Bio Bricks or Logs in Ontario Canada?

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jrwhite

jrwhite

Member
Hearth Supporter
Nov 25, 2010
32
Indian River, Ontario Canada
Hi All,

After having a great run of years with a local independent supplier, this year he disappeared. This forced me to deal with a 'wood supplier' I tried about 15 years ago, and had questionable results with. Their product is in the low 20's, so I can't question that it's not 'seasoned', but it takes effort to burn.

Anyway, although I've got a good cord of dry back, I'm thinking about bio bricks as a supplement this year. Since BioBrick is a tradename, and a product not sold in Canada, it's been tough Googling. Going through the forums here, any reference to Canadian suppliers results in dead links. Are there any Ontario Canadians who source Bio Brick type products?
 
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jrwhite said:
Hi All,

After having a great run of years with a local independent supplier, this year he disappeared. This forced me to deal with a 'wood supplier' I tried about 15 years ago, and had questionable results with. Their product is in the low 20's, so I can't question that it's not 'seasoned', but it takes effort to burn.

Anyway, although I've got a good cord of dry back, I'm thinking about bio bricks as a supplement this year. Since BioBrick is a tradename, and a product not sold in Canada, it's been tough Googling. Going through the forums here, any reference to Canadian suppliers results in dead links. Are there any Ontario Canadians who source Bio Brick type products?
Click to expand...
Canawick, they're out in the Maritimes. NB. (broken link removed to http://canawick.com/en/home.php) maybe available at Canadian tire stores?
 
Cannawick pellets haven't gotten great reviews because of ash IIRC but a wood stove may appreciate them more. The other factor was the cost - they are on the high end.
 
Lake Girl, thanks, but Home Depot doesn't seem to have them. Not on their site, anyway, and I've never seen them in-store.

Doug, I saw that on the Canawick page, but Canadian Tire doesn't seem to have them on their page, and I haven't seen them in-store. The other outlet listed for Ontario on the Canawick page is in Quebec!

Thanks for your replies.
 
Lake Girl said:
Cannawick pellets haven't gotten great reviews because of ash IIRC but a wood stove may appreciate them more. The other factor was the cost - they are on the high end.
Click to expand...
canawick make a 2# brick and a larger one for wood stove, had great luck with the bricks.
 
Have you tried calling Canawick direct? Maybe a Hearth shop near you - Peterborough seems to have 2 or 3 at least...
 
Doug, thanks for the recommendation.

Lake Girl, yes, I've sent them an e.mail. Haven't heard back yet. We actually have 5 or 6 hearth shops in the area .. it's crazy. My next step was to call them all, but I wanted to check with the knowledgeable crowd on here first.
 
Always a good idea to get info from someone who has used the product before. I did see a warning that they burn hotter than cordwood so you're not supposed to load the stove the same and don't have the same long/slow burn potential. Guess there is a learning curve to everything!
 
I looked pretty thoroughly two years ago in the Ottawa/Kingston/Brockville areas without results. And at that time Canwick was listed as available at Canadian Tire, but wasn't at the stores. This year I see they have Canwick pellets, $6.00 a bag. Not that that helps.
 
Sorry, I just have to laugh. You folks up north buy pellets in a tire store?

:)
 
I think Home Hardware sells Canawick blocks. I would try one of the old school rural ones that carry a little of everything :)
 
JP11 said:
Sorry, I just have to laugh. You folks up north buy pellets in a tire store?

:)
Click to expand...
Canadian Tire sells just about everything: hardware, tools, plumbing supplies, car supplies, wood supplies, gardening, lighting, small kitchen appliances, pots and pans, food, cleaning stuff, laundry stuff, stoves and electric fireplaces, heaters, rope, clothes, electric, batteries, solar stuff....
plus has a gas station and car service. Good store.
 
Do you have Kent Building Supplies stores there? Or is that just an Atlantic thing? Store colors are green & white.

They have bricks in their sales flyers quite often here.
 
BMR's catalogue is showing Canawick blocks. I know BMRs are sprinkled throughout Ontario - maybe try a local one?
 
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Thanks, Brother Bart.

Looked at their site...for all intents and purposes, they are not really in Ontario. Few stores, no where near Ottawa/Brockville/Kingston area. Too bad.
 
There's one in the south end Ottawa by the youth correctional facility in Blackburn Hamlet on Innes.

Edit: their map shows one in Embrun, Winchester, Eganville, North of Belleville and Peterborough as well. Few on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River too.
 
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Builders Warehouse in Ottawa is a BMR
 
Blueguy, thanks for the tips. Unfortunately our local Home Hardware stores don't carry the canawick. ( Canawick has yet to answer my e.mail enquiry .. and it's been days now ). The closest BMR to me is Bobcaygen, which is a bit of a hike. I ended up phoning a few of the local hearth places, and one of them sells SmartBricks by Smartwood. Only by the box though. I found that Smartwood has a warehouse in Whitby, which isn't that far. Have a mail into them now.

Has anyone tried them? I"m going to pick up a few blocks at my local heart place and give them a spin. I'll post back here.
 
I've used the canawicks and hot brick, I'd say no difference between those to. assume eco, logic-e, most likely about the same. beware they burn like hell, I mean hell. my jotul f100 goes 8hrs 10 minute rip then totally closing the draft. the stove top will rise to 450-500 dropping to 275-300 with coals to restart. if I use them days I get a solid 4hrs burning 1/2 open. that is using 6-8 brick per load on the colder days of midwinter. good luck
 
My firewood is a bit wetter than I'd like. Maybe I should try some bio-bricks just to help jump start my fires. Last year I had a bunch of seasoned white pine and it was great to get quick heat and get fires going quickly.
 
AK13 said:
My firewood is a bit wetter than I'd like. Maybe I should try some bio-bricks just to help jump start my fires. Last year I had a bunch of seasoned white pine and it was great to get quick heat and get fires going quickly.
Click to expand...
I do the same with hardwood pallets , bricks should do the thing.
 
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