Butternut Firewood

Butternut, sometimes called White Walnut, is one of those species that most people wouldn't think twice about tossing into the firewood pile. And honestly, it's not bad for what it is. It's just not a powerhouse.

At 13.2 million BTU per cord, you're in the lower tier of hardwoods. That puts butternut well below red oak or hickory, and roughly on par with some softwoods. It's technically a hardwood, but at only 2,125 lbs dry per cord, it's one of the lightest in that category. You can compare it alongside everything else on the firewood BTU chart to see where it lands.

Splitting butternut is a breeze. The grain is straight, the wood is soft, and your maul goes right through it without much fuss. It does produce a moderate amount of smoke, so keep that in mind for indoor use, good draft and a clean chimney help.

Seasoning takes 6 to 12 months, which is pretty standard. Get it split and stacked in spring, and you'll have dry wood by fall. Nothing tricky here.

Bottom line, butternut works as a shoulder-season wood or a fire starter, but don't plan on heating your house with it alone. It burns quick, the coals are poor, and you'll be reloading constantly. Mix it in with something denser like Black Walnut firewood, its close cousin, and you'll get much better results. The fragrance is pleasant, though, nice for a casual evening fire in the pit.