Official BTU Chart coming soon.  In the meantime, the simple chart below will give you a good idea:

 

SOFT-WOODS (lowest to highest BTU):

Cottonwood

Ponderosa Pine, Lodge pole Pine

Pinon Pine

 

HARD-WOODS (BTU’s listed are approximate):

Boxelder (18)

Elm (20)

Ash (22)

Maple (19-25)

Hack-Berry – (21.2)

Not Sure What Firewood To Get?

Any tree that has needles is a soft-wood, and any tree with leaves is a hard-wood.

Choosing the proper combination of firewood can be confusing if you are unfamiliar with different types of trees.  Remember, it is much easier to start a fire with a soft-wood (pine, for example), and then put on hard-wood (oak, for example).

Typically, our customers order a “mix & match” of firewoods – anywhere from a 1/4 to 1/2 softwood and the remaining is one or two species of hard-wood.  An average order looks like this:

• 1/2  Softwood
• 1/4  Maple
• 1/4  Hack – Berry

Soft-Woods  vs.  Hard-Woods

Although pine can produce a high BTU, always remember that pine is the heaviest creosote producing wood to burn.  Creosote (or creosole) is the by-product of fire that lines your chimney over time.  

It is important to have your chimney swept at proper intervals to prevent a chimney fire!  A proper combination of the right firewood mix and burning habits are essential to a healthy stove and chimney.  

Hard-woods still produce creosote, but not quite as much as pine.