Skip to main content

Firewood BTU Chart

Compare 70 species by heat output, weight, seasoning time, and burn quality.

Wood Type
Smoke Level
Overall Rating
70 species found
SpeciesBTU/Cord (M)Weight (lbs)SeasoningSplitSmokeCoalsRating
Red OakHW
22.1
3,57024–36 momediumlowexcellentexcellent
White OakHW
24.2
3,91024–36 momediumlowexcellentexcellent
Sugar MapleHW
23.2
3,74018–24 moeasylowexcellentexcellent
White AshHW
21.6
3,4856–12 momediumlowgoodexcellent
Shagbark HickoryHW
25.3
4,08018–24 momediumlowexcellentexcellent
Black CherryHW
19.5
3,1456–12 moeasylowexcellentgood
White BirchHW
20.0
3,23012–24 momediummediumgoodfair
Red MapleHW
20.0
3,23012–18 moeasylowexcellentgood
AlmondHW
26.7
4,29818–24 momediumlowexcellentexcellent
American BeechHW
22.7
3,65512–18 modifficultlowexcellentexcellent
American ElmHW
18.4
2,97512–18 modifficultmediumexcellentfair
American PersimmonHW
25.8
4,16524–36 modifficultlowexcellentgood
American SycamoreHW
17.9
2,89012–18 modifficultmediumgoodgood
AppleHW
21.6
3,48518–24 momediumlowgoodexcellent
Balsam FirSW
13.2
2,1256–12 moeasymediumpoorfair
BasswoodHW
13.7
2,2106–12 moeasymediumpoorfair
Bigleaf MapleHW
17.9
2,89012–18 moeasylowgoodgood
Bitternut HickoryHW
23.7
3,82518–24 momediumlowexcellentexcellent
Black AshHW
17.9
2,8906–12 moeasylowgoodfair
Black BirchHW
24.2
3,91012–18 momediumlowgoodgood
Black LocustHW
23.2
3,74018–24 modifficultlowexcellentexcellent
Black MapleHW
21.1
3,40012–18 moeasylowexcellentexcellent
Black SpruceSW
15.3
2,4656–12 moeasymediumpoorfair
Black WalnutHW
20.0
3,23012–18 moeasylowgoodexcellent
Blue BeechHW
23.7
3,82518–24 modifficultlowexcellentexcellent
BoxelderHW
17.9
2,8906–12 modifficultmediumpoorfair
Bur OakHW
22.7
3,65524–36 moeasylowexcellentexcellent
ButternutHW
13.2
2,1256–12 moeasymediumpoorfair
CatalpaHW
14.8
2,38012–18 modifficultmediumgoodfair
ChestnutHW
18.0
3,0006–12 moeasylowgoodgood
CottonwoodHW
12.6
2,0406–12 moeasymediumgoodfair
Douglas FirSW
17.4
2,8056–12 moeasyhighfairgood
Eastern RedcedarSW
12.1
1,9553–6 moeasylowpoorfair
Eastern White PineSW
13.2
2,1256–12 moeasymediumpoorfair
Engelmann SpruceSW
12.1
1,9556–12 moeasymediumpoorfair
EucalyptusHW
18.4
2,97512–24 modifficultmediumgoodfair
Gambel OakHW
28.0
3,81824–36 momediumlowexcellentexcellent
Green AshHW
21.1
3,4006–12 moeasylowgoodexcellent
HackberryHW
19.5
3,1458–12 moeasylowgoodgood
HemlockSW
15.3
2,46512–18 moeasymediumpoorfair
Honey LocustHW
23.7
3,82518–24 moeasylowexcellentexcellent
Hop HornbeamHW
26.4
4,25018–24 modifficultlowexcellentexcellent
Kentucky CoffeetreeHW
19.0
3,06012–24 momediumlowgoodgood
Lodgepole PineSW
15.3
2,4656–12 moeasymediumfairfair
MesquiteHW
25.5
4,09912–24 modifficultlowexcellentexcellent
MulberryHW
23.2
3,74012–18 moeasymediumexcellentexcellent
Norway PineSW
17.9
2,8906–12 moeasymediumfairfair
Ohio BuckeyeHW
12.1
1,9556–12 momediumlowpoorfair
OliveHW
26.7
4,20518–24 modifficultlowexcellentexcellent
Osage OrangeHW
30.0
4,84512–18 moeasylowexcellentexcellent
Pacific DogwoodHW
24.8
3,99518–24 modifficultlowfairgood
Pacific MadroneHW
23.7
3,82512–18 modifficultlowexcellentexcellent
PecanHW
21.1
3,40018–24 momediumlowexcellentexcellent
Pinyon PineSW
24.7
3,0746–12 moeasymediumfairgood
Pitch PineSW
17.0
2,6356–12 moeasyhighfairfair
Ponderosa PineSW
14.8
2,3806–12 moeasymediumfairfair
Post OakHW
23.7
3,82524–36 momediumlowexcellentexcellent
Quaking AspenHW
13.7
2,2106–12 moeasymediumgoodfair
Red AlderHW
14.8
2,3806–18 moeasylowgoodfair
Red ElmHW
19.0
3,06012–18 modifficultmediumgoodfair
RedwoodSW
15.0
2,8146–12 moeasylowpoorfair
Rocky Mountain JuniperSW
19.5
3,1453–6 momediummediumpoorfair
Siberian ElmHW
19.2
3,12812–18 modifficultmediumgoodfair
Silver MapleHW
17.4
2,8056–12 momediumlowexcellentfair
TamarackSW
19.5
3,1456–12 moeasymediumfairfair
Western RedcedarSW
18.2
2,6323–6 momediummediumpoorfair
White CedarSW
11.6
1,8703–6 moeasymediumpoorpoor
White FirSW
14.2
2,2956–12 moeasymediumpoorfair
WillowHW
14.2
2,29512–36 moeasylowpoorpoor
Yellow BirchHW
22.1
3,57018–24 momediummediumgoodgood

