latest cutting-edge equipment and exceptional craftsmanship. In this blog, we will share with you some of the processes involved in making a Charnwood Stove from our UK-based factory on the Isle of Wight.
Metal fabrication
To create a high-performing and durable stove, we select the best of British sheet steel as the base metal substrate. The steel meets BS EN 10209 standards.
Laser cutting the steel
Our high-tech laser cutter is then used to produce accurately shaped component parts. The tolerance of this system is 0.2 mm with the ability to cut materials from 0.5mm up to 25 mm in thickness. This level of accuracy allows us to achieve sleek finishing touches on even the smallest details.
Shaping the metal
The stove’s body panels are formed to the required shapes and sizes with just a 2mm margin of error.
Welding the metal
Our welding process involves cutting-edge robotics as well as our extremely experienced and skilled team members, who have a combined 50 years of experience in the manufacturing industry.
Refining components
Smaller components receive finishing touches by hand.
Spraying high-temperature stove paint
After rinsing and neutralising the metal, our skilled team uses a spray gun to apply even coats of our specially formulated high-temperature stove paint. In addition to the standard Charnwood Black, we also offer you a choice of seven other beautiful shades.
Drilling & Assembly
After the drilling is complete, we move on to assembly. We carefully put all the pieces together, making sure that everything is aligned correctly and functioning optimally. Once the stove is assembled, we conduct a series of tests to ensure that it meets our high standards.
Packing & Shipping
Each stove is signed off by one of our experts before being processed for shipping. We continue to look for ways to reduce excess packaging while aiming to use environmentally friendly materials and encouraging reuse where possible. You can read more here.
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We take great pride in the products we produce at Charnwood. That’s why every one of our wood-burning stoves is handcrafted with care and precision. We hope that this behind-the-scenes look at how we make our stoves has given you a better understanding of the love, care and attention that goes into every Charnwood Stove.
If you are interested in finding out more, we highly recommend contacting an official Charnwood stockist.
Used in many homes, firewood is a sustainable and cost-effective way to heat your property or outdoor space.
Whether you’re looking for suitable wood to burn in your stove or use in your fire pit on chilly summer evenings, it’s important to choose the right type of firewood. Not all types of firewood burn in the same way, so it’s important to understand the differences if you want the best possible results.
Here’s our guide to everything that you need to know about firewood.
What’s the difference between hardwood and softwood?
Firewood falls into two main categories – softwood and hardwood.
The main difference between hardwood and softwood is their reproduction and physical structure. For example, hardwoods are a lot denser than softwoods, meaning that they produce more heat and burn for longer.
On the other hand, softwoods are less dense, meaning they ignite faster and produce more smoke, making them more suited to outdoor fires.
Perfect for creating indoor fires in log burners and woodburning stoves, there are lots of different types of hardwood, including oak, birch and ash. Hardwood is especially useful for those looking to fuel a stove or heat a house.
Let’s take a closer look at the most popular types of hardwood:
Ash
Ash is particularly good for wood burning, as its properties allow it to burn on its own and produce an intense heat output, with a steady flame.
Oak
Oak is one of the most common types of hardwood used in homes, due to the fact that it is capable of burning for long periods of time and can be used efficiently with a different types of logs.
Birch
Available in black, yellow and white, birch can burn for a long period of time and can also be used as a natural fire starter.
Why choose softwood?
If you’re looking for firewood for an outdoor fire, softwood is a much better option than hardwood – it ignites far more quickly, meaning its ideal for campfires and kindling.
Softwood also seasons more rapidly than hardwood. There are lots of different types of softwood to choose from, including pine, cedar and larch.
Here’s a closer look at their properties.
Larch
Low maintenance larch is the hardest of the softwood family and requires intense heat to burn effectively.
Pine
Easy to light and burn, pine produces an impressive flame and is great to use as a fire starter. It’s important to note that pine should only ever be used in outdoor environments due to the fact that it burns incredibly fast.
Cedar
Finally, cedar produces a distinct crackling sound with a small flame. One of the main advantages of this type of softwood is that it can be burned unseasoned. It also gives off a lovely wood burning smell.
To find out more about the best type of firewood to use with your Charnwood wood burning stove, please get in touch, we’re always on hand to offer help and support.
