The type of firewood you burn has a bigger impact on your fireplace experience than most homeowners realize. The right wood produces more heat per log, burns longer and more evenly, creates less smoke in your living space, and significantly reduces creosote buildup inside your chimney. The wrong wood does the opposite, leaving you with weak fires, smoky rooms, and a flue that needs cleaning far more often than it should.
At On Duty Chimney, Masonry, Stove, we see the effects of firewood choices every day during chimney inspections and cleanings across Leominster and Central Massachusetts. This guide covers everything you need to know about choosing, seasoning, and storing firewood so you can get the most out of your fireplace while keeping your chimney system safe.
Why the Type of Wood You Burn Matters
All firewood is not created equal. Different species of trees produce wood with different densities, moisture levels, and chemical compositions, and these differences directly affect how the wood performs in your fireplace. Dense hardwoods contain more energy per log than lighter softwoods, which means they burn hotter and longer. Wood that has been properly seasoned burns more efficiently because the fire’s energy goes toward producing heat rather than evaporating moisture trapped in the wood fibers.
Burning the wrong wood also creates safety problems. High-moisture or resinous wood produces excess smoke and accelerates creosote buildup inside your flue. Creosote is a tar-like substance that is highly flammable. When it accumulates to dangerous levels, it can ignite and cause a chimney fire. Choosing the right firewood is one of the simplest and most effective steps you can take to protect your home.
Best Hardwoods for Your Fireplace
Hardwoods are the gold standard for fireplace use. They come from deciduous trees that lose their leaves each fall, and their dense wood structure makes them ideal for producing steady, long-lasting heat with minimal smoke.
Oak
Oak is widely considered the best all-around firewood for home use. It is extremely dense, burns slowly and evenly, and produces a high heat output that keeps a room warm for hours. White oak and red oak are both excellent choices, though white oak tends to season more quickly. The main drawback of oak is that it requires a longer seasoning period than most other species, typically twelve months or more, to reach optimal moisture content. But once it is properly dried, oak delivers dependable, high-quality fires that are hard to beat.
Maple
Maple is another top-tier firewood choice that is widely available throughout New England. Sugar maple and red maple both burn hot and clean, producing a pleasant, mild aroma that many homeowners prefer over stronger-smelling woods. Maple seasons relatively quickly compared to oak, usually reaching ideal moisture levels in about six to nine months. It also splits easily, which is a practical advantage if you are processing your own firewood.
Hickory
Ash
Ash has long been a favorite among experienced firewood users because it is one of the few hardwoods that burns well even when it has not been seasoned for a full year. Its relatively low natural moisture content means it dries faster than most other species, making it a good option if you are buying firewood later in the season and need wood that is ready to burn sooner. Ash produces a good amount of heat and very little smoke, making it a solid all-purpose choice.
Cherry and Birch
Softwoods: When and How to Use Them
Softwoods like pine, spruce, fir, and cedar come from coniferous trees and are generally not recommended as a primary fuel source for indoor fireplaces. They ignite easily and burn brightly, which makes them useful as kindling or fire starters, but they also burn fast, produce more smoke, and generate significantly more creosote than hardwoods.
The higher resin content in softwoods is the main culprit. As the resin burns, it releases compounds that condense inside your flue and form creosote deposits. If you use softwood occasionally to start a fire before adding hardwood logs, the overall effect on your chimney is minimal. But burning softwood exclusively as your primary fuel will lead to more frequent chimney cleanings and increased fire risk.
How to Tell If Firewood Is Properly Seasoned
Properly seasoned firewood has a moisture content below twenty percent. There are several ways to check without a moisture meter, though investing in an inexpensive one is worthwhile if you burn wood regularly. Seasoned wood is typically grayish in color rather than bright or fresh-looking. The ends of the logs will have visible cracks and splits radiating from the center. When you knock two pieces together, properly dried wood produces a hollow, resonant sound rather than a dull thud. Seasoned wood is also noticeably lighter than freshly cut wood of the same species.
