Bur Oak Firewood

Out in the Midwest, if you see a massive oak with gnarly, corky bark and acorns the size of golf balls, that's a Bur Oak, also called Mossycup Oak. And it makes fantastic firewood. At 22.7 million BTU per cord and 3,655 lbs dry weight, it's one of the top oaks for home heating.

Low smoke, few sparks, excellent coals. Everything you want in a heating wood. Bur Oak burns steady and hot, making it a great choice for overnight burns. Load it up before bed and you'll still have a bed of glowing coals in the morning. Pull it up on our cheap firewood cost comparison and the value really shows.

Here's a nice bonus. Bur Oak actually splits easy. Unlike a lot of oaks that fight you with gnarly grain, Bur Oak tends to pop apart pretty cleanly. I've split plenty of rounds with just a maul and wedge and never felt like I needed the hydraulic for it.

The downside? Patience. You need 24 to 36 months of seasoning. That's 2 to 3 years. Most people don't want to hear that, but with a green weight of 4,960 lbs per cord, there's a LOT of water to drive off. Split it small, get it off the ground, and give it time.

Bur Oak gets an excellent overall rating and it's common across the Midwest and Northeast. If you can find it and you can wait, it's hard to beat. Its close relative Post Oak firewood is another excellent choice if you're further south.