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

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

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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.

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.

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