If your firewood hisses, sizzles, or produces a lot of steam when you put it on the fire, it still has too much moisture. This means the fire is using energy to drive off water rather than heating your home, and the excess moisture is contributing to creosote formation in your chimney.
Wood You Should Never Burn in Your Fireplace
Certain materials should never be burned in a home fireplace regardless of how convenient they might seem. Treated lumber, painted wood, plywood, and particle board contain chemical compounds that release toxic fumes when burned. These fumes are harmful to breathe and can also damage your chimney liner. Construction scraps, pallets, and furniture made from engineered wood products fall into this category as well.
Driftwood, while tempting, contains salt that produces toxic gases and accelerates corrosion of metal components in your chimney system. Green or freshly cut wood should also be avoided because of its high moisture content, which leads to excessive smoke, poor combustion, and rapid creosote buildup.
Storing Firewood the Right Way
How you store your firewood matters almost as much as the species you choose. Wood should be stored off the ground on a rack or pallet to prevent moisture absorption from the soil. Stack it in a single row with space between the pieces to allow air circulation, which helps the wood continue to dry even after it has been cut and split.
Keep your woodpile at least twenty feet from your home if possible. Storing wood against your house can attract termites, carpenter ants, and other pests. Cover the top of the pile to protect it from rain and snow, but leave the sides open so air can flow through. Bringing wood inside a day or two before you plan to burn it allows it to warm up to room temperature, which helps it catch fire more easily and burn more efficiently.
How Your Firewood Choice Affects Your Chimney
Every fire you burn leaves some residue inside your chimney, but the amount and type of residue depends heavily on what you are burning and how well it has been seasoned. Clean-burning, well-seasoned hardwoods produce a light, powdery ash that is relatively easy to sweep and poses less of a safety risk. Wet wood, softwoods, and improper fuels produce thick, sticky creosote that hardens inside the flue and becomes increasingly flammable over time.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends that chimneys be inspected at least once per year and cleaned as needed. If you burn wood regularly throughout the heating season, an annual cleaning is almost always necessary. Using the right firewood consistently is one of the best ways to keep creosote levels manageable and extend the safe life of your chimney system.
Need a chimney inspection or cleaning? Contact On Duty Chimney, Masonry, Stove at (978) 696-7933. Our experienced technicians serve homeowners throughout Leominster, Worcester, and Central Massachusetts with thorough inspections, cleanings, and chimney maintenance services.
Frequently Asked Questions About Firewood
Oak, maple, and hickory are widely considered the best fireplace woods. They are dense hardwoods that burn hot, produce long-lasting coals, and generate minimal smoke when properly seasoned. Oak is the most popular overall choice due to its wide availability and excellent heat output.
Most hardwoods need six to twelve months of seasoning to reach a moisture content below twenty percent. Oak typically needs twelve months or longer, while ash and maple may be ready in six to nine months. The key is splitting the wood promptly after cutting and storing it in a well-ventilated area.
You can burn pine occasionally as a fire starter, but it should not be your primary fuel. Pine and other softwoods contain high levels of resin that produce excess smoke and accelerate creosote buildup in your chimney. If you do use pine, mix it with denser hardwoods and make sure your chimney is cleaned annually.
Look for a grayish color, visible cracks in the end grain, and a lightweight feel. Knock two pieces together and listen for a hollow, ringing sound rather than a dull thud. A moisture meter is the most reliable tool and should read below twenty percent for properly seasoned wood.
Yes, significantly. Burning wet or unseasoned wood and softwoods like pine produces far more creosote than burning dry, seasoned hardwoods. Creosote is a highly flammable substance that accumulates inside your chimney flue. Choosing the right firewood and having your chimney inspected annually are the two most effective ways to manage creosote.
A typical household that uses a fireplace as a supplemental heat source several times per week during the heating season will use approximately two to three cords of firewood. Homes that rely on a wood stove as a primary heat source may need four to six cords. Actual usage depends on the size of your home, how well it is insulated, and the efficiency of your fireplace or stove.