As the heart of the home, the kitchen is the perfect place to pay attention to when it comes to your interior design. If you love to spend time whipping up a culinary storm and dining together as a family, it makes sense that you give the kitchen the touch of TLC it deserves when it comes to decorating. In the name of creative inspiration, we’re here to help. Today, we’re looking at 3 reasons you should consider bringing a fireplace into your kitchen design - offering tips and advice along the way so you’re left with a space the whole family simply loves spending time in.
1. It can be stunning focal feature
Unlike most other rooms in the home, the kitchen serves several practical purposes, and this means that the appliances often act as the focus points in this space. While you might have an attractive looking fridge or top-of-the-range washing machine, it’s unlikely that you want to draw attention to functional appliances when you’re considering interior decor.
By bringing in a fireplace, you can accessorise the borders and hearth with fireplace tiles to completely transform the look of your kitchen and make the fireside the focal point. A wood burning stove, acts as an eye-catching feature in its own right. However, you can always add the finishing touch by having a basket of wood and any pokers or accessories beside the stove.
2. It will provide warmth in winter
When the winter months set in, home cooked food is what most of us crave. But preparing to spend potentially hours in a frosty kitchen doesn’t hold much appeal, especially when you can be sitting snug and cosy with your throws by the fire in your living room – so how do you remedy that? Bring the fire into the kitchen, of course!
Heating your home using your kitchen fireplace can also be a way to keep energy costs low. Most modern stoves today are highly efficient and very clean burning. From wood pellets and firewood to mineral fuels, there are several options available to you when it comes to using your fire, so you can spend some time figuring out the best option for your home.
For more information around making the most with a fireplace during winter, check out our additional blog here.
3. It will create an atmosphere
Last but not least on our list of reasons for adding a fireplace to your kitchen is the atmosphere that this can create. A fireplace can add character to a room that has perhaps previously been all about being functional. While it still provides a purpose, it can be an attractive centrepiece even when not in use.
If you’re lucky enough to have space for a dining table and chairs in your kitchen, a fireplace could be the perfect finishing touch. In the winter evenings, you can light it up and allow the warm glow of the fire to bathe the kitchen in an ambient light as you eat together as a family. In summer when the fire isn’t needed, use the hearth to display candles and freshly picked flowers.
By choosing to have a fireplace in your kitchen, you can create a truly unique focal point that is practical, yet gives off bags of aesthetic appeal.
Author bio:
Suhayl Laher works at Tiles Direct, one of the UK’s largest independent tile distributors and retailers – bringing design inspiration to homeowners, architects and developers.
‘A Charnwood Christmas in the Cotswolds’ is a short video that illustrates the sheer joy of owning a wood-burning stove and the magical moments they help create. It was captured during a recent visit to our friends Charlie Irons and Josie Fear (aka @charlieirons and @josieldn ) and their wonderful and aptly named Strawtop Cottage.
It’s an idyllic Grade II listed thatched cottage built with original Cotswold stone. Traditional features are sensitively blended with the contemporary, reflecting their impeccable taste. Warm tones, wood paneling, aged brick and stone, finished perfectly with the warmth of Charnwood wood-burning stoves throughout.
Charlie and Josie are huge fans of their log-burners and Charnwood have been delighted to supply them with a number of stoves for their main home too. The warm and inviting atmosphere they have managed to create showcases the very best of country living and it is no wonder they have a steady stream of bookings at the cottage.
Chatting while walking the dogs in the cold but stunning Oxfordshire countryside and later over a lovely roast (the first Christmas dinner of the season), it was clear how integral wood-burning is to their lifestyle. This is particularly true in the festive winter period when one wishes for nothing more than cosy evenings with loved ones by the fire.
Now, we might not all be able to reach such high levels of festive perfection (I know I don’t!), but no matter, because the significant benefits of wood-burning can be felt by any stove owner. To that point, here are some comments from other Charnwood owners regarding Christmas and their stove:
“It’s a ritual on Christmas morning to rekindle the stove, and to unwrap the presents without a fire is unthinkable. There’s something magical about children in their pyjamas sitting on the rug in the cosy space in front of a blazing stove.”
“The stove just provides a much-needed atmosphere on a cold winter’s night. You feel relaxed, cosy and there is something about it that just welcomes you into the living room. I couldn’t live without it.”
“My young nephew visited at Christmas & we built the fire together. It was the first time he had ever lit a real fire. We celebrated with toasting marshmallows! It wasn’t just building a fire – it was building a memory.”
