Firewood BTU Chart – BTU Per Cord by Wood Species (Ranked Highest to Lowest)
Which firewood species provides the most heat per cord? The chart below ranks common firewood species by their approximate BTU content, from highest to lowest.
As a general energy comparison, the U.S. Energy Information Administration uses a rough average of about 20 million BTUs for one cord of wood. On a raw-energy basis, that is roughly equal to the energy contained in 144 gallons of heating oil or 220 gallons of propane.
What Does “BTU Per Cord” Actually Mean?
A standard cord is a stacked volume of 128 cubic feet, commonly measuring 8 feet long by 4 feet high by 4 feet deep.
Firewood BTU values vary mainly with wood density and moisture content.
Dense woods dominate the upper part of the chart. In this chart, white oak is estimated at 25.7 million BTUs per cord, while red oak is estimated at 24.0 million. Both produce good coals and generally burn longer than lighter firewood species.
By comparison, eastern white pine provides about 56% as much heat per cord as white oak, while eastern white cedar provides about 47%.
A higher BTU-per-cord rating means more total potential heat in the same stacked volume of firewood. It does not necessarily mean that the wood produces a hotter flame. Burn temperature and burn rate also depend on moisture content, split size, airflow, and how the stove is operated.
Why Dense Wood Produces More Heat per Cord
Dense wood packs more dry fuel mass into the same stacked volume, which means more total energy per cord. That is why dense species such as Osage orange, black locust, hickory, and oak generally provide more heat per cord than lighter woods such as aspen, basswood, pine, or cedar.
Hardwood is often denser than softwood, but density matters more than whether a tree is technically classified as hardwood or softwood.
On a dry-weight basis, most wood species contain roughly 8,600 to 9,000 BTUs per pound. The much larger difference appears when wood is compared by the cord, because dense species pack more fuel mass into the same stacked volume.
Firewood BTU Chart by Species (BTUs per Cord, Highest to Lowest)
Note: This list is not all-inclusive. It includes the wood species for which I could find reliable data and ranks them from highest to lowest BTUs per cord. Values are approximate because wood density and moisture content can vary.
| Wood Species | Million BTUs per Cord |
|---|---|
| Osage Orange | 32.9 |
| Locust, Black | 29.3 |
| Pecan | 28.0 |
| Mesquite (Western) | 28.0 |
| Hickory, Shagbark | 27.7 |
| Tanoak (Western) | 27.5 |
| Eastern Hophornbeam / Ironwood | 27.2 |
| American Hornbeam / Blue Beech | 26.8 |
| Birch, Black | 26.8 |
| Locust, Honey | 26.7 |
| Hickory, Bitternut | 26.7 |
| Apple | 26.5 |
| Douglas-fir | 26.4 |
| Mulberry | 25.8 |
| Oak, White | 25.7 |
| American Beech | 24.0 |
| Maple, Sugar | 24.0 |
| Oak, Red | 24.0 |
| Madrone / Pacific Arbutus | 23.7 |
| Ash, White | 23.6 |
| Birch, Yellow | 23.6 |
| Maple, Bigleaf | 22.7 |
| Juniper, Rocky Mtn | 21.8 |
| Elm, Red | 21.6 |
| Hackberry | 20.8 |
| Larch (Western) | 20.8 |
| Tamarack | 20.8 |
| Birch, Gray | 20.3 |
| Birch, Paper | 20.3 |
| Birch, White | 20.3 |
| Black Walnut | 20.1 |
| Cherry | 20.0 |
| Elm, American | 19.5 |
| Elm, White | 19.5 |
| Sycamore | 19.0 |
| Red Maple (Soft Maple) | 18.4 |
| Boxelder | 17.5 |
| Alder, Red | 17.2 |
| Pine, Jack | 17.1 |
| Pine, Norway | 17.1 |
| Pine, Pitch | 17.1 |
| Hemlock | 15.9 |
| Black Spruce | 15.9 |
| Aspen | 14.7 |
| Eastern White Pine | 14.3 |
| Balsam Fir | 14.3 |
| Basswood (American) | 13.7 |
| Cottonwood | 13.5 |
| Eastern White Cedar | 12.2 |
Download or Print the Firewood BTU Chart PDF
About the BTU figures: Firewood heat values were compiled and compared using USDA Forest Products Laboratory research and university extension sources, including Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State University, Utah State University, and South Dakota State University. Published figures vary because moisture assumptions, wood density, growing region, and the amount of solid wood in a cord differ among sources. These numbers are therefore best used as approximate comparisons rather than exact measurements.
Osage orange has the highest rating in this chart at approximately 32.9 million BTUs per cord, followed by black locust at 29.3 million. Pecan, mesquite, shagbark hickory, and tanoak also rank near the top. Oak ranks somewhat lower but remains excellent firewood because it burns steadily and produces long-lasting coals. Proper seasoning is just as important as species when maximizing usable heat.
Best Firewood Species for Heat Output
- Highest Heat Output: Osage orange, black locust, pecan, mesquite
- Long Overnight Burns: Black locust, hickory, oak, beech
- Good Western Firewood: Douglas-fir, tanoak, madrone
- Quick-Burning / Shoulder Season: Pine, spruce, aspen
Dense firewood can provide long, steady burns. A heat-powered stove fan may help circulate warm air away from the stove and farther into the room.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases (no extra cost to you).
→ Ecofan – Heat-Powered Wood Stove Fan
A wood stove top thermometer helps you stay in the ideal burn zone for maximum heat and minimal creosote buildup.
→ Wood Stove Top Thermometer (Amazon)
🔥 Firewood BTU FAQ
Osage orange has the highest rating in this chart at approximately 32.9 million BTUs per cord. Black locust ranks second at approximately 29.3 million BTUs, followed by pecan and mesquite at 28.0 million.
BTU per cord measures the total potential heat energy contained in a full 128-cubic-foot stacked cord of firewood. A higher value means more total energy per cord, although actual burn time also depends on moisture content, split size, airflow, and stove operation.
Both matter, but moisture content is critical. Even high-BTU hardwood will burn poorly if it’s wet. Firewood should be seasoned to below 20% moisture for maximum heat and reduced creosote buildup.
Many hardwoods are denser than common softwoods and therefore contain more fuel mass per cord. Dense species tend to burn more slowly and produce longer-lasting coals.
Pine is not bad firewood. It burns faster and produces less total heat per cord than dense hardwoods. Wet pine, like any wet firewood, can contribute to creosote buildup. Properly dried pine makes excellent kindling and works well for quick fires and shoulder-season heating.
Dense hardwoods like oak, hickory, and locust are best for overnight burns because they produce long-lasting coals and steady heat output.
A cord of oak produces approximately 24 to 26 million BTUs, depending on the species.
Yes. Softwoods ignite quickly, split easily, and are useful for kindling or quick daytime fires. They’re also more common in many western regions where hardwoods are scarce.
Of note to folks in the Western USA, Russian Olive, that invasive scourge of river drainages comes in at 23 million btus when dry. A little higher than much sought after Western Cedar.