Hi all, Would anyone have any idea where I can buy seasoned olive wood in the Estepa area? I have been buying wood locally and the wood is a mixture of goodness only knows what, I doubt seasoned, burns terribly and causes copious amounts of soot and all manner of other nasties in my fire. Thanks in advance.

Ive always found olive wood pretty poor for heat regardless of how dry , best mix it with dry pine,I find oak is one of the best , almond not bad either.

With a clean flue and sensible burning, there shouldn't be monstrous amounts of soot.

Seasoned isn't the key word, the important thing is dry. If you find you are having problems in keeping a good fire going, it's usually because the wood is damp.

It really, really pays to have adequate storage space, 4 cu metres is good, and make absolutely sure that the rain and damp can't get in, -or up thru the floor. Acebuche, wild olive is a cracking wood. It burns long and clean.

Best to buy in early summer, july or so so that the wood you get is reasonably dry, and it then will have several months to really dry out.

Dya know, I always thought our olive wood burnt great. Stupid or not, I thought it was the oil in the wood lol

Good one.

Dry wood is fairly easily spotted. The logs kinda 'ring' when you bang them together.

I cannot understand it when peple say they can't get a good fire with wood.

I've had to turn mune down as I can't run it at full pelt without cooking the room.

Idealy buy wood this year for next and let it dry undercover, a large poly tarp is fine for this and cheap.

Beechwood fires are bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year.
Chestnut's only good, they say,
If for long 'tis laid away.
But Ash new or Ash old
Is fit for a queen with crown of gold.
Birch and fir logs burn too fast
Blaze up bright and do not last.
It is by the Irish said
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.
Elm wood burns like churchyard mould,
E ' en the very flames are cold.
But Ash green or Ash brown
Is fit for a queen with golden crown.
Poplar gives a bitter smoke,
Fills your eyes and makes you choke.
Apple wood will scent your room
With an incense like perfume.
Oaken logs, if dry and old.
Keep away the winter's cold.
But Ash wet or Ash dry
A king shall warm his slippers by.


Oaken logs, if dry and old,
Keep away the winter's cold
Poplar gives a bitter smoke
, Fills your eyes, and makes you choke
Elm wood burns like churchyard mould
, E'en the very flames are cold
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread -
Or so it is in Ireland said,
Applewood will scent the room,
Pearwood smells like flowers in bloom,
But Ashwood wet and Ashwood dry,
A King can warm his slippers by.


Beechwood logs burn bright and clear,
If the wood is kept a year
Store your Beech for Christmas-tide,
With new-cut holly laid aside
Chestnut's only good, they say
If for years it's stored away
Birch and Fir wood burn too fast,
Blaze too bright, and do not last
Flames from larch will shoot up high,
And dangerously the sparks will fly...
But Ashwood green,
And Ashwood brown
Are fit for Queen with golden crown.

Naaah. Superstitious/sentimental tripe.

If the burning applewood scents the room, then fumes must be coming back.

Elm is a hard wood and burns very well. I have tried all sorts, and IMO there is only one rule.

The less dense the wood, the faster it will burn. Dense woods like oak, and so on burn slow, hot and well, giving lots of embers.

Never pay good money for wood that is light weight. Usually fungus has eaten out all the good stuff, and the remainder burns slow, almost smouldering.

Never pay good money for wood that is light weight. Usually fungus has eaten out all the good stuff, and the remainder burns slow, almost smouldering.[/QUOTE]

ahhhh this will explain why my local wood delivery man is quids in and I have a pile of tripe souldering away in my fire... in exchange for my hard earned cash

ahhhh this will explain why my local wood delivery man is quids in and I have a pile of tripe souldering away in my fire... in exchange for my hard earned cash [/QUOTE]

If the logs are lightweight for their size and prone to crumble into punk, yes. If they are heavy, then it probably is because they are damp.

There does actually seem to be a shortage of good dry wood in many parts of Spain this year. Maybe last years rain? Dunno.

Good, dry, rock hard olive is as good as coal IME.

Well, we have a good supplier here for dry wild olive.

My experience with wood have shown me that the greatest differences between types of wood are more to do with when they are cut.

I found elm very hard to split (when it was available) as the grain was very twisted. Beech was easy to split when green, a bit like snapping carrots, but when it dried out it was far more difficult.

We had a 2 tonne load of very dry hard oak at the start of winter it has burnt brilliantly and now down to several very large cut pieces tried to split one with axe and sledge and it just bounced. I now cheat and remove the front guard which restrict the opening and the replace it once the log is in. Then burns for about 12 hrs very hot and red but not much flame if the air is restricted and the ash bed is sound.

See if you can get one of those bombs. It's a teardrop shaped wedge that looks good. I haven't tried it, but were I doing any splitting in the future, I'd get a couple. They make the wedges look very old fashioned and hard work by comparison.

Yes I have seen them advertised Screwfix or Wolf tools I think. When I am next in UK I will get one to bring via car I would think they would eat up all of the tinkers weight allowance. Be ready for next winter!

I reckon they are worth the trouble. Were I you, I would have a look at Spanish hardware sites.