Ohio Buckeye Firewood

I'll be honest: Ohio Buckeye is a firewood you burn because a tree came down, not because you went looking for it. Sometimes called Horsechestnut, it's one of those species that's technically a hardwood but doesn't really act like one.

With 12.1 million BTU per cord and a dry weight of 1,955 lbs, it sits at the very bottom of the hardwood rankings. To put that in perspective, it produces the same heat as some softwoods. What's wild is the green weight, 4,210 lbs per cord. That's a massive water content, more than double the dry weight. Try the heating calculator with buckeye and you'll see just how many cords you'd need compared to something like oak.

Splitting is moderate difficulty. Not terrible, but the fibers can be stringy and a bit grabby. You won't need a hydraulic splitter, but a sharp maul and some patience help. On the plus side, smoke is low and sparks are few, so it's well-behaved in a fire.

That monster water content means seasoning matters a lot. Plan on 6 to 12 months minimum, and I'd lean toward the longer end. Get it split early and stack it where it catches some wind and sun.

Buckeye is a kindling and campfire wood, full stop. The coals are poor, the heat output is low, and it burns fast. It's found throughout the Midwest and Northeast but availability is limited. You won't see it for sale very often. Similar energy to Basswood, which is another lightweight hardwood that burns quick and doesn't leave much behind.