Ponderosa Pine Firewood — BTU Rating, Burn Quality & Tips

Pinus ponderosa

BTU per Cord

16,200,000

Density

2,380 lbs/cord

Category

softwood

Split Difficulty

easy

Spark Rating

medium

Smoke Rating

medium

Coaling Quality

poor

Seasoning Time

6 months

Availability

regional

Common western pine that burns with moderate heat. Easy to split with straight grain. Produces a pleasant vanilla-butterscotch aroma from the bark. Lower BTU than Douglas fir. Good kindling and shoulder-season wood. Clean your chimney frequently.

Pros

  • +Easy to split
  • +Seasons relatively quickly (6 months)

Cons

  • -Lower heat output
  • -poor coaling quality

Best Uses for Ponderosa Pine

Open Fireplace

Acceptable — use a screen

Wood Stove

Usable but lower heat

Campfire

Great — easy to light and splits easily

Smoking/Cooking

Not recommended — resinous flavor

Seasoning Ponderosa Pine

Ponderosa Pine 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

Eastern Hemlock

15,900,000 BTU/cord · poor coaling

White Spruce

15,900,000 BTU/cord · poor coaling

Lodgepole Pine

17,700,000 BTU/cord · poor coaling

Balsam Fir

14,300,000 BTU/cord · poor coaling

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Last updated: December 2024