Western Red Cedar Firewood — BTU Rating, Burn Quality & Tips

Thuja plicata

BTU per Cord

13,000,000

Density

1,868 lbs/cord

Category

softwood

Split Difficulty

easy

Spark Rating

high

Smoke Rating

medium

Coaling Quality

poor

Seasoning Time

6 months

Availability

regional

Very light softwood with low heat output. Burns fast with significant sparking. Best used only as kindling or fire-starter. The aromatic oils produce a pleasant cedar scent. Common in the Pacific Northwest. Not suitable as a primary heating fuel.

Pros

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

Cons

  • -Lower heat output
  • -poor coaling quality
  • -High sparking — use with a screen or in a stove

Best Uses for Western Red Cedar

Open Fireplace

Not recommended — high sparking

Wood Stove

Usable but lower heat

Campfire

Great — easy to light and splits easily

Smoking/Cooking

Not recommended — resinous flavor

Seasoning Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar 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

Balsam Fir

14,300,000 BTU/cord · poor coaling

Eastern White Pine

14,300,000 BTU/cord · poor coaling

Eastern Hemlock

15,900,000 BTU/cord · poor coaling

White Spruce

15,900,000 BTU/cord · poor coaling

Calculate BTU →All Species →

Last updated: December 2024