There are many factors that you should consider when choosing firewood to burn. What are the best firewoods?

Because there is more fuel or material per log, dense woods such as oak, ash and hickory burn longer. Because wood is denser, it will burn longer. Also, beech, cherry and black locust, maples, hawthorne, and sycamore burn extremely well.

You won’t want to leave the fireplace without a solid bed of coals. With the orange, yellow, and red flames rolling over the logs and a cold beverage in your hand, you will not be tempted to go to the kitchen to start the fire. We will be discussing the top 10 firewoods and their longevity in this article. The information will assume that you are using your firewood in a fireplace to heat up or for the ambiance and warmth it creates.

Not All Firewood Is The Same

While all wood can burn, not all wood is suitable for use as firewood. You could have a lot smoke, crackles, pops and sparks in your fireplace.

You might have a brightly lit fire if you use pine, spruce or other softwoods. But, soon, all that energy is gone. Because of the thick sap and resin in these trees, softwoods can often pop, smoke, and sizzle.

It can be fun to throw a few pine logs on your campfire when it is low. You will enjoy the crackle and sparks it produces. They are quick to catch fire and burn quickly. They are a great way of quickly catching low-burning embers, but they are not recommended for indoor fireplaces.

Hardwoods burn more efficiently than softwoods in a fireplace or woodstove. They are denser and burn slower, so they create a longer-lasting coal bed. They won’t give off as many sparks and smoke. This does not necessarily mean that all hardwoods can be used in your fireplace.

Poplar is one example. Poplar is still hardwood, but when you blow it up, it crackles and pops vigorously. You may also get dangerous carbon monoxide from the choking smoke it emits. While hardwoods are more appealing, they can be difficult to burn.

Hardwoods vs. Softwoods

Technically, all trees are hard wood. That fact is something I can attest to. I remember having a knot on my forehead as a young boy. When I was climbing down a pine branch (too fast), my foot slipped and hit a branch; It was not that I had the idea for a flux capacitor. But I saw stars.

The wood from trees can be divided into hardwood and softwood.

Hardwood trees have broad leaves and not needles. They usually bear fruit or nuts. Hardwood trees include oak, hickory and cherry trees, as well as birch, tulip, tulip, and birch trees. These trees have dense wood, a smaller growth pattern and are “harder” than those belonging to the conifer family.

Hardwoods can be used as flooring, furniture, tools, instruments and charcoal. The smell and flavor of hickory-smoked meat on the grill is amazing!

Conifer trees include softwood trees. They are more dense and have needles rather than broad leaves. Resin canals carry sap and pitch through the tree. Do you remember buying a Christmas tree or cutting your own? You’ve probably had to deal with sticky resinous sap from these trees.

Construction is dominated by softwood lumber. You can think of framing beams and studs in your attic. These are typically made from pine softwood.

We have already discussed that softwood trees are not good for use as firewood because they contain resin canals. The resins can produce a lot smoke and creosote buildup, which can lead to chimney fires. Because they aren’t dense, softwoods burn fast.

No matter what kind of firewood you use, creosote can stick to your chimney. Softwoods, however, create a lot of heat when they are burned. A chimney sweep company should inspect and maintain any wood-burning stoves or fireplaces in your home.

It is possible to use softwood typeling sometimes to light your hardwood fire. However, after lighting, make sure to only burn properly seasoned hardwood.

Season firewood before you use it

It is not recommended to cut down oak trees, split them, and then put them in your fireplace to burn. The wood will be too moist to burn efficiently , unless it can catch fire. Before it can be used as firewood, it must be dried or seasoned.

You have two options: letting Mother Nature do the seasoning, which can take longer but is more costly. Or, you can kiln dry, which takes much less time but is often more expensive. To be seasoned, wood must be dried to 20% moisture.

This Wood Moisture Meter can be used to ensure that your wood has been properly seasoned to a moisture content of 20% or less. There are four modes of scanning for different materials. It also measures the temperature and humidity.

According to the EPA, test your firewood before you burn it. A wood moisture content below 20 percent will give you the best results. This can be checked easily with a moisture meter.

10 Best Firewoods To Burn

You might get ten different answers if you asked ten people about the best wood to use for firewood. However, this list is not about how long it burns.

It is also difficult to estimate how long one log of firewood will burn. It all depends on the airflow, the heat of the fire, the log’s size and thickness, and many other factors.

