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The best firewood to burn: A user’s guide

When it comes to building a fire, your selection of firewood and how you prepare it can enhance the experience. Different woods have distinct characteristics that make them better suited for specific uses. Similarly, understanding the properties of firewood, like moisture content, density and aroma, can help you choose the best firewood for the occasion.

What makes good firewood?

Different types of firewood burn at varying rates, producing different amounts of smoke and emitting distinct aromas. When looking for good firewood, consider these key properties:

Dryness: The drier the better. After a tree is cut down and chopped into firewood, it needs to dry out, or “season,” for about a year. Drier wood is easier to light. Plus, it burns hotter and cleaner, producing less soot and creosote to accumulate in your chimney.
Density: High density is better than low density. Denser woods burn hotter, slower and steadier, leading to a more consistent temperature and less maintenance.
Resin content: Low resin is preferable. High-resin wood produces more smoke and sparks as the resin pockets heat up.
Aroma: Some species of wood, like cherry or apple, are prized for their distinct, sweet aroma that can lend a lot of ambiance to your fire. They’re also great ways to flavor grilled or smoked food.

Felling trees and splitting firewood

Properly split wood seasons better and burns more evenly and efficiently. When preparing firewood, freshly felled trees are cut into rounds or logs -- quick work with a modern chainsaw. These rounds are then split with an axe and left to season to help the wood dry properly for optimal burning. Here are some tips to help you split your firewood:

Preparation: Refer to your equipment’s owner’s manual to understand the proper use and recommended personal protective equipment (PPE).
Use the right tool: Axes are better for smaller logs and a heavier splitting maul for larger ones.
Split along the grain: Split along the grain, aiming for cracks or knots in the wood.
Use a splitting wedge: For especially tough logs, use a splitting wedge and a sledgehammer to gradually split the wood.
Use a water-resistant log tote: A water-resistant log tote makes transporting your wood easier and protects it from moisture.

Hardwood vs. softwood

Firewood can be classified as either hardwood or softwood. Hardwoods are denser and stronger than softwoods, making hardwood the preferable choice. They also generally contain less resin, resulting in cleaner fires.

Interestingly, it’s not the wood’s hardness, but the genes that classify it as one or the other. Hardwood comes from flowering trees with broad leaves that typically shed in the fall and are more abundant in temperate areas with deciduous forests. On the other hand, comes from evergreen trees that reproduce with needles and cones. These tend to be more prevalent in northern regions with colder climates, or at high elevations.

Best wood for fireplaces

The best wood for fireplaces is the kind that offers a longer burn time, consistent heat and minimal smoke. That calls for dense hardwood with a low resin content that has been split and seasoned -- bonus if it has a scent. Hickory, maple and oak are the most common for fireplaces.

Hickory: Hickory is one of the densest woods, known for its high heat output and earthy, slightly sweet aroma. It's a popular choice not only for fireplaces but also for smoking meat, thanks to its distinct flavor.
Maple: Often considered one of the best woods for a fireplace, maple is known for its sweet, signature scent and reliable burn. Its density provides a steady, long-lasting fire, making it a popular choice for many homeowners.
Oak: Oak is renowned for its high heat and slow, consistent burn, making it a reliable, easy-to-manage choice for fireplaces.

Best wood for a campfire

Choosing the best wood for a campfire calls for something that is easy to start, plus steady heat and minimal smoke. The best wood often includes a mix of softwoods, which ignite quickly, and hardwoods, which provide a sustained, clean burn. Some of the best woods for a campfire are:

Cedar: A favorite for campfires due to its quick ignition and distinct aroma, cedar also burns hot. However, because it burns quickly, it’s most effective when paired with a longer-lasting hardwood. Bonus, cedar acts as a natural mosquito repellent.
Pine: Another softwood that lights easily and burns brightly, pine is well-suited for getting a campfire started. However, its higher resin content can produce a lot of smoke, so it’s best used to ignite the fire rather than sustain it.
Birch: A versatile choice, birch burns quickly for a hardwood but lasts longer than most softwoods. Its bark is highly flammable, making it great for starting fires. Birch is great for brief campfires, or when paired with another hardwood for a longer burn.

