Is It Better to Buy Firewood in Bulk?
If you regularly use a wood-burning stove or open fire, buying small bags of logs every few days can quickly become inconvenient.
So, is it better to buy firewood in bulk?
For regular firewood users, the answer is usually yes.
Buying a larger quantity means you have dry firewood ready when you need it, fewer trips to buy logs and the convenience of having your firewood delivered directly to your home.
But there's an important catch:
You need to know what you're actually getting for your money.
Not every bulk bag or crate contains the same amount of firewood, and not all firewood has been dried or produced to the same standard.
At Surefire Wood, we've been producing firewood since 1989.
Our firewood is sourced from FSC®100% certified, well-managed Irish forests before being sawn, split and dried in our purpose-built kilns.
It's then triple screened to remove excess bark and dust.
The finished logs are below 20% moisture content, Woodsure Ready to Burn and available for home delivery throughout Ireland.
Why Buy Firewood in Bulk?
The biggest advantage is convenience.
If your stove is used regularly during autumn and winter, you already know how quickly your supply of logs can disappear.
Buying firewood in bulk means you can stock up rather than repeatedly buying small bags throughout the winter.
That gives you:
- A good supply of dry logs at home
- Fewer trips to buy firewood
- Home delivery
- Better preparation for cold weather
- A choice of quantities to suit your usage
- Consistent firewood from the same producer
And there's another advantage that's easy to overlook.
You know what you're going to be burning.
Instead of buying different bags from different shops throughout winter, you can have a consistent supply of properly kiln-dried firewood ready at home.
Is Bulk Firewood Better Value?
It can be — but don't compare firewood purely on the advertised price.
You need to compare how much actual wood you're receiving.
This is where buying firewood gets confusing.
You'll see:
Jumbo bags.
Super Jumbo bags.
Bulk bags.
Crates.
Builders' bags.
And sellers quoting quantities in cubic metres.
Those descriptions can make two products look comparable when the actual amount of firewood inside them is very different.
The question shouldn't simply be:
"How much is the bag?"
It should be:
"How much actual firewood am I getting?"
Be Careful Comparing Firewood Crate Sizes
This is particularly important when comparing bulk bags with imported crates.
A crate might be advertised as 1.2m³, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're receiving 1.2m³ of stacked firewood.
The external dimensions of the crate and the actual volume of logs inside it aren't necessarily the same thing.
Surefire Wood estimates that a typical 1.2m imported Eastern European crate contains approximately 0.9m³ of stacked logs.
By comparison, our Super Jumbo contains at least 1.15m³, which represents around 30% more firewood by this comparison.
That's a substantial difference.
So don't compare:
1.2m crate vs 1.2m bag
and automatically assume you're getting the same amount of firewood.
Compare the actual volume of logs.
Imported Firewood vs Irish Firewood
Price isn't the only thing worth comparing.
Ask where the firewood actually came from.
Surefire Wood's standard firewood is sourced locally from FSC®100% certified, well-managed Irish forests.
We then process the timber ourselves.
The wood is:
Sourced → sawn → split → kiln dried → screened → packed → delivered
That gives us control over the firewood we're selling.
It also means customers have an alternative to imported firewood that may have travelled considerable distances before reaching Ireland.
Surefire Wood has been producing firewood since 1989, so we're not simply an online retailer buying finished logs and putting our name on them.
We produce the firewood we sell.
Why We Split Our Logs Before Kiln Drying
This is another detail worth paying attention to.
Surefire Wood's timber is sawn and split before being kiln dried.
Why does that matter?
Because we want moisture removed from the middle of the log, not simply the outside.
Our purpose-built kilns dry the split firewood to below 20% moisture content.
The logs are then triple screened to remove excess dust and bark before being packed.
The result is properly prepared firewood that's ready when you need it.
If you'd like to understand the drying process in more detail, read our guide to kiln-dried firewood.
Does Bulk Firewood Stay Dry?
Yes — as long as you store it properly after delivery.
Once you've bought professionally kiln-dried firewood, you want to keep it that way.
