Type of Wood Heat Output Easy to Burn Easy to Split Heavy Smoke Sparks BTUs per Cord Rating
Ash High Yes Yes No No 25.9 Mil Great
Red Oak High Yes Yes No No 21.7 Great
White Oak  High Yes Yes No No 26.5 Great
Beech   High Yes Yes No No 21.8 Great
Birch High Yes Yes No No 21.3 Great
Hickory High Yes Yes No No 30.8 Great
Hard Maple High Yes Yes No No 29.7 Great
Pecan High Yes Yes No No   Great
Dogwood High Yes Yes No No 24.3 Great
Soft Maple Medium Yes Yes No No 19.1 Good
Cherry Medium Yes Yes No No 18.5 Good
Walnut Medium Yes Yes No No 20.3 Good
Elm Medium Medium No Medium No 23.8 Fair
Sycamore Medium Medium No Medium No 18.5 Fair
Gum Medium Medium No Medium No 18.1 Fair
Mesquite High Medium No Medium No   Good
Aspen Low Yes Yes Medium No 14.5 Fair
Basswood Low Yes Yes Medium No 12.6 Fair
Cottonwood Low Yes Yes Medium No 12.2 Fair
Chestnut Low Yes Yes Medium Yes   Poor
Yellow Poplar Low Yes Yes Medium Yes 16.0 Poor
Southern Yellow Pine High Yes Yes Yes Yes   Good
Douglas Fir High Yes Yes Yes Yes 21.4 Good
Cypress Medium Medium Yes Medium No   Fair
Redwood Medium Medium Yes Medium No   Fair
White Cedar Medium Yes Yes Medium Yes 17.5 Good
Western Red Cedar Medium Yes Yes Medium Yes 17.5 Good
Eastern Red Cedar Medium Yes Yes Medium Yes 17.5 Good
Juniper Medium Yes Yes Medium Yes   Good
Piinon Medium Yes Yes Medium Yes   Good
Eastern White Pine Low Medium Yes Medium No 15.8 Fair
Western White Pine Low Medium Yes Medium No 15.8 Fair
Sugar Pine Low Medium Yes Medium No 15.8 Fair
Ponderosa Pine Low Medium Yes Medium No 17.0 Fair
True Firs Low Medium Yes Medium No 19.5 Fair
Tamarack Medium Yes Yes Medium Yes 20.8 Fair
Larch Medium Yes Yes Medium Yes 20.8 Fair
Spruce Low Yes Yes Medium Yes 15.9 Poor
Alder Medium Fair Yes Medium Yes 17.6 Fair
Apple Medium No No Medium Few 17.6 Fair
Ironwood (Hornbeam) Very High No No No Few 24.7 Great
Black Locust Very High No No No No 26.5 Great
Madrone High No No No No 30.0 Great
Willow Low No Yes Fair Fair 14.5 Fair