Winter can be a difficult season for many, but as you see from the video images and quotes above, there is a way to flip the script. The onset of winter, with temperatures plummeting and days drawing in, needn’t be something to dread. Join fellow wood-burning stove owners and start to actively look forward to those long cold wintery nights!
The Strawtop cottage sleeps four adults and up to 2 well-behaved dogs and if you would like to book a stay (highly recommended) then check out the previous link and their Instagram page.
Our favourite time of the year is fast approaching! For some it’s watching ELF, others their first advent calendar window, for us the festive season kicks off at the Ideal Home Show Christmas event! From the 23–27 November at Olympia London, this wonderful Christmas shopping extravaganza provides everything you need to prepare your home for the festive season.
You can browse and shop from hundreds of brands across 4 Christmas themed show sections; Gifts, Pets, Home and Decorations. There’s live entertainment, expert demos, celebrity chefs, and thousands of festive gift, home and food ideas that will leave you feeling festive and ready for the season ahead!
Christmas Past (2021)
Last year a Charnwood ‘Bembridge’ wood-burning stove took centre stage in Good Homes Magazines ‘Updated Heritage’ roomset. The team also gave a talk on the Interiors Stage discussing all the latest Charnwood developments as well as the introduction of EcoDesign regulations. It was wonderful to meet so many of you to chat and answer your questions.
Good Homes Christmas Roomsets
The Good Homes style team return with 4 beautiful roomsets each with their own distinctive decorating scheme. Created in association with Next Home, they are called Scandi Luxe, Arctic Shimmer, Winter Berry and Woodland Jewel.
It’s a showcase that delivers for a range of tastes, each providing inspiration to help you fill your home with festive spirit in line with the latest trends. A Charnwood Island I and Aire 5 were selected for two roomsets and the sneak peek photos below indicate a perfect setting for the warmth of a Charnwood wood-burning stove.
Arctic Shimmer x Charnwood Island I
Photo: Next Home
A Charnwood Island I will feature in a serene Arctic Shimmer roomset with winter whites, soft greys and sparkling silver alongside a host of tactile materials.
The Island I is the smallest stove in the Island collection, delivering an output of 2-7kW of heat. Its uncomplicated looks and gentle curves ensure it sits well in any situation, be it modern or traditional. This stove meets Clean Air Act requirements with excellent efficiency of over 85% and an extremely low smoke particle level of 9mg/m3 (the Ecodesign limit is 40mg/m3).
Woodland Jewel x Charnwood Aire 5
Photo: Next Home
A Charnwood Aire 5 has been chosen to feature in the elegant Woodland Jewel roomset. Comprised of rich colours from dark evergreen hues to on-trend amber paired with tortoiseshell accessories and sumptuous soft furnishings.
The Charnwood’s iconic Aire 5 wood burning stove has been designed to maximise the view of the fire. The minimal styling of the Aire 5 fits comfortably into virtually any fireside situation whether it be freestanding or within a traditional fireplace. The stove delivers a comfortable 2-5kW of heat to the room with a crystal clear burn – a wonderful focal point for the room.
The Aire 5 incorporates Charnwood’s unique BLU burning technology. Not only a vast improvement on the new 2022 Ecodesign standards, BLU also meets with Defra exemption limits; allowing wood to be burnt cleanly and safely in smoke control areas.
Vlaze Hearths
Vlaze Hearths will be used to create a clean, modern platform on which to stand our stoves. Vlaze is our sister company and are experts in using porcelain enamel for the living environment and creating luxury fireside products.
The smooth gloss surface finish is heat and fire-resistant, easy to clean and available in a wide range of colours & designer finishes. The hearth plates are available in 5 sizes to suit most stoves and boast a 12mm depth conforming to UK building regulations for non-constructional hearths.
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As with Vlaze, the quality of Charnwood Stoves can only be fully appreciated in person. To book your tickets and discover a world of festive delights click here – we hope to see you there!
If you can’t make it to the Ideal Home Show Christmas, then we recommend searching for your local official Charnwood stockist here.
This blog is a review and closer look at the results of the Charnwood Stove Accessory Survey 2022. A survey of over 1000 wood-burning stove users with the aim of better understanding stove accessory preferences and usage.
We were delighted to receive such an incredible response from our engaged wood-stove community. From discovering the most popular stove accessory to users’ other must-haves and how easy people find them to use – many interesting and useful insights were gained!