Ideally, store your logs somewhere:
- Covered from rain
- Off wet ground
- Well ventilated
- Conveniently accessible during winter
A covered log store is ideal.
The important thing is preventing your dry firewood from being repeatedly exposed to rain and ground moisture.
Should You Buy Bulk Softwood or Hardwood?
That depends on the type of heat you want.
Surefire Wood offers both.
Larch & Spruce — Responsive Heat
Our Premium Firewood predominantly contains locally sourced Larch and Spruce.
It's an excellent everyday firewood when you want strong, responsive heat.
When you come into a cold room and light the stove, you want to feel the benefit.
Properly kiln-dried Larch and Spruce are excellent for establishing a strong fire and producing useful heat quickly.
Larch is also relatively dense for a softwood, and our current Premium Firewood is described as providing a similar burn time to Birch.
Ash, Oak & Beech — Sustained Heat
If you prefer denser hardwood, Surefire Wood also offers Premium Hardwood predominantly containing Ash, Oak and Beech.
These denser hardwood species are particularly useful when you want sustained heat over a longer period.
So don't think:
Softwood = bad
Hardwood = good
That's far too simplistic.
Think:
Larch & Spruce → responsive heat
Ash, Oak & Beech → sustained heat
Choose according to how you use your fire.
Is Bulk Softwood Good Value?
It can be excellent value.
One of the biggest mistakes when buying firewood is assuming anything labelled hardwood must automatically be worth paying more for.
It isn't.
Birch is a hardwood.
Alder is a hardwood.
But they're not as dense as heavy hardwood species such as Oak.
Larch, meanwhile, is technically a softwood but is relatively dense for a softwood.
Surefire Wood's Premium Firewood predominantly contains Larch and Spruce, with the current product specification describing its burn time as similar to Birch.
So don't pay a premium purely for a label.
Look at:
Species + moisture + quantity + quality + price.
That's a much better way to compare firewood.
Why Moisture Content Matters When Buying in Bulk
Buying a large quantity of cheap firewood isn't much of a bargain if it's wet.
Moisture content is one of the most important things you should check before buying logs.
Surefire Wood firewood is kiln dried to below 20% moisture content and is Woodsure Ready to Burn.
If timber contains excessive moisture, part of the energy from your fire has to evaporate that water.
That's energy that could have been producing useful heat.
So before ordering a bulk load from any supplier, ask:
What's the moisture content?
"Seasoned" isn't a measurement.
"Dry" isn't a measurement.
Below 20% is.
You can read more in our article explaining why kiln-dried firewood is better.
Does Surefire Wood Deliver Bulk Firewood in Ireland?
Yes.
Surefire Wood offers home delivery throughout Ireland, with delivery included on its current Premium Firewood options.
That means you can order your firewood online and have a substantial supply delivered directly to your home rather than repeatedly transporting smaller bags yourself.
This is particularly useful if you use your stove regularly throughout winter.
When Is the Best Time to Buy Bulk Firewood?
Don't wait until you've put your last two logs into the stove on the coldest night of the year.
If you have suitable storage space, buying before you desperately need firewood makes far more sense.
It means your logs are already at home when temperatures fall.
And because you're buying kiln-dried firewood, there's no need to buy it months in advance simply to season it yourself.
It's already been professionally dried.
Store it correctly and it's ready when you need it.
How Much Bulk Firewood Should I Buy?
That depends on:
- How often you use your stove
- How many stoves or fires you have
- The size of your stove
- How much storage space you have
- Whether wood is your main or supplementary heat source
If you only light your stove occasionally, a smaller quantity may make more sense.
If your stove is burning most evenings throughout winter, buying a larger quantity can save a lot of hassle.
Surefire Wood offers different quantities so you can choose according to your household rather than being forced into one standard size.
What Should I Check Before Buying Bulk Firewood?
Before ordering from any firewood supplier, ask these questions:
1. What's the moisture content?
Look for properly dried firewood below 20%.
2. What species am I buying?
Don't accept "hardwood" or "softwood" as the entire answer.
