Firewood by species / Hardwood
Extension tables · checked 2026-10-20
Sugar maple firewood
A cord of sugar maple holds about 25.9 million Btu of heat, according to the University of Kentucky forestry table (at 20% moisture content). That ranks it #12 of 52 species on this site, 29% more than the 20 million Btu the U.S. Energy Information Administration uses for a generic cord of wood.
- 1Heat per cord 25.9 million Btu
- 2Rank of 52 #12
- 3Weight 3,144 lb/cord
- 4Splitting Good
How much heat is in a cord of sugar maple?
Only the University of Kentucky table lists sugar maple, so its 25.9 million Btu is the one figure used here. It sits 5.1 million Btu above the median species (20.75), and it is #11 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 1.19 cords of sugar maple. In the other direction, a cord of sugar maple replaces 1.88 cords of buckeye (horsechestnut), the lowest. In energy terms one cord equals the heat content of about 187 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 sugar maple 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 | Sugar maple | Generic cord (20 M Btu) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota (coldest) | 9,184 | 5.3 cords | 6.9 cords |
| Oregon (median) | 5,269 | 3.1 cords | 3.9 cords |
| Florida (mildest) | 646 | 0.4 cords | 0.5 cords |
Because sugar maple beats the generic cord, the stack is 23% 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: Kentucky lists 3,144 lb per cord (24.6 lb per cubic foot of stacked cord, about 1,572 lb for a half-cord pickup load).
- Splitting: rated good by Kentucky.
- Water in the living tree: 65% 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 sugar maple 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 sugar maple, that is $13.71 per million Btu in the wood, or $18.52 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
- Pin oak: 25.9 million Btu per cord (#10)
- Red oak: 25.9 million Btu per cord (#11)
- Mulberry: 25.8 million Btu per cord (#13)
- Beech: 26.3 million Btu per cord (#8)
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 "Sugar maple"). Last checked 2026-10-20. Price: Maine Governor's Energy Office, 2025-2026 Heating Season Weekly Fuel Prices (September 21, 2026). Method: methodology.