Read on to learn about the Charnwood Stove Accessory Survey and the other top wood-burning stove accessories!
The results
A woodstove is a wonderful addition to the home. Those of you who are new owners will be starting to notice how much more you are enjoying the colder evenings than before. What you will also notice is the ritual of building and maintaining a fire is much easier with the right tools.
The answers to the following questions will provide some ideas about which stove accessories you should consider next!
What is the most popular wood-burning stove accessory?
The results in the graph above show that the trusty Stove Pipe Thermometer is the most popular wood-burning stove accessory with 29% of the vote. 99% of respondents also found it easy to use.
Stove Pipe Thermometer
It’s perhaps no surprise that the trusty Stove (Flue) Pipe Thermometer is the favourite accessory of stove users. It is a crucial tool for conscientious wood stove users who prioritise safety and efficiency.
The ideal wood burning temperature range is between 140 and 240 degrees Celsius (284 to 464 degrees Fahrenheit) which avoids damage to the stove and a potential fire hazard from creosote buildup.
How to adjust the fire temperature?
To reach a sufficient temperature, ensure a good draft, use seasoned wood and build the fire correctly ensuring your fire burns hot enough. To reduce the temperature of your fire when in use, you can close the air vents.
Which of the following do you consider ‘Must Have’ stove accessories?
Here are some quotes from survey participants relating to the top 7 ‘Must-Have’ stove accessories.
Log Storage/Basket
“Having a full wood basket during these crazy days makes me feel safe and secure, whatever happens I know I have heat and hot water and light.”
“Keeps all the logs tidy and looks great beside the stove. Also useful for carrying in logs from the store outside!”
“Add to the aesthetics of the fireplace and is obviously useful for keeping wood supplies topped up.”
“It reminds me of my grandparents’ days as they always had one. It also keeps all my logs safe and tidy away from the children.”
“A good quality basket enhances the look of the stove as well as being practical.”
“My log basket really enhances both the look and the “feel” of my log burner.”
“Keeps my living room very tidy. Really neat and elegant looking item. Sturdy and robust”
“Looks great and saves having to leave the room/ go outside for logs.”
“It adds to the ambient feeling of the room when partially or fully loaded but I suppose more importantly it stops me from having to pop outside too frequently to get more logs, thus letting me enjoy the fire uninterrupted.”
“It saves us fighting about who is going to get more logs when it’s cold!”
For a full range of log holder storage click here!
Stove Pipe Thermometer
“Ensures I always know the temperature my stove is at as to whether I need to add more fuel or calm it down.”
“Makes it so much easier to see if my fire is working at optimum temperature and if I need to adjust amount of wood/air flow.”
“Because it allows us to check whether we are burning at too hot a temperature or too cool. We use both hardwood and softwoods so it would be difficult to know without this vital tool.”
“It means that I always burn my logs in the most economical and environmentally friendly way.”
“I hadn’t realised just how hot the stove gets at full output making this an essential piece of it when topping it up with firewood.”
“It allows me to regulate my stove temperature to maximise the life of the stove and have efficient burning of my wood”
“Ensures the fire is hot enough to keep down the accumulation of creosote. Wouldn’t be without it!”
“I constantly use it to check that the stove is burning in its optimum range for efficiency and to prevent damage and tarring.”
“Invaluable, the little thermometer lets me know when the fire is at optimal temperature and I can then maintain that temperature throughout operation. Probably helps conserve wood too, a great bit of kit.”
“Just gives you so much information in regards to heat output from different fuel types, different wood species, hard woods, softer woods. It really allows you to dial in the stove to get the best from it.”
“This provides us with an idea of how well the stove is burning. For example, over the last two years we have been testing wood purchased from sellers and our own seasoned wood and the stove pipe thermometer gives us a real measure of the heat output (even though most of the time, we can tell the difference ourselves based on how nice the room feels). It also helps us regulate the flu for optimal burn. We learned a lot using the stove pipe thermometer about our stove and the wood we burn.”
“It reassures me that I have the right burn, low emissions and great heat output.”
“As an engineer I love indisputable visual indication of when things are operating correctly! Such a simple device and has definitely altered how we ‘set’ our stove.”
You can get a Charnwood Stove Pipe Thermometer here!
Stove Gloves
“Without them it would be very difficult and dangerous to use the burner”
“Only burn your fingers once to realise they are useful!!!”
“Provides confidence in 100% protection when refueling the stove.”
