Eastern Redcedar Firewood

There's a reason people keep Eastern Redcedar kindling around even when they've got a whole woodshed full of oak. That smell. Man, it's incredible. One of the best-smelling firewoods you'll ever burn. The whole room fills up with this warm, woody, almost spicy fragrance.

Heat output is 12.1 million BTU per cord, which isn't going to win any contests. At 1,955 lbs dry per cord, it's a lightweight softwood. Not the species you build your heating plan around, more of a supporting player.

Splitting is dead simple. The wood is light and the grain is cooperative. One thing to watch out for. This stuff throws a lot of sparks. Seriously, keep the screen on the fireplace and don't walk away from an open fire pit. It pops and snaps like crazy. The smoke is low though, which is a nice trade-off.

One of the fastest-seasoning species around, just 3 to 6 months. Check out the firewood seasoning guide for tips on stacking, but honestly Eastern Redcedar practically dries itself. Cut it in the spring and it's ready by midsummer.

So where does this leave you? Eastern Redcedar is a fantastic kindling wood and a great choice for cooking and smoking meat. It's not your main heating wood, but it's one of the best "extras" you can keep on hand. Common throughout the Midwest, South, and Northeast, so finding it usually isn't hard. If you want something related but from out West, check out Rocky Mountain Juniper, similar vibe, same family.