Plantation pine, Douglas fir and blue gum are widely available from Canterbury Trusted Good Wood Merchants and are the best woods to burn a warmer, cheaper, smoke free fire.
 Plantation pineGreat for kindling. One of the most common firewoods used throughout Aotearoa New Zealand as it comes from pine plantations and burns very cleanly. Thin compact bark. Description when split Smooth grained wood, mostly free of knots, light coloured. Drying time (ready to burn) 1 to 2 years. Moisture content 15-20%. |
 Douglas fir/OregonGreat for kindling. Normally taken from plantations when 25-30 years old. Light smooth bark. Description when split Has a distinctive orange centre with a whitish ring towards the bark. Ideal for splitting to make kindling. Very few knots, lightweight. Drying time (ready to burn) 1 to 2 years. Moisture content 15-20%. |
 Blue gumGreat for a long burn. In the hardwood category, light-coloured smooth bark. When aged shows radial cracking, which indicates low moisture. Heavier than pine. Description when split Light to dark in colour. Normally smooth-grained wood with no knots. Drying time (ready to burn) 5 to 6 years. Moisture content 15-20%. |
 MacrocarpaUsually cut from farm shelter belts. Similar to old man pine but with thin bark. Description when split Brownish dark colour with knots showing and little gum. Heavier than pine. Drying time (ready to burn) 3 to 5 years. Moisture content 15-20%. |
 Tea tree/mānukaNormally cleared from farmland as scrub. One of our heavier hardwoods. Stringy light bark. Description when split Deep brown in colour. Shows small knots. Clean-grained wood. Drying time (ready to burn) 3 to 5 years. Moisture content 15-20%. |
 PōhutukawaGrown on coastal properties. Usually only used as firewood from pruning or trees blown over from coastal high winds. Light stringy bark. Heavy in weight. Description when split Medium brown with knots present. Drying time (ready to burn) 3 to 5 years. Moisture content 15-20%. |
 WillowNormally grown on the side of waterways and only used when dead and still standing. In this state, it becomes a light greyish colour, with very thin bark. Can be washed down rivers and end up on beaches and, if found above a high water line, could be used. Very light in weight. Description when split Very light in colour. Smooth-grained with no knots or gum. The cleanest of firewood to work with. Drying time (ready to burn) - as it is only used when dead, has extremely low moisture content, and can be used immediately. |
 CoalCoal is generally not suitable for burning in Canterbury. Most readily available coal (coal with a sulphur content of more than 1%) is not to be used on sites less than 2ha or on any site in a Clean Air Zone. |
 Chemically-treated woodChemically treated timber, painted wood, MDF, plywood and chipboard are not suitable for burning. They create toxic smoke and ash that is harmful to people’s health and the environment. The chemicals in treated wood will also corrode your wood burner. Wood stamped with ‘MB’ (methyl bromide) or ‘CCA’ (chromated copper arsenate) has been treated with toxic chemicals and must not be burned. Timber with a greenish tinge is also likely to be chemically treated and should not be burned. Heat-treated pallets stamped with the letters ‘HT’ are safe to burn, but remember to check for and remove any plastic feet or attachments before burning. |
 Old man pineNormally cut from farm shelter belts - 40 to 50 years old, very thick heavy bark. Tends to smoke a lot when lighting and refueling. Description when split Medium colour, lots of knots and gum. If you have any old man pine, we recommend you turn this to kindling to limit the amount of smoke it produces. |