BTU values are in millions per cord of seasoned wood. Click any column header to sort. All 70 species sourced from university extension data.

Know your BTU requirement?

Use our full heating calculator for a personalized cord estimate by species.

Calculate My Firewood Needs

Understanding Firewood BTU Ratings

BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, the standard measure of heat energy. When applied to firewood, BTU per cord tells you exactly how much warmth a neatly stacked 4×4×8-foot pile of seasoned wood can deliver to your home. It is the single most important number for comparing species, because it directly determines how many cords you will burn through in a season.

Not sure how many BTU your home actually needs? Our BTU calculator estimates your annual heating requirement in seconds. Enter your home size, insulation quality, and climate zone to get a personalized BTU number, then come back to this chart to find the species that match.

Dense hardwoods dominate the top of the chart. Oak species typically produce 22–26 million BTU per cord, Hickory varieties reach 24–25 million, and Osage Orange leads them all at roughly 30 million BTU. On the other end, softwoods like Pine and Spruce fall in the 15–17 million range. That difference is enormous in practice: a single cord of Osage Orange generates about the same heat as two full cords of Basswood.

Choosing the right species goes beyond raw BTU, however. Higher-density woods take longer to season. Oak needs 24 to 36 months of drying time compared to 6 months for Pine. Split difficulty, smoke output, and coal quality all factor into the real-world experience of heating with wood. The chart above lets you sort and filter on every one of these attributes so you can find the species that best matches your setup.

Once you know which species you want to burn, use our heating calculator to find out exactly how many cords your home needs for the winter. And if you are planning ahead, our seasoning guide will help you time your wood splitting so everything is dry and ready to burn when the cold arrives.

Firewood BTU Reference Table — All 70 Species

Sorted by BTU per cord, highest to lowest. Use the interactive chart above to filter, sort, and compare.