Hottest burning wood

The hottest burning woods are typically the densest hardwoods, namely oak, hickory and Osage orange. These woods are ideal for generating intense heat, making them excellent for cooking over campfires or staying warm in cold weather.

Oak: Oak burns hot and consistent, but without much of a scent.
Hickory: Known for its intense heat and long burn time, hickory burns hotter than many other woods. Its strong flame and unique aroma make it a favorite for both heating and cooking.
Osage orange: Often cited as the hottest burning wood available, Osage orange produces intense heat. However, its toughness can make it challenging to split.

Best-smelling firewood

The distinct aromas of different firewood come from their unique blends of sap, essential oils and organic compounds. Certain woods may be chosen specifically for their pleasing scents to help enhance ambiance, flavor food and even provide aromatherapy. Here are some of the best-smelling firewood options:

Apple: With its sweet and fruity aroma, apple is a favorite for summer BBQs after orchard pruning season.
Cherry: Cherry wood emits a mild, sweet fragrance and burns cleanly, making it a good wood for a fireplace or wood stove.
Hickory: A staple of southern BBQ with a strong and earthy aroma, hickory is one of the best hardwoods to burn for heating or cooking.

Guide to good firewood

Now that we know the best firewood for various settings and occasions, let’s see how the others stack up against them.

Firewood comparison

Wood variety	Wood type (hard, soft)	Heat value (high, low)	Burn duration (long, short)	Aroma	Smoke production	Best uses
Ash	Hardwood	High heat value, burns hot and steady.	Long burn duration.	Not very noticeable.	Low smoke production, burns cleanly.	Good for home heating and wood stoves.
Birch	Hardwood	High heat value.	Moderate burn duration.	Pleasant, sweet aroma.	Moderate smoke production.	One of the best woods for a campfire.
Cedar	Softwood	Medium heat value but ignites quickly.	Short burn duration, ignites quickly.	Strong, aromatic scent, often used in kindling for its fragrance.	Moderate smoke production, can produce sparks.	Great for kindling and mixing with other woods for campfires. Natural insect repellant.
Cottonwood	Hardwood, softer than other hardwoods.	Low heat value, produces more ash.	Short burn duration, ignites quickly.	Generally regarded as unpleasant.	High smoke production.	Better for kindling or outdoor fires.
Elm	Hardwood, softer than other hardwoods.	Medium heat value.	Long burn duration, especially once well-seasoned.	Not very noticeable if adequately seasoned.	Moderate to high smoke production, often smolders.	Suitable for wood stoves and fireplaces but requires adequate seasoning.
Hickory	Hardwood	Very high heat value.	Long burn duration.	Strong, smoky aroma. Popular for cooking.	Low to moderate smoke production.	Ideal for wood stoves, fireplaces and smoked food.
Maple	Hardwood	High heat value, burns clean and steady.	Long burn duration.	A sweet and pleasant aroma.	Low smoke production, burns cleanly.	Excellent for home heating and fireplaces. One of the best woods for a wood stove.
Oak	Hardwood	Very high heat value.	Long burn duration, consistent burn.	Minimal with adequate seasoning.	Low smoke production with minimal residue.	Excellent for home heating, wood stoves and fireplaces.
Pine	Softwood	Low to medium heat value, burns quickly with high flames.	Short burn duration, ignites quickly.	Distinctive, resinous scent.	High smoke production.	Mostly used for kindling and outdoor fires. Not recommended for indoor use due to resin buildup.
Poplar	Hardwood, softer than other hardwoods.	Low heat value.	Short burn duration.	Smells especially pungent if poorly seasoned.	High smoke production, tends to smolder.	Better for outdoor fires.

Firewood tips

Now that you know your way around firewood, whether for indoors or out, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your firewood:

Check for pests: Look for signs of rot, egg masses or powdered debris (frass) from wood-boring insects.
Identify if it's seasoned: Seasoned firewood typically has a darker, more faded gray-brown color, with visible cracks and splits at the ends. Well-seasoned logs also feel lighter for their size and produce a distinct "clack" when knocked together, unlike the “thump” of damp, fresh or unseasoned wood.
Store it properly: To avoid moisture absorption, keep your wood elevated using a wooden rack, pallets or bricks. Cover the top to protect it from rain and snow, but leave the sides open for ventilation. When stacking, allow space between logs for air circulation.

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