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David

Darling

wood heat value (BTU)

wood fire

The burning quality of different woods, an important consideration when choosing fuel for a wood stove, is listed in the table below.

 

Species Density
(lb./cu.ft.)
Weight per
cord (lb.)
BTUs per cord
(millions)
Recoverable BTUs
per cord (millions)
Units needed to
produce 1 million BTUs
black locust 52.5 4462 28.5 19.95 0.051
hickory 50.9 4327 27.7 19.39 0.052
east hophornbeam 50.2 4267 27.3 19.11 0.052
apple 48.7 4100 26.5 18.55 0.054
white oak 47.2 4012 25.7 17.99 0.056
sugar maple 44.2 3757 24 16.8 0.060
red oak 44.2 3757 24 16.8 0.060
beech 44.2 3757 24 16.8 0.060
yellow birch 43.4 3689 23.6 16.52 0.061
white ash 43.4 3689 23.6 16.52 0.061
hackberry 38.2 3247 20.8 14.56 0.069
tamarack 38.2 3247 20.8 14.56 0.069
paper birch 37.4 3179 20.3 14.21 0.070
cherry 36.7 3121 20 14 0.071
elm 35.9 3052 19.5 13.65 0.073
black ash 35.2 2992 19.1 13.37 0.075
red maple 34.4 2924 18.7 13.09 0.076
box elder 32.9 2797 17.9 12.53 0.080
jack pine 31.4 2669 17.1 11.97 0.084
norway pine 31.4 2669 17.1 11.97 0.084
hemlock 29.2 2482 15.9 11.13 0.090
black spruce 29.2 2482 15.9 11.13 0.090
ponderosa pine 28 2380 15.2 10.64 0.094
aspen 27 2290 14.7 10.29 0.097
white pine 26.3 2236 14.3 10.01 0.100
balsam fir 26.3 2236 14.3 10.01 0.100
cottonwood 24.8 2108 13.5 9.45 0.106
basswood 24.8 2108 13.5 9.45 0.106