SpeciesTypeBTU/Cord (M)Dry Weight (lbs)SeasoningOverall
Osage Orangehardwood30.04,84512–18 moexcellent
Gambel Oakhardwood28.03,81824–36 moexcellent
Olivehardwood26.74,20518–24 moexcellent
Almondhardwood26.74,29818–24 moexcellent
Hop Hornbeamhardwood26.44,25018–24 moexcellent
American Persimmonhardwood25.84,16524–36 mogood
Mesquitehardwood25.54,09912–24 moexcellent
Shagbark Hickoryhardwood25.34,08018–24 moexcellent
Pacific Dogwoodhardwood24.83,99518–24 mogood
Pinyon Pinesoftwood24.73,0746–12 mogood
Black Birchhardwood24.23,91012–18 mogood
White Oakhardwood24.23,91024–36 moexcellent
Bitternut Hickoryhardwood23.73,82518–24 moexcellent
Honey Locusthardwood23.73,82518–24 moexcellent
Post Oakhardwood23.73,82524–36 moexcellent
Blue Beechhardwood23.73,82518–24 moexcellent
Pacific Madronehardwood23.73,82512–18 moexcellent
Mulberryhardwood23.23,74012–18 moexcellent
Black Locusthardwood23.23,74018–24 moexcellent
Sugar Maplehardwood23.23,74018–24 moexcellent
American Beechhardwood22.73,65512–18 moexcellent
Bur Oakhardwood22.73,65524–36 moexcellent
Red Oakhardwood22.13,57024–36 moexcellent
Yellow Birchhardwood22.13,57018–24 mogood
Applehardwood21.63,48518–24 moexcellent
White Ashhardwood21.63,4856–12 moexcellent
Green Ashhardwood21.13,4006–12 moexcellent
Pecanhardwood21.13,40018–24 moexcellent
Black Maplehardwood21.13,40012–18 moexcellent
Black Walnuthardwood20.03,23012–18 moexcellent
Red Maplehardwood20.03,23012–18 mogood
White Birchhardwood20.03,23012–24 mofair
Black Cherryhardwood19.53,1456–12 mogood
Hackberryhardwood19.53,1458–12 mogood
Tamaracksoftwood19.53,1456–12 mofair
Rocky Mountain Junipersoftwood19.53,1453–6 mofair
Siberian Elmhardwood19.23,12812–18 mofair
Kentucky Coffeetreehardwood19.03,06012–24 mogood
Red Elmhardwood19.03,06012–18 mofair
American Elmhardwood18.42,97512–18 mofair
Eucalyptushardwood18.42,97512–24 mofair
Western Redcedarsoftwood18.22,6323–6 mofair
Chestnuthardwood18.03,0006–12 mogood
American Sycamorehardwood17.92,89012–18 mogood
Boxelderhardwood17.92,8906–12 mofair
Black Ashhardwood17.92,8906–12 mofair
Norway Pinesoftwood17.92,8906–12 mofair
Bigleaf Maplehardwood17.92,89012–18 mogood
Silver Maplehardwood17.42,8056–12 mofair
Douglas Firsoftwood17.42,8056–12 mogood
Pitch Pinesoftwood17.02,6356–12 mofair
Lodgepole Pinesoftwood15.32,4656–12 mofair
Hemlocksoftwood15.32,46512–18 mofair
Black Sprucesoftwood15.32,4656–12 mofair
Redwoodsoftwood15.02,8146–12 mofair
Ponderosa Pinesoftwood14.82,3806–12 mofair
Catalpahardwood14.82,38012–18 mofair
Red Alderhardwood14.82,3806–18 mofair
Willowhardwood14.22,29512–36 mopoor
White Firsoftwood14.22,2956–12 mofair
Quaking Aspenhardwood13.72,2106–12 mofair
Basswoodhardwood13.72,2106–12 mofair
Eastern White Pinesoftwood13.22,1256–12 mofair
Balsam Firsoftwood13.22,1256–12 mofair
Butternuthardwood13.22,1256–12 mofair
Cottonwoodhardwood12.62,0406–12 mofair
Engelmann Sprucesoftwood12.11,9556–12 mofair
Eastern Redcedarsoftwood12.11,9553–6 mofair
Ohio Buckeyehardwood12.11,9556–12 mofair
White Cedarsoftwood11.61,8703–6 mopoor

Frequently Asked Questions

What does BTU mean for firewood?
BTU (British Thermal Unit) measures heat energy. For firewood, BTU per cord tells you how much heat a stack of wood can produce. One BTU is the energy needed to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
What firewood has the highest BTU?
Osage Orange leads at roughly 30 million BTU per cord, followed by Gambel Oak (28M), Hickory varieties (24–25M), and White Oak (24.2M). These dense hardwoods produce the most heat per cord.
Is higher BTU always better?
Not necessarily. Higher-BTU woods like Oak take longer to season (12–24 months) and can be harder to split. For quick fires or shoulder-season use, fast-drying softwoods like Pine work well despite lower BTU.
How much heat does a cord of oak produce?
Red Oak produces about 22.1 million BTU per cord, while White Oak produces about 24.2 million BTU per cord. Both are excellent choices for primary home heating.
Does green wood have lower BTU than seasoned wood?
Green wood has similar potential BTU, but much of that energy goes toward evaporating moisture instead of producing heat. Properly seasoned wood (below 20% moisture) delivers its full BTU value as usable heat.
How do I calculate how many BTU I need?
Use our free BTU calculator to estimate your home’s annual BTU requirement based on square footage, insulation, climate zone, and stove type. Once you know your total BTU need, this chart helps you pick the best species to meet it.

Ready to calculate how much firewood you need?

Get a personalized cord estimate in under a minute.

Start the Heating Calculator