Firewood by species / Hardwood
Extension tables · checked 2026-10-20
Beech firewood
A cord of beech holds about 26.3 million Btu of heat, according to the University of Kentucky forestry table (at 20% moisture content). That ranks it #8 of 52 species on this site, 32% more than the 20 million Btu the U.S. Energy Information Administration uses for a generic cord of wood.
- 1Heat per cord 26.3 million Btu
- 2Rank of 52 #8
- 3Dry weight 3,760 lb/cord
- 4Splitting Difficult
How much heat is in a cord of beech?
The two extension tables used here disagree by 1.2 million Btu: Kentucky lists 26.3 and Utah State lists 27.5 (as "Beech"). The figures are close, so either one gives nearly the same answer in the calculator. Cord Calc uses Kentucky's figure because its table states the moisture basis (20%). It sits 5.6 million Btu above the median species (20.75), and it is #7 of the 38 hardwoods listed, whose average is 22.1 million Btu.
One cord of gambel oak, the highest in the table, holds as much heat as 1.17 cords of beech. In the other direction, a cord of beech replaces 1.91 cords of buckeye (horsechestnut), the lowest. In energy terms one cord equals the heat content of about 190 gallons of heating oil, using EIA's 138,500 Btu per gallon; the stove and the oil burner each lose some of that before it reaches the room.
Cords of beech for a winter
For the example house used across this site (2,000 sq ft, built in the 1970s, wood as the only heat, a 74% efficient stove), a normal winter takes:
| State | Degree days | Beech | Generic cord (20 M Btu) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota (coldest) | 9,184 | 5.2 cords | 6.9 cords |
| Oregon (median) | 5,269 | 3.0 cords | 3.9 cords |
| Florida (mildest) | 646 | 0.4 cords | 0.5 cords |
Because beech beats the generic cord, the stack is 24% smaller than the same winter on average wood. Your own house will differ; the calculator takes your state, floor area, house age and price.
Weight, splitting and how it burns
- Weight: Utah State lists 3,760 lb air-dried. That is 29.4 lb per cubic foot of stacked cord, and roughly 1,880 lb for the half cord a full-size pickup bed holds.
- Kentucky's table puts a cord at 3,144 lb, 616 lb lighter than Utah State's dry figure.
- Splitting: difficult (Utah State); Kentucky rates its splitting good.
- Burning: few sparks, excellent coals, good fragrance.
- Water in the living tree: 55% moisture content (Kentucky).
Whatever the species, the heat figures assume dry wood. Seasoned firewood is below 20% moisture; fresh-cut wood is 35 to 50% water by weight (CMHC), and burning it wastes heat boiling that water off. The seasoning guide and the moisture meter guide explain how to get there and check it.
What a cord of beech is worth
Maine's Governor's Energy Office surveyed dealers at $355 a cord on September 21, 2026 (seasoned wood, minimum 2-cord purchase, local delivery included). Paid for as beech, that is $13.50 per million Btu in the wood, or $18.24 per million Btu delivered by a 74% stove. Dense species like this give the most heat for the money when dealers charge one price per cord regardless of species. Only two states publish a dated cord price; see Maine and New Hampshire.
Similar species
- Bur oak: 26.3 million Btu per cord (#9)
- Pin oak: 25.9 million Btu per cord (#10)
- Red oak: 25.9 million Btu per cord (#11)
- Sugar maple: 25.9 million Btu per cord (#12)
Compare every species on the firewood BTU chart, or see what a cord, face cord and rick hold before you buy.
Sources: University of Kentucky Forestry, Comparison of Properties Affecting Firewood (row "Beech"); Utah State University Extension Forestry, Wood Heating (Kuhns and Schmidt), Table 1 Firewood Facts (row "Beech"). Last checked 2026-10-20. Price: Maine Governor's Energy Office, 2025-2026 Heating Season Weekly Fuel Prices (September 21, 2026). Method: methodology.