Paper Birch Firewood — BTU Rating, Burn Quality & Tips

Betula papyrifera

BTU per Cord

20,300,000

Density

2,880 lbs/cord

Category

hardwood

Split Difficulty

easy

Spark Rating

low

Smoke Rating

low

Coaling Quality

fair

Seasoning Time

6 months

Availability

common

Good all-around firewood that is easy to split and ignite. The papery bark makes outstanding natural fire-starter. Moderate heat output. Must be stored off the ground as birch rots quickly when in contact with soil. Burns with a pleasant mild aroma.

Pros

  • +Easy to split
  • +Low spark risk — safe for open fireplaces
  • +Low smoke production
  • +Seasons relatively quickly (6 months)
  • +Widely available

Cons

  • -fair coaling quality

Best Uses for Paper Birch

Open Fireplace

Excellent — low spark risk

Wood Stove

Good choice

Campfire

Good — mix with softwood kindling for easy starts

Smoking/Cooking

Can be used but not a traditional smoking wood

Seasoning Paper Birch

Paper Birch requires approximately 6 months of seasoning to reach the ideal moisture content of 20% or below. Split wood to 3-6 inch pieces and stack with good airflow. Keep the top covered but leave sides open to air. Store off the ground on pallets or rails.

Compare With Similar Species

Black Cherry

20,400,000 BTU/cord · good coaling

American Elm

20,000,000 BTU/cord · fair coaling

Hackberry

20,800,000 BTU/cord · good coaling

Sycamore

19,500,000 BTU/cord · fair coaling

Calculate BTU →All Species →

Last updated: December 2024