What’s The Best Firewood For A Fireplace – Top 9 Varieties

Quick answer

For most fireplaces, the best firewood is well-seasoned hardwood (typically oak, maple, beech, hickory, ash, etc.). The “best” choice depends on what you want most:

• Long burn + strong coals: dense hardwoods (oak, hickory, locust).
• Easy to light: lighter woods and small splits, plus good kindling.
• Less smoke: the biggest factor is dry, seasoned wood, not the species.

Rule of thumb: if it hisses, smolders, or makes lots of smoke, it is usually too wet.

Hardwoods (usually best for steady heat)

White oak / red oak

Dense, great heat output, and good coals. Oak generally needs more time to season than many other species, so plan ahead.

Black locust

Very dense and long burning. When properly seasoned, it can be an excellent fireplace wood.

Hackberry (mixed)

Can burn fine when seasoned, but performance varies. If you have it available and it is dry, it can be usable.

Softwoods (better for kindling or quick fires)

Pine

Pine lights easily and can be great for kindling. For a fireplace, the key is to burn dry pine and avoid smoldering (smoldering smoke contributes to creosote). Many people prefer hardwood as the main fuel for longer burns.

Cedar

Cedar lights easily and smells good, but as a softwood it generally burns faster than dense hardwoods. It is often better as kindling or for quick, small fires rather than long heat.

FAQs

Bottom line

If you want the best overall results, burn well-seasoned hardwood and use softwoods like pine/cedar primarily as kindling or for quick fires. Dry wood and good airflow matter more than the exact species.