The single biggest factor in how your fireplace performs is not the appliance — it is the fuel. Dry, dense hardwood delivers more heat per kilogram and produces less creosote, extending the life of your flue.
Hardwoods worth paying for
- Kameeldoring — highest calorific value of the local hardwoods, burns for hours with steady coals. Premium price.
- Sekelbos — dense, clean burn, excellent for closed-combustion units and pizza ovens.
- Rooikrans — the Cape favourite. Fast to light, hot flame, widely available and reasonably priced.
- Bluegum — good middle-ground; season for at least 12 months as green bluegum spits and smokes.
Moisture content matters more than species
Even the best hardwood performs badly if it is wet. Aim for below 20% moisture content — a cheap pin-type moisture meter (R400) pays for itself in a season. Split logs, stacked off the ground with airflow, take 6–12 months to season depending on species and thickness.
What to avoid
- Pine offcuts and construction timber — high resin content, coats the flue in creosote.
- Treated or painted wood — releases toxic fumes.
- Green or unseasoned wood — up to 50% of the heat is used just to evaporate water.
How much do you need
A typical Cape Town winter (May–August) with three burns a week uses roughly one to one-and-a-half cubic metres of stacked hardwood. Buy in autumn while prices are lower and stacks are dry.
Written by
Progress Group
Fireplace, braai and gas specialists since 1990 — showroom in Bellville, installations across Cape Town and the Western Cape.
