When is a shed not a shed?

... when its taking part in Shed of the Year 2009


My friend and wood burning colleague, Uncle Wilco, emperor of the world famous Readersheds.co.uk was talking to BBC Radio 2's main man, Chris Evans tonight, live during his UK favourite drive time show.

Announcing that Mr Evans will be the newest judge of this exclusive competition, Uncle Wilco spoke at length about new event categories and was joined by the nation's Number One property totty Sarah Beeny, also a judge for this year's competition.

Read more on Uncle's unmissable blog - why not subscribe?

Join them during Shed Week 2009, which starts from the 7th July 2009

Tis the season to burn wood

More handy hints on burning them logs.

Tempting though it is to chop and burn during these freezing nights, here's some useful info on getting the most out of that wood burning stove.

Ever wondered what kind of stove would be right for you?

Well here's a great online stove/room calculator which may help answer the question.

Take a look around the rest of the site - it's a treasure trove of stove tips.

Happy new year from the LogBlog

Some useful log videos for your delictation

Is your stove winter-worthy? Here are some tips from some slightly strange Americans - have fun, but remember a log is not just for Christmas - except those chocolate ones

Latest delivery - a little more Ash

Autumn has arrived (did summer ever really arrive?) and the Log Blog's little cabin is feeling a bit down in the mouth and damp.

So what better than a fresh pile of Ash to sort and pile and chop? A big thanks to my local wood man who also threw a big sack of kindling in for nowt. Top man.

Latest delivery - tidy bit of ash and beech

A little bit of log lore

A keen firestarter of my aquaintance, Uncle Colin of Sussex, pointed me in the direction of this nice little piece which sums up some basic log burning rules.

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 graveyard mould
Even the very flames are cold;
Apple wood will scent the room
Pear wood smells as flowers in bloom;
But ash wood wet and ash wood dry
A King to warm his slippers by.

Beech wood fires burn bright and clear
If the logs be kept for a year;
Chestnut's only good they say,
If for years, 'tis stored away.
Birch and firwoods burn too fast
Blaze too bright and do not last;
But ash wood green and ash wood brown
Are fit for a Queen with a golden crown!

Author unknown but found at this useful site

This site also contains a very useful Building a Better Fire article; although I believe this may well restart a heated debate about scrumpling or rolling of paper between my family of fire starters