Which firewood is best: beech, oak or hornbeam?

Beech, oak and hornbeam are the three classic hardwoods for heating in Romania. All are dense and slow-burning — but they are not identical.

Hornbeam is the heating-value champion: roughly 4.2–4.3 kWh/kg, the densest species in common use for firewood. It burns slowly, makes substantial embers and holds heat for hours. Downside: it is harder to light and harder to split.

Oak comes right after: ~4.2 kWh/kg, slow burn and long-lasting embers. It contains tannins, so it needs longer seasoning (ideally two years) to burn cleanly. Properly dried, it is excellent for boilers and heat-retaining stoves.

Beech is the most balanced: ~4.0 kWh/kg, easy to light, burns evenly with a beautiful flame — which is why it is the favourite for fireplaces. It dries faster than oak and splits easily.

When to combine with softwoods: softwood (poplar, willow, fir) burns fast with a big flame but leaves little ember. It is useful for lighting and for quickly warming a cold room — light with softwood, sustain with hardwood. For a continuous overnight fire, hardwood is the only right choice.

The practical conclusion: for a boiler or heat-retaining stove — hornbeam or oak; for a fireplace and a visible flame — beech; on a balanced budget, a mix of hardwoods works very well.

Always check the moisture: any species, however noble, burns poorly and dirtily above 20% moisture. See what we have in stock at firewood — oak, hornbeam and beech, cut and split, delivered in Prahova, Ilfov and Bucharest.