Guide to wood briquettes
Here is guide to wood briquettes. More and more Danes choose to use wood briquettes in their wood-burning stoves. There are several reasons for this, as there are many advantages to using wood briquettes. An example of this is their low moisture content, which means that the briquettes give off more energy per kg than ordinary firewood. The briquettes are dry and thus always ready for firing. They are also environmentally friendly and easy to light up, as well as have an even and slow combustion that is easy to control.
What are wood briquettes
Wood briquettes, like wood pellets, are made from sawdust and saw shavings, which are pressed together under great pressure. The wood material usually comes from residues/waste products from the wood and furniture industries, whereby wood that would otherwise have been wasted can be used for a useful purpose. Wood briquettes can be made from many different types of wood, including pine, beech, oak. However, it must be untreated wood, and wood that has not been used for anything before, to ensure clean combustion.
The wood briquettes are pressed to their characteristic shape by large machines. When the wood residues come under great pressure, the temperature rises, and the substance called “lignin” is released from the wood material. Equation acts as a binder and holds the wood together as it cools. However, in some cases, real glue is also used in the production of the briquettes.
Storage and purchase of wood briquettes
Wood briquettes should always be stored dry, this way you ensure that the moisture content of the briquettes remains low, and you never have to worry about whether your briquettes are dry enough to fire.
When buying wood briquettes for your wood-burning stove, always pay attention to quality. An important factor is how tightly the individual briquette is pressed. Some briquettes crumble easily, which can lead to increased cleaning work in and around the stove, as well as a poorer calorific value and more ash.
Some of the very cheap wood briquettes are produced in the former Eastern Bloc countries, where the origin of wood material is not always the same. In some cases, this may mean that treated wood is used in the briquettes, and there may thus be melamine residues and MDF in the briquette. A wood briquette with such impurities will form toxic compounds in the smoke during combustion, and this will be able to be smelled in the home.
A good wood briquette should feel sturdy and not smell bad. During combustion, there should also be no smell of chemicals, and the briquettes should not crumble too much.
Where can I buy briquettes?