3. How much actual firewood am I receiving?
Compare actual log volume rather than relying on impressive-sounding bag or crate names.
4. Where did the timber come from?
Locally sourced timber gives you a clearer supply chain.
5. Who produced the firewood?
There's a difference between buying directly from a firewood producer and buying logs that have passed through multiple resellers.
6. Is delivery included?
A cheap headline price can become much less attractive when substantial delivery charges are added at checkout.
7. How has the firewood been processed?
Proper splitting, kiln drying and screening all affect the finished product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to buy firewood in bulk?
It can offer better overall value and convenience for households that use firewood regularly.
But don't compare price alone.
Compare the actual quantity of firewood, moisture content, species, delivery costs and quality.
Is buying a bulk bag of logs worth it?
Yes, particularly if you regularly use a wood-burning stove or open fire and have somewhere suitable to store the logs.
Having a supply of kiln-dried firewood at home means you're ready when temperatures drop.
How dry should bulk firewood be?
Surefire Wood's logs are professionally kiln dried to below 20% moisture content and are Woodsure Ready to Burn.
Can I burn bulk firewood immediately?
Yes, if you're buying properly kiln-dried Ready to Burn firewood.
Surefire Wood logs are already professionally dried before delivery.
Is Irish firewood better than imported firewood?
The country alone doesn't determine whether a log is good firewood.
Moisture content, species and production quality all matter.
However, buying locally produced firewood gives you a clearer supply chain and avoids unnecessarily transporting timber long distances when suitable timber is available closer to home.
Surefire Wood's standard firewood is sourced from FSC®100% certified, well-managed Irish forests.
How much wood is actually in a 1.2m³ crate?
Be careful with advertised crate dimensions.
Surefire Wood estimates that a typical 1.2m imported Eastern European crate contains approximately 0.9m³ of stacked logs.
Always check whether the seller is quoting the external dimensions of the crate or the actual volume of firewood.
Is Larch good firewood?
Yes.
Larch is relatively dense for a softwood and provides excellent heat when properly kiln dried.
Surefire Wood's Premium Firewood predominantly contains Larch and Spruce and is currently described as having a similar burn time to Birch.
Is bulk softwood worth buying?
Yes.
Properly kiln-dried softwood provides excellent responsive heat and can be a very good everyday firewood.
Don't assume a product is superior simply because it's labelled hardwood.
Should I buy softwood or hardwood logs?
Choose according to the type of heat you want.
Larch & Spruce → strong, responsive heat
Dense Ash, Oak & Beech → sustained heat
Both can make excellent firewood when properly kiln dried.
Does Surefire Wood produce its own firewood?
Yes.
Surefire Wood is a family-run firewood producer established in 1989.
The timber is processed and kiln dried by Surefire Wood rather than the business simply reselling finished imported logs.
Does Surefire Wood deliver logs throughout Ireland?
Yes.
Surefire Wood offers home delivery of kiln-dried firewood throughout Ireland.
So, Is It Better to Buy Firewood in Bulk?
If you regularly burn firewood and have somewhere suitable to store it, yes.
Buying in bulk gives you a dependable supply of dry logs at home and removes the hassle of repeatedly buying small bags throughout winter.
But don't buy purely on price or because somebody advertises a massive-sounding crate.
Compare:
Actual quantity.
Moisture content.
Species.
Sourcing.
Production quality.
Delivery.
At Surefire Wood, our standard firewood is locally sourced from FSC®100% certified, well-managed Irish forests, professionally kiln dried below 20% moisture and delivered throughout Ireland.
Know what you're buying — and know who produced it.
Buy Bulk Kiln-Dried Firewood in Ireland
Surefire Wood has been producing firewood since 1989.
Whether you want responsive everyday heat from our predominantly Larch and Spruce Premium Firewood or denser Premium Hardwood, you can order kiln-dried logs for home delivery throughout Ireland.
Our logs are professionally kiln dried, Ready to Burn and available in different quantities to suit your home and storage space.