Using wooden logs in your chimnea or firepit
Gardens are an important part of our living space, especially in the summer. Fine days and evenings are precious to us, we never know if it will be the last we see for a while, so we like to make the best of them.
To help make our outside space more enjoyable we create areas for relaxation and socialising like patios and decking and for comfort we add an array of garden furniture. We like to be able to stay outside as long as we want, so it is no surprise to find that the current fashion for chimeneas and firepits to provide heat and to add a focal point, has taken off. Chimineas consist of a bulbous body containing the fire, with a chimney on top to expel the smoke and draw in air. Evenings spent outdoors can be much more enjoyable with a little bit of a heating boost and you can’t beat a real fire for that.
The fuel used in firepits and chimeneas is usually seasoned hardwood, the type we supply, which creates an attractive fire, and can easily be replenished as the fire burns quite fiercely, which means there is little ash left behind.
Even when not in use a chiminea is an attractive addition to the garden and there are many different types available. The chinminea was originally made from clay and was developed in Spain as a cost effective method for heating and cooking, and clay versions are still available although other materials are now used as well including steel and cast iron.
Another way of bringing heat and light into the garden is with a firepit which, as its name implies, is an open container in which logs are burned. Firepits are free standing units often in a contemporary design which makes them an on trend garden accessory. Some firepits and chimeneas have a grill or pizza stone accessory for rustic cooking, in fact because wood burns so intensely it is the traditional fuel used in pizza ovens, where fast cooking is a requirement.
Having a real wood fire in a garden adds to the ambience and you don’t have to just light it in the summer, the other seasons can be just as suitable, a wood fire is a year round pleasure.
When is the best time to buy firewood?
You can buy from Cottage firewood all year round, but summer is the best time to buy firewood for whatever purpose, inside or out. Buying in the summer means it can be put away in the dry and stored without getting damp in transit. Storing in a dry ventilated shelter keeps the wood in good condition, and bringing it into the house before you use it means that it will be completely dry before adding to the fire.