Speaking to Various people as you do when you see them out and about i bumped into Mr Walvin this week from Walvins timber in Ripley who has a huge yard at Ripley wwhere he supplys fencing timber and also has Ripleys biggest mound of cut and split logs for fireplaces and stoves.
Last year for the first time i had to but some as i ran short and i called on him as i know him reasonably well and have passed our customers his details.
Anyway he asks me how were doing etc and how busy we are and he then tells me he has sold triple the amount of logs last month October than he did the year before.
He then tells me all the trees he had bought in all summer and last year he will cut and split within the next two months but expects to be out of stock by the start of February.
He says he has tried everyone he knows in the timber trade to buy seasoned felled trees in but no one is selling any wholesale as they all know how short supplys are going to be.
So my advice to anyone who has a wood burining or multifuel fireplace or stove is to stock up on logs now before
A the price increses due to the cold winter months
B stocks do run out and people start selling unseasoned timber which does not burn well.
Writing this makes me think how lucky i am to have got drates full of it in the summer months that should keep my Tiger Plus stove burning away all winter
Posts Tagged ‘logs’
Fireplace Logs are going to be in short supply again this year
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010Can you suggest Arched Fireplace good for open fire
Thursday, October 21st, 2010As a huge amount of customers return to burning solid fuel in our open fireplaces and stoves im often asked as to which fireplace has a good sized area for burnong solid fuel ie wood coal etc.
Most of the arched fireplaces have a reasonble sized area for burnign coal on but if you intend to burn logs you need something a little wider.
As a stock fireplace you can not beat the Tradition Arched Fireplace with its wide bars and deeper back it is ideal for those larger logs and a huge shovel of coal as shown in the photo below.
Now the others do not compare except for the fact we can offer a deeper back for a few of these fireplaces as an optional extra.
The Pembroke, Henley and Jubilee all have the option of this deeper back which is a couple of inches deeper but also does not taper so much it increases the burning area to a larger size fit for woodburning.
I always say to customers who want an open fireplace if you intend to burn wood and use the fire on a regular basis it really is worth the £100 extra, if using occasionally or burning coal dont bother.
So today they were told them same and have gone off to look at there options and which fireplace they like.
Im sure they will be back as they said we have been very helpful and explained everything in detail.
Thats what we do at Castfireplaces we here to advise you about whats best or at least point you in the right direction
Tradition Black Arched Fireplace
Seasoned logs for all your Fireplaces and Stoves
Thursday, June 24th, 2010Nothing could be further from thoughts about lighting my Tiger Plus multi fuel stove as i sit in my office and the sun is shining and i have radio on whilst completing a mound of paperwork ive left to build up.
What prompts this article is a phone call from Paul asking me if i want another lorry load of logs dropped off at our warehouse in Langley Mill.
Now lucky for me i have some spare crates for them to be tipped into so i can then move them with the forklift before i manage to get round to spliiting them with my hydraulic log splitter.
At work i have 4 large wooden crates filled with Split logs and my woodshed at home is filled to the Brim with seasoned logs but im still sure i need more for the next Winter.
Now really is the ideal time to start to buy and prepare your logs for the forthcoming Heating Season as they take 6 months air drying time to be perfect for burning.
Wood when fresh cut has a high moisture content and until it is split into logs retains most of this
Also it is always a good idea to buy your chosen logs now as they are always cheaper in the Summer and this is the time most tree work is being undertaken and most tree fellers are glad to be rid of as demand is not as high.
In Winter how many times did you find out everytime you needed a tonne bag or lorry load that they were short in supply and you had to wait a while
So to keep your solid fuel fireplaces and stoves roaring away in Winter why not give your local log supplier a ring and see if you can get yourself a bit of a bargain on your winter fuel.
If you live within 20 miles of us i can always pass you pauls number and he can sort you out as many logs as you require.
Right im off for an ice cold drink all this talk of roaring fires is bringing me out in a sweat
Solid Fuel Fireplaces and Stoves
Monday, March 29th, 2010So with the news reporting we are again heading for another cold snap and even in some areas a bout of snow it should come as no surprise for me to tell you that sales of solid fuel fireplaces and stoves are at the highest level they have ever been compared to gas and electric options.
We have seen increased amounts of usage for woodburning and coal fired stoves and fireplaces over the past few years so much so now that 65% of our current sales for March have been for real fire Fireplaces.
I supppose the price of Gas and Electric has alot to do with this still as we are charged far too much this so we find the majority of our customers are channging their Heat Sources to something more economical to run and if burning Logs something that is greener too.
It seems every road you drive down chimneys are again working and whispers of smoke are to be seen from people burning wood in there Fireplaces and Stoves
Also i have noticed the amount of people selling logs and as some of you may know from previous posts one of my good friends has a log supply company so anyone requiring good hardwood logs drop me an email and ill forward you his number.
So i am a big real fire fan and love open fires and flames so im really pleased people are returning to solid fuel there really is something nostalgic about an open real fire.
Log Splitter arrives and i am at the Fireplace Factory making logs
Thursday, December 24th, 2009Im like a child when it comes to new things arriving and yesterday my Log Splitter came by pallet delivery and was sitting on my drive when i got back from washing the vans at our local Valet company (Full valet in mine looks like brand new)
Anyway i was told it would arrive between 9 and 5pm there not as good as us with our 1 hour time slot and it duely arrived so i loaded it straight on to me van and rushed off to the factory to play with it.
