Hickory
For the single highest heat output of common firewoods -- hickory burns hotter and longer than oak, but it's harder to split and less widely available.
Runner-up: Oak · Retake the quiz
Why this fits you
- Maximum heat output per cord is your top priority.
- You have (or can borrow) the equipment to split genuinely tough, dense wood.
- You're comfortable sourcing a less universally available species.
Hickory tops most BTU charts at around 27-30 million BTU per cord, and its dense, tight grain gives it a long, hot, steady burn prized by experienced wood burners. That same density makes it genuinely difficult to split by hand -- a hydraulic splitter is a real asset here -- and hickory is less universally available than oak in many regions.
Heat value and burn behaviour
Hickory is among the best firewoods in North America. Shagbark hickory is often listed at roughly 24 to 28 million BTU per cord, comparable to or above the best oaks. It burns hot and long and leaves good coals. It is dense, heavy and gives off a distinctive aroma that many people enjoy.
Seasoning and splitting
Hickory is hard, heavy and slow to dry. Allow at least a year for split wood, and often longer, stacked in a breezy spot with the top covered. It splits less easily than ash or oak, with a tough, stringy grain, and a good maul or a hydraulic splitter makes the work easier. Split it while it is green, since dry hickory is notoriously difficult.
Cooking and smoking use
Hickory is the classic smoking wood for barbecue, and a small supply of well-seasoned pieces is worth keeping apart from your heating wood. Use only seasoned, untreated wood and avoid burning green wood for food, since it produces harsh smoke.
Supply and cost
Hickory is less widely available than oak or maple, and it can be more expensive where it is sold. If you have access to hickory trees on your land or from a local tree service, it is a high-value fuel.
When to choose something else
If you need wood within a few months, hickory is not the best answer, and ash is easier to split by hand. Choose hickory for the coldest nights when you want the maximum heat from a stove load and can plan a year or more ahead.
Weight, stacking and stove loads
A cord of dry hickory weighs roughly two tons, so plan how you will move it. Because it burns hot and long, a stove load of hickory lasts a long time, and you can load smaller amounts than you would of a softer wood. Mix it with a faster-lighting species to get the fire going, then add hickory once the stove is hot.
How it compares
| Species | BTU/cord (millions) | Season time |
|---|---|---|
| Oak | 24-29 | 1-2 years |
| Hickory | 27-30 | 1-2 years |
| Ash | 20-24 | 6-12 months |
| Sugar Maple | 21-24 | 6-12 months |
| White Pine (softwood) | 15-17 | 3-6 months |
| Black Locust | 26-29 | 1-2 years |
| Red Maple | 18-20 | 6-12 months |
| Black Cherry | 20-21 | 6-12 months |
Buying checklist
- Plan on 1-2 years of seasoning, similar to oak
- A hydraulic log splitter makes a real difference on hickory rounds
- Source locally -- hickory availability varies a lot by region
Run the numbers
Frequently asked questions
Why is hickory so hard to split?
Its tight, interlocking grain structure resists splitting along the straight lines that easier woods like ash naturally follow -- it's simply a denser, tougher wood.
Is hickory good for smoking meat as well as heating?
Yes -- hickory is one of the most popular woods for smoking specifically because of its strong, distinctive flavor, a separate use case from home heating.
How does hickory compare to oak for a typical wood stove?
Both are excellent, long-burning hardwoods; hickory has a slight BTU edge but is harder to source and split, which is why oak remains the more common default choice.
Not happy with our calculations or how it works? Let us know.
Don't see a calculator you need? Let us know.