“Really effective and protects hands while loading logs”
“Just love them, total safety when loading the stove”
“Because it stops me blistering my hands.”
“Offers safety when handling logs, opening & closing stove and promotes attention to avoiding burns.”
“Makes me feel safe when stove has become very hot”
“They just make life so much easier handling logs and placing logs in the stove. No splinters or burns!”
Watch this space – Charnwood stove gloves are on the way!
Dustpan & Brush
“It makes emptying the stove so much easier and cleaner, the house is relatively dust free after clearing.”
“It helps to keep the room relatively dust free”
“Keeping the hearth clean and tidy stops ash and debris, from the stove and wood pile underneath it, from spreading to the floor and messing up the room.”
“Whenever the stove is used it is necessary to clean up small amounts of ash that fall out. The brush and pan are thus used very frequently.”
“The dustpan & brush makes removing the Ash so much easier, our charnwood is used every day from October to February so we collect a lot of Ash which we use as compost. We have other accessories but they don’t see as much use as the pan & brush.”
Poker
“An absolute must have accessory to reposition burning logs and coal.”
“Can re-arrange wood in the stove when going, safely.”
“Brilliant for getting fire going”
“I like poking the fire! Breaking it down to a bed of hot burning wood so I can get more fuel in!”
“I can poke the logs to get maximum burn.”
“Great to look at, well made and does the job perfectly.”
“You can move the logs about to create space and so regulate heat a bit better.”
“It’s so satisfying prodding at red hot embers on a freezing cold evening and feeling the heat on your face”.
“Great quality and have stood the test of time with good amount of use. Quality product.”
“We have a wrought-iron poker made by a friend from years ago..handle in the shape of a hare’s head..love it, wasn’t cheap but a real beauty.”
“Simple basic tool allowing rearranging of fuel to ensure even burning and helping keep glass door clean.”
“Get the fire going. Can push the logs back into the fire so they burn probably.”
“Easy to use. Metal. Compact. Stops dust flying around. Carry handle is useful.”
“Great 4 carrying ashes out on a windy day.”
“Ease of use in keeping ash contained and not flying all over the place.”
“Allows dust free disposal of ash.”
“I have two Charnwood stoves. One has the ash bin/carrier and the other doesn’t. It’s SO difficult to get the ash out of the stove that doesn’t have the ash bin/carrier.”
“It is a safe and clean way of dealing with the only downside to a log burner, the ash.”
“Ease of emptying.”
“Makes it easy to empty ashes no fear of dropping them all over the floor.”
“Makes it more convenient to remove ash over several days without having to fill smaller bin bags thus reducing plastic waste.”
“Easy to use with minimal dust released when moving around can hold at least 1 month’ worth of ash.”
“Simplifies the worst job – cleaning out the ashes and getting them to the bin without being covered in ash from head to foot in a gust of wind. Neat to store, fits the ashcan perfectly and contains the dust when you tip the ashes in.”
Surprisingly only 23% of those surveyed own a moisture meter. We consider a moisture meter a must-have stove accessory to ensure wood is properly seasoned before burning and we urge you to get one!
It is very important to only burn wood with a moisture content of 20% or less. This will keep harmful emissions to a minimum and significantly improve efficiency, while protecting your stove and chimney – saving you money!
Look out for the Woodsure Ready to Burn label which guarantees a moisture content of 20% or less.
For a list of approved firewood sellers in your area click here.
Here are what some moisture meter owners had to say:
“I know I’m complying with byelaws and also prolonging the life of my Island 2 stove”
“Because I like to know that the logs I’m burning are dry and safe to use”
“Allows us to keep the stove clean by making sure we only burn the driest wood”
“This plus thermometer can’t really be replicated using non specialist tools.”
“It means I know when I can burn the wood that I’ve collected myself from the neighbourhood.”
“Vital for the whole seasoning process.”
“Especially Important given that the cost of kiln dried logs has doubled compared to this time last year!”
“I know I’m complying with byelaws and also prolonging the life of my Island 2 stove”
“Because it saves me burning wood which is too wet. Genuinely get a buzz when I ‘detect’ anything too moist on my meter!”
If you are seasoning your own wood, make sure you test it with a moisture meter before burning. You can get yours here.
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As you can see, there are a whole host of useful stove accessories that will enhance your wood-burning stove experience. For more information on all the stove accessories available, click here.
Finally, thank you to everyone who took part in the survey!