We will now examine the wood’s average density to determine how long each wood type lasts. According to theory, the harder a hardwood is to burn, the more it will burn. This list contains the top 10 firewoods that you can burn.

The USDA talks about firewood density in their article, Fuel Efficiency & Conservation-Firewood. They support the claim that dense woods make the best firewoods. They produce more heat than lighter woods. The heat output of coal is comparable to that of dense woods like oak and hickory.

Now, let’s get to the good stuff. Here are our top 10 firewoods and how long they burn.

You can find our complete guide to the slowest-burning firewoods here, and save it as a bookmark for later!

1. Hickory Burns the Longest

Hickory, which is the densest hardwood on our list, burns hotter and longer than maple and oak, and it also has the longest burn time. Hickory can be used to light a fire, make a bed of coals, and then let it burn all night. You could have a warm coal bed ready to light another fire in the morning.

The pleasant, smoky smell that hickory firewood emits is another great aspect. You don’t have to worry about creosote buildup in the chimney or any other concerns about dangerous smoke in your home.

You don’t need to season it long as it retains very little moisture. Hickory crackles beautifully without releasing sparks. This makes the fire more enjoyable, but less dangerous.

Hickory firewood has the longest burn time. Hickory firewood is also very fragrant and heats well.

2. Oak Wood Burns Almost As Long As Hickory

Oak firewood is a close second to the hickory, and could be considered a tie-breaker for first place overall. Oak firewood is dense and produces a lot of heat. It also burns steadily for a very long time. Oak can be found almost anywhere in America because it is widely distributed.

Oak may take up to a year to mature, but once it’s ready to be used for firewood, it will provide a great deal of heat and long-lasting heat.

Because it is not porous, white Oak is better for firewood than red oak when you are breaking down both oak species. Red oak produces 24.6 BTUs, while white oak produces 29.1 BTUs. This allows white oak to burn longer and heat up faster.

You can use seasoned oak firewood in your fireplace, wood stove or fire pit. It is great for making marshmallows and s’mores. It is easy to find reliable, long-lasting firewood that will meet all your needs, since it is so common.

Many oak woods are great for firewood. To learn more about the best oak wood options, take a look at The 10 Best Oak Trees For Firewood Ranked.

3. Beech Wood Burns Hot

In terms of its exceptional heat, beech wood is difficult to beat when compared to other hardwoods. This wood is ideal for wood-burning stoves and most people enjoy a pleasant, nutty scent when burned.

Beech wood can be dried naturally, but it still needs to be seasoned. For the best results, beech wood should be seasoned at least for a year. This wood can dry to a remarkable 12% moisture content after it has been properly seasoned. This is a significant improvement on the 20% that most woods have to dry to.

Because of its low moisture content, this wood burns much hotter than other woods. The less smoke it emits, the longer it is seasoned. This wood isn’t as dense as oak and hickory so it won’t burn for as long.

Beech firewood, despite the additional heat it produces, is an excellent choice. For added comfort, you will probably not mind putting an additional log on the fire.

4. Cherry Wood Smells Fantastic When Burned

Because of its pleasant aroma, cherry hardwood is a popular choice for fireplaces. If you love the scent of a campfire or fireplace, it’s the wood for you.

Although it is still very dense and can burn for a long time, it doesn’t burn as hot as some of the other woods on this list. Cherry wood is easier to split if you do it yourself. However, it will likely cost you more than oak if you buy it.

It takes less time to season cherry wood. You could possibly cut and split cherry wood as early spring. Then, by late fall/winter, it will be ready for burning.

Cherry wood sparks and crackles a bit more than other woods. If you use it in your fireplace make sure to have a screen.

If I had to, and this is only my opinion, I would mix the firewood I use if it was cherry. As a heat source, I would use something less expensive and more neutral-smelling like oak. Then, I would add a few logs of cherry wood to the mix occasionally for that unique smell.

You can find out more about the pleasant scent that mock cherry trees emit here.

5. Ash Burns For A Long While With Little Smoke

Ash is next on the list. Ash is next on the list. It has a high density and can still burn for a good long time. This wood is an excellent choice for your fireplace because of its many other benefits.

Ash firewood is a popular choice for many people. It can be split easily, can still be used as a hardwood, and even can be burned green. For extra safety, I wouldn’t recommend that you burn any green wood outdoors.

