If you've invested in a wood-fired pizza oven, choosing the right firewood is just as important as choosing the right ingredients. The type of wood you burn affects how quickly your oven heats up, how well it holds temperature, and even the flavour of your food.
At The Northern Firewood Co, we supply premium Ready to Burn certified kiln-dried hardwood logs, perfect for achieving the high temperatures needed to cook authentic, restaurant-quality pizzas.
Why Kiln-Dried Firewood Is Essential
The biggest mistake many pizza oven owners make is using wet or unseasoned logs.
Firewood with a high moisture content burns poorly, creates excessive smoke and struggles to reach the temperatures needed for perfect pizzas.
Premium kiln-dried firewood offers several advantages:
- Moisture content below 20%
- Lights quickly
- Produces a clean, hot flame
- Generates less smoke
- Leaves less soot and ash
- Helps your oven heat up faster
With dry hardwood logs, you'll spend less time waiting for your oven to reach cooking temperature and more time enjoying your pizzas.
Is Birch or Oak Better for Pizza Ovens?
Both birch and oak are excellent choices, but they each have their own strengths.
Birch Firewood
Birch is one of the most popular woods for pizza ovens because it:
- Lights quickly
- Produces lively flames
- Heats the oven rapidly
- Burns cleanly
- Is ideal for cooking pizzas in quick succession
If you're looking to get your oven up to temperature as fast as possible, birch is a fantastic option.
Oak Firewood
Oak is a denser hardwood that offers:
- Longer burn times
- Consistent heat
- Excellent embers
- Ideal for extended cooking sessions
If you're cooking pizzas for a group or using your oven to roast meat, bake bread or cook desserts after the pizzas are finished, oak is an excellent choice.
The Best Combination
Many experienced pizza oven owners use a combination of both hardwoods.
Start with birch to quickly build a hot fire, then add oak to maintain a consistent temperature throughout your cooking session.
This gives you the best of both worlds—fast heat-up times and long-lasting performance.
Avoid Softwoods
Softwoods such as pine, spruce and fir burn quickly and can produce more smoke and sparks.
While they may be suitable for lighting a fire, they're generally not the best choice for cooking food. Hardwood logs provide a steadier, hotter and cleaner burn, making them the preferred option for pizza ovens.
Top Tips for Better Pizza Oven Performance
To get the best results every time:
- Use only premium kiln-dried hardwood logs.
- Store your firewood in a dry, well-ventilated area.
- Build a small fire first before gradually adding larger logs.
- Allow your oven to fully heat before cooking.
- Use smaller logs to maintain temperature without overwhelming the oven.
These simple steps will help you achieve the crisp bases, perfectly cooked toppings and authentic wood-fired flavour that make homemade pizzas so special.
Why Choose The Northern Firewood Co?
At The Northern Firewood Co, we're passionate about supplying premium firewood that delivers exceptional performance.
Our kiln-dried hardwood logs are:
- Ready to Burn certified
- Below 20% moisture
- Carefully selected for consistent quality
- Perfect for pizza ovens, wood burners, open fires and fire pits
- Available with reliable local and nationwide delivery
Whether you're cooking for family, friends or hosting a garden pizza night, our premium hardwood logs will help you get the very best from your pizza oven.
Order Premium Pizza Oven Firewood Today
Great pizzas start with great firewood.
Browse our range of premium kiln-dried hardwood logs and experience faster heat-up times, cleaner burning and consistent cooking performance with every fire.
The Northern Firewood Co – premium firewood delivered straight to your door.