Beech Firewood

American beech is a dense, heavy hardwood that makes excellent firewood, close to oak and sugar maple for heat. Beech bark disease has killed many trees in the Northeast, so beech is often available as firewood there.

Splitting beech

Beech has a fine, fairly straight grain but can be tough when green. It often splits more easily once it has started to dry and check at the ends.

Seasoning beech

Beech starts out wet and needs about a year after splitting to dry properly. Split it promptly: unsplit beech can start to rot before it dries.

Burning beech

Dry beech burns steadily with a good flame and long coals and produces little smoke.

Gear for beech

Get beech split and under cover quickly after cutting; its thin bark does little to protect rounds left lying on the ground.

Splitters and splitting tools

• Best Log Splitter for Home Use: 4 Splitters for a Cord or Two
• Best Gas Log Splitter Under $2,000: 5 Splitters from 20 to 36 Tons

Chainsaws

• Best Chainsaw for Firewood: 5 Gas Saws for Cutting Cords
• Best Chainsaw Under $300: 5 Gas Saws for Firewood and Cleanup

Stoves, storage and moisture

• Best Wood Stove for Heating a House: 5 Freestanding Stoves Compared
• Best Firewood Moisture Meter: 5 Pin Meters for Seasoned Wood
• Best Firewood Rack with Cover: 5 Outdoor Racks Compared

Size the splitter for your beech with the log splitter tonnage calculator, and see how many cords a winter takes with the firewood cord calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is beech good firewood?

Yes. It has heat similar to sugar maple and burns cleanly with long coals once seasoned.

How long does beech take to season?

About a year after splitting and stacking.

Why does my beech firewood rot?

Rounds left whole on the ground hold moisture under the bark. Split it soon after cutting and stack it off the ground.

Compare with similar woods

Oak (red and white) (24.9 million BTU per cord), Ash (23.6 million BTU per cord). Or see all 23 species side by side.