Q: What species is your firewood?
A: Our firewood is Ironbark - known as the 'Rolls Royce' of firewood, because it is slow burning with high heat output, minimal ash and little smoke.
Q: How big are your pieces of firewood?
A: They vary, but on average they are around the size of a loaf of bread. We load using a specialised bucket with holes so that small pieces of wood fall out - ensuring you pay for wood, not wood dust.
Q: How dry is your firewood?
A: Our firewood is aged to have a moisture content of less than 25%, which is the level recommended by the FAA
Q: How is your firewood packaged?
A: Our firewood is available in 20 kilo bags - which most people can carry - or in 300 or 500 kilo bulk bags, delivered by crane.The 500 kilo bags work out as the cheapest option, working out at only 35c per kilo of firewood, not including online, quantity or any other discounts. (300kg bags work out at 48c per kilo and 20kg bags at 77c per kilo).
Q: How much firewood do I need for winter?
A: This varies between individuals, but as a guide, our customers who use a fireplace, tile fire or slow combustion stove every weekend, plus intermittently during the week, usually go through four bulk bags of wood each winter.
Q: How much kindling should I order?
A: This depends on how often you light your fire, but typically we sell two bags of kindling for each bulk bag of firewood.
Q: Why do you sell firewood by weight, and not by the cubic metre?
A: Weight is the best and fairest way to sell firewood. Selling by the cubic metre can be unreliable, because you also pay for the air in between the pieces of wood. The way the firewood is stacked – for example, in a loose pile, or stacked in tight rows will make a difference to the amount that you get. With weight, 500kg is 500kg and any gaps between pieces will make no difference to that. We fill every bag by hand and then weigh them on a trade-approved certified scale so you can be sure that you are getting full value for money.
The FAA commented in a recent article: “Because all dry firewood contains approximately the same amount of energy (19-21 MJ/Kg), buying by weight is a good way of ensuring that you get the same amount of heat from every load, regardless of species or wood density. Buying by weight is the safest method as you know what you are getting...”The government’s fair trading site explains more about ways of selling firewood, click here to find out more.
Q: How can I compare prices on firewood when suppliers use different measures?
A: The only way to be sure you are getting what you are paying for is to compare weights. Many firewood merchants sell by crate, truck or wheelbarrow, which are not trade-approved units of measure. We always ensure that you get what you pay for by selling by weight, with every bulk bag weighed to check it contains 500 kilos - not approximate or roughly, but guaranteed. Dust, sawdust and the smallest pieces of wood are filtered out in the loading process so you know you are paying for wood, not waste.
Q: What are bulk bags?
A: These are large poly woven bags measuring 900 x 900 x 1200cm high, containing 300 or 500 kilos of firewood and with a flap on the top to protect the firewood from the elements. As well as simplifying delivery, bulk bags provide a convenient, no-mess way for you to store your firewood. When the bags are empty they can be used for composting garden waste or storing building waste or rubbish. Rumour has it that they also make excellent winter covers for outdoor furniture.
Q: What is a "SmartBurn"?
A: A "SmartBurn" is a pollution reduction device that maximises the heat you get from your fuel and reduces smoke haze and particulate emissions. It will also clean your chimney and flue, removing soot and flammable sap deposits, reducing the risk of fire. It's easy to use - simply lay it at the bottom of your fireplace. SmartBurn has won many awards and benefits both the environment and you!
Q: Do you ever sell recycled firewood, like old railway sleepers?
A: No, we never sell recycled firewood, because we are concerned about the dangers this might pose. Some railway sleepers and other pre-used wood products have been treated with arsenic or creosote and other dangerous chemicals. Railway sleepers may also have absorbed oil, paint or other products that might cause fumes or unexpected sparks from your fire. BC Sands ironbark is a safe, slow-burning wood from a sustainable source.
Q: Do you offer the discounted delivery option to the Illawarra region?
A: Yes, we normally deliver to Wollongong and surrounding areas on Wednesdays.
