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.
Storing wood in a Cape winter
Cape Town's winter rain means even dry wood can soak up moisture again. Stack logs off the ground on pallets, cover the top but leave the sides open to the wind, and keep a week's supply indoors near the fireplace so it is warm and dry when you light it. On the West Coast, a spot sheltered from the south-easter keeps your stack from blowing over and drying unevenly.
Lighting a clean, hot fire
- Use the top-down method: larger logs at the bottom, kindling and firelighters on top.
- Keep the air control fully open for the first 15–20 minutes.
- Add logs before the fire dies to coals, and don't overload the firebox.
- Never burn paper bags, cardboard boxes or braai wood treated with chemicals indoors.
Good wood protects your flue
Wet wood and resinous pine leave creosote inside the flue, and that is what causes chimney fires. Burning dry hardwood means fewer sweeps and a longer-lasting flue. If yours is already damaged, replacement single-storey stainless kits cost R 6 715 (Ø130 mm, up to 10 kW), R 7 390 (Ø150 mm, 11–15 kW) or R 8 505 (Ø180 mm, 16–18 kW), with R 3 000 added for double-storey homes.
The right fireplace makes wood go further
A modern closed-combustion fireplace uses roughly a third of the wood of an open hearth for the same heat. If you're still burning in an open fireplace in Bellville, Durbanville, Stellenbosch or Paarl, upgrading usually pays for itself in wood within a few winters. This month's Magma special is R 16 500, or R 23 970 fully installed in a single-storey home.
Quick answers
Can I burn braai wood in my fireplace? Yes, as long as it is dry, untreated hardwood such as rooikrans or kameeldoring. Avoid bags that include pine or chemically treated firelighter blocks.
How do I know if my wood is dry enough? Seasoned logs are lighter, have cracks at the ends and sound hollow when knocked together. A moisture meter reading below 20% is the reliable test.
Is it cheaper to buy wood in bulk? Usually. Buying a full load in autumn is cheaper per kilogram than buying bags through winter, and gives the wood time to dry further.
Written by
Progress Group
Fireplace, braai and gas specialists since 1990 — showroom in Bellville, installations across Cape Town and the Western Cape.