Red Maple Firewood — BTU Rating, Burn Quality & Tips

Acer rubrum

BTU per Cord

18,600,000

Density

2,900 lbs/cord

Category

hardwood

Split Difficulty

easy

Spark Rating

low

Smoke Rating

low

Coaling Quality

fair

Seasoning Time

12 months

Availability

common

Decent firewood that is easy to split and burns relatively clean. Lower heat output than sugar maple. One of the most common trees in eastern North America, so widely available. Good for shoulder-season burning or mixing with denser hardwoods.

Pros

  • +Easy to split
  • +Low spark risk — safe for open fireplaces
  • +Low smoke production
  • +Widely available

Cons

  • -fair coaling quality

Best Uses for Red Maple

Open Fireplace

Excellent — low spark risk

Wood Stove

Usable but lower heat

Campfire

Good — mix with softwood kindling for easy starts

Smoking/Cooking

Can be used but not a traditional smoking wood

Seasoning Red Maple

Red Maple requires approximately 12 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

Sassafras

18,900,000 BTU/cord · fair coaling

Boxelder

17,900,000 BTU/cord · fair coaling

Sycamore

19,500,000 BTU/cord · fair coaling

Alder

17,500,000 BTU/cord · fair coaling

Calculate BTU →All Species →

Last updated: December 2024