Affordable Excellence

BTU Energy Chart Species General remarks Type of wood Ease of starting Amount of heat Aroma Sparks Heavy smoke Coaling quality East to split Pounds per cord (air dry) Heat per cord (million BTU) Alder Fair Hard Fair Low Slight Few No Fair Yes 2300 11 Apple Excellent Fruit Poor High Excellent Few No Excellent Yes 3900 27 Ash, black Good Hard Good High Slight Few No Good Yes 2900 20 Ash, white Excellent Hard Fair High Slight Few No Good Yes 3400 23 Aspen Fair Hard Good Low Slight Few Medium Good Yes 2100 15 Avocado Fair Fruit Good Low Slight Few No Poor Yes 2100 15 Basswood Fair Hard Poor Low Slight Few Medium Poor Yes 2100 15 Beech Excellent Hard Poor High Slight Few No Good Yes 3900 27 Birch, black Excellent Hard Good High Slight Moderate No Good Yes 3900 27 Birch, grey Good Hard Good High Slight Moderate No Good Yes 2900 20 Birch, white Good Hard Good High Slight Moderate No Good Yes 2900 20 Birch, yellow Excellent Hard Good High Slight Moderate No Good Yes 3400 23 Box elder Fair Hard Fair Medium Slight Few No Good Yes 2300 11 Butternut Fair Hard Fair Medium Slight Few No Fair Yes 2100 15 Catalpa Poor Hard Poor Low Slight Few No Poor Yes 1600 11 Cedar, red Good Soft Excellent Medium Good Many Medium Poor Yes 2900 20 Cedar, white Fair Soft Excellent Medium Good Many Medium Poor Yes 2100 15 Cherry Good Fruit Poor Medium Excellent Few No Excellent Yes 2800 20 Chestnut Poor Hard Fair Medium Slight Many Medium Fair Yes 2500 18 Citrus Excellent Fruit Good High Excellent Few No Good No 3700 25 Species General remarks Type of wood Ease of starting Amount of heat Aroma Sparks Heavy smoke Coaling quality East to split Pounds per cord (air dry) Heat per cord (million BTU) Cottonwood Fair Hard Fair Low Slight Few Medium Fair Yes 2100 15 Cypress Fair Soft Fair Low Fair Few Medium Fair Yes 2300 11 Dogwood Excellent Hard Good High Fair Few No Good Yes 3900 27 Elm Fair Hard Fair Medium Slight Few Medium Good No 3000 20 Eucalyptus Fair Hard Poor Medium Pungent Many Medium Fair No 2400 17 Fir, balsam Fair Soft Good Low Slight Moderate Medium Poor Yes 2100 15 Fir, Douglas Good Soft Good Medium Slight Few Yes Fair Yes 2500 18 Fir, true Fair Soft Excellent Medium Slight Few Medium Fair Yes 2200 16 Gum Fair Hard Fair Medium Slight Few Medium Fair No 2900 20 Hackberry Fair Hard Fair Medium Slight Few No Fair No 2900 20 Hemlock Fair Soft   Medium Good Few Medium Poor No 2100 15 Hickory Excellent Hard Fair High Slight Moderate No Excellent Yes 3900 27 Hop hornbeam Excellent Hard Fair High Slight Few No Excellent No 3900 27 Ironwood Excellent Hard Poor High Slight Few No Excellent No 4400 30 Juniper Fair Soft Good Medium Good Moderate Medium Good No 2700 15 Larch Fair Soft Excellent Medium Good Many Medium Fair Yes 2900 20 Locust Excellent Hard Poor High Slight Few No Excellent No 3900 27 Magnolia Good Hard Fair Medium Good