Pine Firewood
Pine covers several softwoods, from eastern white pine to ponderosa and lodgepole in the West. It is light, quick to dry and quick to burn. It is not the best main-season heating wood, but it is useful, especially for kindling and spring and fall fires.
- Heat per cord
- 15.8 (white) to 17.1 (lodgepole) million BTU
- Weight per cord
- 2,200 lb (air-dried)
- Ease of splitting
- ●●●●○ 4 of 5
- Seasoning time
- 6 to 9 months
- Smoke
- Heavy
- Sparks
- Moderate
- Coals
- Poor
- Scent
- Resinous, piney
- Type
- Softwood
- Common in (US)
- Northeast, South, West, Great Lakes
Splitting pine
Pine usually splits easily, though resin can gum up a maul or splitter wedge.
Seasoning pine
Pine dries quickly, often in 6 to 9 months, but sappy pieces can stay sticky.
Burning pine
Dry pine lights easily and burns hot and fast with more smoke and popping than hardwood. Load more often for the same heat.
Gear for pine
Keep a stack of dry pine for kindling and quick warm-ups, and burn it hot. A moisture meter matters more than species for keeping the chimney clean.
Splitters and splitting tools
- Best Electric Log Splitter Under $500: 5 Splitters for Home Firewood
- Best Splitting Maul: 5 Mauls for Splitting Firewood by Hand
- Best Log Splitter for Home Use: 4 Splitters for a Cord or Two
Chainsaws
- Best Battery Chainsaw for Homeowners: 5 Cordless Saws Compared
- Best Chainsaw for Firewood: 5 Gas Saws for Cutting Cords
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 pine with the log splitter tonnage calculator, and see how many cords a winter takes with the firewood cord calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to burn pine?
Yes, if it is dry. Creosote comes mainly from wet wood and smoldering, low-temperature fires, not from pine itself.
Is pine good kindling?
Yes. It lights easily and burns hot, and resinous pieces make excellent fire starters.
How long does pine take to season?
Usually 6 to 9 months after splitting.
Compare with similar woods
Eastern red cedar (18.2 million BTU per cord), Spruce (15.9 million BTU per cord). Or see all 23 species side by side.