Across Europe and North America, an increasing number of homes are rediscovering wood as a heating source. For some, it is a way to reduce gas and electricity bills. For others, it is about the warm glow and comfort a fire brings to the living room. But a simple miscalculation can leave you short of logs in mid-winter, exactly when prices rise and deliveries become harder to secure.
Why copying your neighbour’s firewood estimate often fails
There is no single answer to the question of how much firewood a household needs. Even homes with the same floor space can burn very different volumes. Consumption depends on local climate, insulation quality, heating habits, and stove efficiency. Many first-time users underestimate their needs by one to three cubic metres, especially during their first winter relying heavily on wood.
Energy advisers often see mistakes when people copy a friend’s order without checking basics like ceiling height or preferred indoor temperature. Heating a home to 22°C instead of 20°C may seem minor, but over several months, that difference adds up to a significant increase in wood use.
Step one: be honest about how you actually use wood heat
Before calculating volumes, it helps to define how wood fits into your daily routine.
- Occasional use: a weekend fire or a few evenings per week, mainly for atmosphere.
- Supplementary heat: a boiler or heat pump does most of the work, with the stove assisting on colder days.
- Primary heating: the stove or boiler runs most days from autumn through early spring.
Daily operating time also matters. A stove burning three hours each evening consumes far less than a system supplying radiators for ten hours a day.
The three pillars that shape your firewood needs
Once your usage pattern is clear, three technical factors largely determine consumption.
- Surface and volume: a 100 m² home with 2.4 m ceilings needs less heat than the same area with 3 m ceilings.
- Insulation and glazing: proper roof insulation, cavity walls, and double glazing can reduce wood use by up to one third compared to older buildings.
- Climate: homes in colder regions such as northern Scotland or the US Midwest may burn 30–50% more wood than similar homes in milder coastal areas.
Raising the indoor target temperature from 20°C to 22°C can increase seasonal firewood consumption by roughly 30%.
Understanding stères and cubic metres before you order
Firewood units can be confusing. In many European markets, suppliers still sell by the stère, while others quote in apparent cubic metres (m³) of stacked logs.
The key trap is that one stère only equals one cubic metre when logs are one metre long. Shorter logs stack more tightly, reducing the visible volume even though the energy content stays the same.
- 1 m logs: about 1.00 m³, but awkward to handle.
- 50 cm logs: about 0.80 m³, common for larger stoves.
- 33 cm logs: about 0.70 m³, very common for living-room stoves.
For budgeting and comparing suppliers, apparent cubic metres are often clearer, as they reflect the actual space the wood will occupy in your storage area.
Typical firewood volumes by usage type
Energy specialists rely on broad seasonal benchmarks for a reasonably insulated home equipped with a modern, efficient stove. These figures are guides rather than precise predictions.
- Occasional use: around 2–3 m³ per season.
- Supplementary heating: roughly 4–6 m³.
- Primary heating: commonly 8–12 m³.
Colder climates, poor insulation, or damp wood can push these figures higher, while efficient appliances and very dry logs reduce overall demand.
A practical example: a 100 m² family home
Consider a 100 m² house with decent insulation, standard ceiling height, and a modern high-efficiency stove used as the main heat source in a temperate climate. Professionals would usually expect 6 to 10 stères of dense hardwood for the winter.
If the household prefers 22°C instead of 20°C, consumption may rise to 8 to 13 stères. In a harsher northern climate, needs can increase by up to 50%. This explains why many households now order with a safety margin rather than relying strictly on last year’s figures.
Ordering 10–20% extra before the season often costs less than an emergency purchase during a January cold snap.
Stove efficiency and wood quality: the hidden variables
Two homes can burn the same volume of logs and experience very different comfort levels. The difference often lies in appliance efficiency and moisture content.
Open fireplaces lose much of their heat up the chimney and may burn nearly twice as much wood for the same warmth. Modern stoves and inserts convert a far greater share of energy into usable heat.
Logs with more than 20% moisture waste energy evaporating water instead of heating the room. Even wood sold as “seasoned” is not always dry. A simple moisture meter can quickly reveal whether logs are ready to burn or need more drying time.
Hardwood versus softwood for winter heating
Wood species also matter. Dense hardwoods like oak, beech, and ash deliver more energy per cubic metre and burn slowly, making them ideal for long winter evenings. Softwoods such as pine or spruce ignite easily and provide quick heat but burn faster, often leading to higher overall consumption.
Many households combine both types, using softwood for kindling and mild weather, and saving hardwood for prolonged cold spells. Clearly confirming species mix and dryness with suppliers helps avoid surprises when winter arrives.
Storage, safety margins, and practical planning tips
Even a generous order loses value if stored poorly. Wood should be kept in a covered, well-ventilated space, raised off the ground. Good airflow allows logs to continue drying, preserving energy value and reducing indoor smoke.
Proper storage can effectively increase usable heat, as drier logs release more warmth. For newcomers to wood heating, advisers often suggest a phased approach.
- First winter: follow benchmarks and add at least a 15% margin.
- Second winter: track actual usage and adjust the next order.
- Third winter: settle on a stable quantity with a small reserve.
Keeping a simple winter log of burning hours, cold spells, and stock levels soon becomes more accurate than any generic calculator.
Key terms and small risks worth knowing
An apparent cubic metre refers to the total stacked volume, including air gaps. Heating value describes the energy content, usually expressed in kilowatt-hours per cubic metre for a specific species and moisture level.
Poor planning carries risks. Running out of wood during a cold snap can push households to burn damp or unsuitable material, increasing smoke, chimney deposits, and fire risk. Over-ordering slightly is rarely wasted, as well-stored logs continue to improve with extra drying and provide insurance against an unusually harsh winter.
Looking ahead, combining wood with other heating options helps smooth demand. A small electric heater for shoulder seasons or a programmable backup system lets you save your best logs for the coldest days while keeping the home consistently comfortable.