Because of its low moisture content, ash does not produce any smoke. It also does not emit many sparks or pops and has a neutral smell. For those who don’t like the smell of wood smoke, ash firewood is best used in a wood-burning stove. It’s most common in the northeastern and central areas of the United States.

Ash is a dense wood that will still burn for a good amount of time. This wood is still a good heat source and makes a pleasant fireplace experience.

6. Apple Wood Smells Devine When Burned

Another wood that emits a sweet, smoky scent is apple wood. You can also burn apple hardwood to create a potpourri diffuser inside your fireplace, just like cherry. You can tell that I love the smell of burning wood.

Apple wood has many benefits, including the freshening smell. It is a dense wood that burns slowly and produces a long-lasting, hot ember bed. Because it’s so dense, it might be difficult to start.

You can add some kindling to the fire once the apple wood has started to burn.

Apple wood can also be burned very hot, slightly hotter than oak and emits very little smoke. It can be used as an additional heat source or main heat source. It is used to smoke meats, such as applewood-smoked bacon.

Applewood could tie with ash in terms of density and burn time. Although apple burns hotter that ash, ash will not make your home smell like a smokehouse.

7. Black Locust Firewood Is Long-Lasting

Black locust can grow quickly and can become an invasive tree in certain areas.

After being seasoned for one year, this firewood produces very little smoke and has a mild, neutral aroma. You can use a screen to burn black locust in an open fire place. It produces a moderate amount sparks.

Black locust wood can be a bit tricky to deal with. When you split the wood yourself you will get the long, sharp thorns from this tree species. Black locust wood can be dangerous if handled by the untrained eye. However, it is a very durable and dense source of firewood.

8. Maple Firewood Seasons Fast

For me, maple is maple syrup-drenched pancakes. Maple wood is an excellent source for firewood and is easily available in most areas. Although maple wood is not as dense as other options, it provides excellent heat and smells similar to maple syrup when burnt.

For a number of reasons, maple is a great choice for firewood. You can cut it in the spring and then burn it in the winter. It is relatively hot and can last a good deal of time.

Maple wood is very smoke-free and produces little smoke.

Maple wood may be more suitable for heating your home with firewood than oak or beech wood. It could still be an option, even though it is not as efficient as oak wood.

Maple has a lower density, but it is still a good option for firewood. especially since these trees are common and are easy to cut, season, season and season.

9. Hawthorn Is A Very Neutral Firewood

Hawthorn is an excellent, dense firewood and can be found all over the globe. There are some downsides to this tree, however. The trees have larger thorns than other trees. This wood is also difficult to split because of its twisty nature and high number of knots.

This firewood is a great choice for heating because of its many benefits. It takes about six months to season this wood once it is split. It can burn very hot for a good amount of time, and it leaves behind little ash.

Hawthorn has a very low level of smoke and sparks, and a light and pleasant smell. Another wood with a neutral scent is Hawthorn. It will make your clothes smell fresh and clean, even if you’ve spent the weekend camping.

Hawthorn, out of all the hardwood types available, is the most dense and will provide you with plenty of time in your fireplace.

10. Sycamore Firewood Is Smoky With A Short Life

We finally reach sycamore wood. It is a dense hardwood that presents some challenges. This hardwood is the shortest-lasting. Sycamore is easy to start, but it burns out much faster than the other hardwoods.

Sycamore trees are a common species in America so it is easy to find firewood. It takes time to season once you have found it. To make it a firewood option, the wood must be dried for at least two years.

This wood’s high moisture content can cause it to emit more smoke than other firewoods. It also sometimes produces some very impressive sparks.

Many people use sycamore firewood in combination with other woods, which are longer-lasting, less moist, and lighter. Mix sycamore with hickory or beech to create a quick, hot, long-lasting fire.

Final opinion: Sycamore should only be used if absolutely necessary, and then only as a starter. To get a fast, intense flame, throw a few logs on your fire. Then, add another one to the pile for a slow, long burn.

This Fire Has Burned Out

The crackle of a fire is unlike anything else. It’s hard to beat the sound of a fire crackling around logs, while you relax with your loved ones.

It is not your desire to constantly tend to the flames.

You now have at least 10 options of hardwoods. It is also possible to know which ones will last longer so that you can enjoy the warmth for longer. We hope you found this article helpful. Drop us a comment or questions below.