranked by Heat Output and Burn Time. https://firewoodfund.co.uk/top-5-firewood-types-ranked-by-heat-output-and-burn-time/