Firewood BTU Chart and Heating Oil Equivalent
Different species of firewood put out different amounts of heat per cord.
The following chart is based off of info obtained from the Massachusetts Association of Professional Foresters. It shows Wood Species, Heat Output (per air-dry cord) and the Equivalent Gallons of heating oil per cord:
| Species | Heat output per air-dry cord | Equivalent gallons of heating oil |
| Hickory | 24.6 million BTU's | 146 gallons @ $2.00 = $292 |
| White oak | 22.7 million BTU's | 135 gallons @ $2.00 = $270 |
| Beech | 21.8 million BTU's | 130 gallons @ $2.00 = $260 |
| Red oak | 21.3 million BTU's | 127 gallons @ $2.00 = $254 |
| Hard maple | 21.3 million BTU's | 127 gallons @ $2.00 = $254 |
| Yellow birch | 21.3 million BTU's | 127 gallons @ $2.00 = $254 |
| Ash | 20.0 million BTU's | 119 gallons @ $2.00 = $238 |
| Soft maple | 18.6 million BTU's | 111 gallons @ $2.00 = $222 |
| Black cherry | 18.4 million BTU's | 110 gallons @ $2.00 = $220 |
| Paper birch | 18.3 million BTU's | 108 gallons @ $2.00 = $216 |
| Poplar | 12.5 million BTU's | 74 gallons @ $2.00 = $148 |
As you can see from the chart above, the harder the wood is the more heat you get from it.
Burning softwoods like pine will not give you the heat output that the hardwoods like oak and maple will. Because softwood (and unseasoned hardwood) does not burn as hot as good, hard, well seasoned wood, it leaves behind un-burned creosote. This will increase your risk of a chimney or flue fire.
If you do burn softwood or unseasoned hardwood, make sure you clean your chimney or flue several times during the burning season to prevent any problems.
Another thing you can take away from this chart is the need for firewood prices to be relative to the heating oil price. It is much easier to buy heating oil for $2/gallon and turn up the thermostat than it is to stack, carry and burn firewood at $250+ a cord.
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Keywords: firewood, btu chart, cord, wood, Hickory, White oak, Beech, Red oak, Hard maple, Yellow birch, Ash, Soft maple, Black cherry, Paper birch, Poplar, heating oil equivalent
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Comments & Reviews:
Posted by Mike from Ashton, ON on 10/14/09Mentioning “Cord” is pointless unless you are clear about whether it really is a full cord or a facecord. It seems to be standard practice that when people say cord they really mean face cord.
With the fluctuating energy prices and vastly different wood prices from region to region, an article like this becomes completely pointless unless it’s clear what is meant by “cord”.
~Mike
Posted by Darren on 10/14/09Thank you for your input, but I am in Massachusetts and when someone says “cord” they mean a “full cord” or 128 cubic feet (4’x4’x8’) of firewood. No one here sells face cords.
“Massachusetts law specifically prohibits the term “face cord” from being used in advertising the sale of cordwood or firewood.”—MA Consumer Affairs Office
Posted by Finn from Yport on 10/18/09Good chart. How about adding locust as we have a good deal of it here on Cape?
Posted by Darren on 10/19/09The only Locust figures I could find were for “Black Locust” and it says 28.1 Million Btu here.
If it is Black Locust we have here on the Cape, 28.1 would put it at the top of the list.
There is a good list of other types of wood and burn output here.
Posted by Finn from YPort on 10/19/09Not sure if it’s black locust, but it burns real hot, so it probably is.
Posted by Bob from Manchester, NH on 06/17/10Where are you burning the wood to get the oil equivalent gallons of heat? In a modern wood burning stove I have seen figures in the 160 gallon range for a cord of mixed hardwoods. At a current price of $2.669 per gallon of home heating fuel a wood stove makes even more sense. And for the environmentally conscience, burning wood is carbon neutral so it is much better for the environment, especially in a modern wood stove that produces very little smoke (about the equivalent of 2 cigarettes per hour).
Posted by Darren on 06/18/10See above: “info obtained from the Massachusetts Association of Professional Foresters”
Posted by Dave from North Central Maryland on 08/10/11For those of you interested in burning wood for heat ... Check out www.tarmusa.com or www.woodboilers.com
I have a wood boiler that uses wood gasification in burning @ 82% efficiency. Most wood stoves only deliver mid to upper 40% efficiency.
Well worth the look or read. Super happy with my Tarm Boiler as it is my primary sorch of heat but has auto oil backup if desired.
