Storage and Use Tips

Here are some tips on how to get the most out of your wood briquettes and enjoy them safely.

Storage

Wood briquettes are supplied wrapped or bagged in polythene film; however, wrapping does not guarantee 100% protection again moisture. This is particularly the case for Pini-Kay briquettes and Round wood briquettes which are packed in shrink wrap where gaps in packaging at the edges of the pack sometimes appear during automated wrapping process. Brick shaped RUF briquettes or heat logs are normally supplied in sealed polythene bags without gaps.

For this reason wood briquettes should be stored off the floor and away from a source of dripping water or leaking pipes. The pallet the briquettes have been supplied on works brilliantly to keep the heat logs away from the floor and walls.

Polythene film will protect briquettes from elements and dirt and under normal conditions wrapped briquettes will last several months in storage. After a few months, particularly if briquettes came into contact with moisture, them may soften or become crumbly, however, they can still burn.

If during handling or delivery the film on the outside of the pallet gets torn, use these packs first, since incomplete wrapping can reduce the time briquettes will stay dry. 

To burn the briquettes

Please read instructions for your stove and if needed adjustments should be made to general suggestions listed below.

First, fully open the air vents on your appliance in order to supply enough oxygen for starting the fire. Then at the bottom of the firebox place some firelighters and dry paper for tinder and make a small pile of kindling sticks above the tinder. After that place two or three briquettes around and on top of the small pile of tinder and kindling, close enough for the flames to touch the briquettes. Very low moisture briquettes like Pini-Kay may not require any kindling, or only a small amount. 

Now you can light the tinder in several places and once the tinder is fully aflame, add a few more sticks of kindling. At this point the briquettes should start catching fire. Keep the air vents fully open. Briquettes need some time to become sufficiently hot. Allow briquettes to burn for up to 15 minutes, then gradually add more briquettes to fill up to a maximum of half of the firebox.

You can experiment to work out the best number of briquettes but never overload your appliance! It is recommendable to only load your appliance up to a maximum of half of its volume.