God it was cold in there the showroom and canteen are the only places with heat in there anyway unpacked and assembled i thought right lets get one of the tree trunk rings in and give it a go
Quick read of the instructions and start it up im not joking it cracked it in to with no effort at all and i spent the next ten minutes splitting it in to fire size pieces this was so much easier than the axe attempt i tried a few days ago.
It made such short work of it i was there for around 40 miutes and split up enough to 3/4 fill a tonne bag which i loaded on my van with the forklift.
I was getting carried away thinking of all this wood to burn in my Gallery Fireplaces Tiger Plus Stove Rhian then rang to ask if i was coming back (told her i was only dropping it off) as she knew i would be playing with my new toy it was getting dark and we were going out at 6pm so i finished off a ring and added them to my bag which was now on the back of my van
So if you do want to know anymore about where i bought it from just let me know and ill point you in the right direction
1 More sleep till santas here cant wait for that too
We can now offer logs for sale for all our Stove and Fireplace Customers
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009Cast Fireplaces can now offer loads of logs for sale via one of my very good friends who has loads of experience in the gardening and log supply industry.
Now im sure you are aware there are differnt types of logs ie hard wood and soft wood and what he supplys is a mixed load so it burns better.
We have been having logs of paul for ages and i can personally guarantee how good they are the latest batch he dropped me off were cherry and they were in tree like form as he had not split them so ill tell you more tomorrow how i got on with that.
He offers the logs he supplys in either tonne bags or as a full load on his transit tipper which is better value for money.
As he is one of my ggod mates ive said ill add him a section on our new website so customers can order and pay for them online.
However at the moment he only sells within a 20 mile Radius of Ripley as this is where we are based and its not economical to send out by Pallet service.
So if you are within 20 miles of us give him a ring on 07970 958432 and im sure he will be more than happy to help you out and if you have ordered a stove from us recently there will be a leteer offering his services coming through the post to you
Fuel for Fireplaces How do you split yours
Saturday, December 19th, 2009Ok im sat in my office at 9pm just writing a little article for our website i have the blinds open as i look out to the garden where it has a nice covering of snow and it is snowing quite heavily.
Now i love the winter weather and love snow and both my kids are really excited about going sledging as i am now laughing to myself as i bought two shiny red sledges today from Franks Warehouse in Ripley just on the off chance.
So after i get back from deliverys (Weather permitting im off sledging)
Anyway back to the point i have had some cherry wood dropped off at our factory in large tree trunk sizes that have been chain saw cut to around 10″ perfect for all our Multi Fuel Stoves
So went i went to the factory today to meet customer collecting Pembroke Fireplace i took my large axe with me. So van loaded and fireplace loaded in to Customers van i thought i will just have a quick try.
Anway all set up and i swung the axe Boing it just bounced straight off just making a small axe head dent.
Right then another bigger swing and it did split it this time i chopped about 3 or 4 trunk size pieces up and my arms were aching back was aching and i hadnt even touched the pile.
I can honestly say i did not realise how much hard work it was. So i thought to myself i know Walvins has large hydraulic spliiter ill google it and see what i can get so when i was back in my office im now the proud new owner of 6 ton Log splitter which im told will be delivered in three days maximum.
Cant wait to try it out im now having a huge amount of timber from Paul and me and him are going to log it up.
He runs a gardening business and has huge amount of wood he now is going to sell logs to our customers who buy solid fuel fireplaces from us and yipee i will get mine for free.
What a deal i cant go wrong i just pass on his details with every stove or fireplace i sell and i get large tree trunks delivered for me to split with my new toy.
Stupid isnt it that im quite looking forward to spending a day between Christmas and New Year making solid fuel for my Stove.
What solid fuel can i burn on my Stove or Fireplace
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009There are many different types of solid fuel on the market for you to burn in your Stoves or Fireplaces and here we are going to explain some of the fuels you are likely to encounter when looking to buy such Products whether online or from a high street shop
Coal
The most popular choice of fuel for burning in fireplaces and stoves around the UK the main product you will find is called House coal. It is a Bituminous (non smokeless) coal, which cannot be burnt in smokeless areas.
It is available in three sizes
Doubles are the normal grade that is around the size of a golf ball
Trebles are larger than doubles and tend to be about the size of an apple
Cobbles are the largest of the house coals and are normally only used for large open fires
Anthracite
Ideal for glass fronted stoves it is very hard and dense and offers good heat and burning times and is also classed as smokeless
Wood
Very popular again due to the prices of other solid fuels as most companies offer trailer loads from around £80. This is normally supplied as a mixed load of hard and softwood. The only drawback to wood as a heat source is that it has to be dry to get the best use from it so make sure its stored correctly before use
Paper Bricks
With the rise in solid fuel prices a few of our customers have told us how they make paper bricks from waste newspaper with a paper press I have heard mixed results with some saying they were great and others saying they took too long to make and then burnt away to fast so without experience of these myself its hard to say but it is a very green option.
Green Logs
Manufactured into brick size blocks these “ Green Logs” are made from rapeseed oil plants and comes from the crushing process when extracting the oil I have tried a few of these logs given to me by a customer who bought a stove from us. I must say they were difficult to light but when going lasted longer than wood and im sure gave off heat slightly warmer the only downside is they are expensive but they stack well and don’t need any drying anybody interested in this fuel contact me and I will point them in the right direction to try them
There other options of solid fuel on the market such as Coke, Peat, etc but they are not widely used so just google search them for further info on burning these items and remember when burning solid fuel have your chimney swept on a regular basis.