Wood Briquettes: More Heat from Your Fireplace and Wood-Burning Stove

Winter is drawing closer, many stoves are already working at full capacity – yet the living room often remains only mildly warm.

Anyone heating with a fireplace or wood-burning stove will recognise the issue: the woodpile dwindles rapidly, heating costs rise, but the heat still often feels uneven. A relatively new alternative is now attracting attention: special wood briquettes made from compressed waste wood, which can substantially increase the heat output of wood-burning stoves and fireplaces.

What makes these new wood briquettes different

Known as wood briquettes or pressed wood, these fuels are not conventional logs. Instead, they are made from sawdust and wood offcuts, by-products produced in large quantities by sawmills, joinery workshops and the timber industry.

Under extremely high pressure, dry wood residues are compressed into highly dense, uniform briquettes – without any chemical additives.

Their form is more like “wood in cube form” than a traditional log. This dense, consistent composition is precisely why more energy is released per unit of volume during combustion. According to manufacturers, a single briquette can replace two to four conventional logs, depending on the wood type and its condition.

Why the heat output is considerably higher

The key benefit: very low residual moisture

Perhaps the most important factor is moisture content. Air-dried firewood usually retains 20 to 30 per cent moisture, while poorly stored wood can quickly reach 40 to 50 per cent. Wood briquettes typically contain less than 10 per cent.

• Less water in the wood means more energy heats the room rather than escaping up the chimney.
• The flame burns more cleanly, so the stove glass blackens more slowly.
• The stove reaches its operating temperature more quickly.

As litres of water do not first have to be “evaporated”, a far greater proportion of the energy stored in the wood is genuinely available as heat output.

High density and a long-lasting ember phase

The compression process makes the material exceptionally dense. In practical terms:

Fuel	Typical density	Effect in the stove
Air-dried logs	approx. 400–600 kg/m³	Faster flame, shorter ember phase
Wood briquettes	approx. 900–1,000 kg/m³	Calmer fire, longer burn time

This high density provides:

• steady heat over a longer period
• a much longer ember phase than with many types of firewood
• less need for refuelling – particularly useful in the evening or overnight

Practical benefits of wood briquettes for households

Cleaner and easier to manage than logs

Anyone who stacks, saws and splits several cubic metres of wood each year knows how much mess it creates. Wood briquettes are generally supplied in clean packaging, often wrapped in plastic or packed in boxes, and produce very little debris.

Less ash, less soot, less work – many users only need to empty the ash pan half as often.

Because combustion is almost complete, fewer residues build up in the firebox and chimney flue. This not only makes life easier, but can also reduce chimney sweep bills, as the risk of excessive tar or soot deposits is lower.

Space-saving storage with no lengthy drying period

This is especially relevant in towns and terraced housing developments: far less space is needed for a winter fuel supply. In terms of calorific value, one cubic metre of wood briquettes delivers roughly the equivalent of several cubic metres of logs.

In addition, briquettes normally arrive from the manufacturer already dry and ready for the stove. There is no need to dry them in a shed for two to three years, and no debate with the chimney sweep about firewood that is too damp.

How to use the new briquettes correctly

Step-by-step guide to lighting the stove

The basic method is similar to using conventional fireplace logs. The following approach has proved effective:

• Place two to three firelighter cubes or eco firelighters on the grate or in the fire chamber.
• Cover them with small pieces of wood or half a briquette, allowing the flame to catch properly.
• Light the firelighters and initially open the air supply wide so that the stove reaches temperature quickly.
• Once there is a stable fire, add one or two whole briquettes, depending on the stove size and the desired heat level.

Important: wood briquettes expand slightly and break apart as they burn. Do not position them too close to the glass, and do not fill the fire chamber to the top.

Safety considerations and limitations

Because their calorific value is so high, putting too much fuel into the stove at once also increases the risk of overheating. Anyone switching from standard logs should proceed carefully and begin with smaller quantities.

• Check the stove manual to confirm whether pressed wood is officially approved.
• Never add more fuel than the maximum wood load specified by the manufacturer.
• Use a thermometer on the stove or flue pipe to keep an eye on the temperature.

If unsure, it is worth making a quick call to a chimney sweep or stove installer. Both will usually know the characteristics of common models very well.

Comparison with conventional fireplace logs

Calorific value and burning behaviour

Good-quality, dry hardwood such as beech or oak already performs fairly well by comparison. Even so, high-quality wood briquettes often exceed it in terms of usable energy per kilogram.

A well-filled basket of pressed wood can produce the same heating effect as an entire car boot full of logs – depending on the quality of the wood.

The flame generally appears somewhat calmer and more even. Those who enjoy the traditional look of crackling logs can also combine both fuels: logs for the appearance and sound, and briquettes for long-lasting, stable warmth.

Environmental impact and particulate matter

As pressed wood is made from residues from timber processing, it is considered particularly resource-efficient. No additional tree is felled solely for the fuel; material that would arise anyway is put to use.

The very dry, clean burn reduces emissions of particulate matter and unburned gases. This is particularly relevant in densely built-up areas, where more and more local authorities are monitoring air quality around wood-burning stoves.

What consumers should know before switching

What to look for when choosing wood briquettes

Not all wood briquettes are the same. There can be major differences in the raw materials used, compression pressure and production quality. Key checks when buying include:

• CE marking or recognised quality marks for solid fuels
• a stated moisture content, ideally below 10 per cent
• a consistent, sturdy shape – briquettes should not already be crumbling inside the packaging
• a neutral smell with no chemical odour

Unpleasant surprises can occur if contaminants have been compressed into the product, such as painted wood or glued board offcuts. Reputable manufacturers rule this out and clearly declare the raw material.

Costs, availability and sensible combinations

Wood briquettes are generally priced slightly above inexpensive logs bought locally, but often below premium, stove-ready branded firewood from specialist retailers. Once their higher calorific value is taken into account, they can often work out cheaper in a direct comparison.

Many users find that a mixture works well:

• briquettes as the “base supply” for the entire evening
• a few logs for the classic fireplace atmosphere
• occasional lighting with wood only when quick but short-lived heat is required

Particularly during the milder periods of spring and autumn, this makes it possible to control very precisely how much energy reaches the home, without constantly walking back to the woodpile.

Background: terms and practical examples

Many retailers use the terms “pressed wood”, “wood briquettes” or “densified fuel”. Essentially, they all mean the same thing: heavily compressed, dry wood residues. Shapes range from cylinders with a hole through the middle to rectangular blocks. The hole improves air circulation and allows the fuel to burn in a controlled manner.

In practice, many households already use briquettes in a range of situations:

• as the main fuel in small wood-burning stoves in flats
• for long nights in a holiday home, when nobody wants to keep refuelling the stove
• in older fireplaces where owners have had problems with excessively damp wood

One benefit should not be underestimated: people who can no longer carry much for health reasons benefit from the compact, easy-to-stack packs. They can be conveniently stored in a cellar, garage or even a corner of the hallway, provided the space remains dry.

Anyone approaching the heating season without having ordered fuel yet can start with a trial pack. One or two bags are usually enough to see how their own stove responds, how the warmth feels around the home and whether consumption genuinely falls. This makes it possible to test the new fuel with little risk – and, in the best case, a few trial briquettes soon become the new standard in the fire basket.