Hickory Firewood

Hickory is one of the hottest common hardwoods, prized by people who heat full time through cold winters. Shagbark, shellbark, pignut and bitternut hickories all make dense, heavy firewood with excellent coals, and hickory is also a favorite for cooking and smoking meat.

Hickory firewood at a glance

Heat per cord: 27.7 million BTU
Weight per cord: 4,300 lb (air-dried)
Ease of splitting: ●●○○○ 2 of 5
Seasoning time: 12 to 18 months
Smoke: Low
Sparks: Few
Coals: Excellent
Scent: Sweet, smoky
Type: Hardwood
Common in (US): Midwest, South, Appalachia, Northeast

Also called: Shagbark hickory, Pignut hickory, Bitternut hickoryHeat and weight are typical published figures for air-dried wood at about 20% moisture. Real loads vary with moisture, growing conditions and how the cord is stacked. Compare all species.

Splitting hickory

Hickory is tough to split. The grain is strong and somewhat interlocked, and big rounds can defeat a maul. A hydraulic splitter in the 25 ton class and up makes life much easier, and splitting soon after cutting helps.

Seasoning hickory

Hickory dries at a moderate pace for such a dense wood, usually around a year when split and stacked well. Its bark loosens as it dries, which can harbor insects in the stack, so keep piles off the ground and away from the house.

Burning hickory

Seasoned hickory burns very hot and long with little smoke and few sparks, and the coals last well into the morning. In a small stove, mix it with lighter wood so you do not overfire.

Gear for hickory

Because hickory is so dense, a cord is heavy: plan on a log cart or tongs for moving rounds, and a gas splitter rather than a small electric.

Splitters and splitting tools

Chainsaws

Stoves, storage and moisture

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is hickory good firewood?

Yes, it is among the best. It has very high heat per cord, burns cleanly when dry and leaves excellent coals.

Why is hickory hard to split?

Its fibers are long and strong and the grain tends to interlock. Split it soon after cutting and use a hydraulic splitter for big rounds.

Can I burn hickory in a fireplace?

Yes. It throws few sparks and smells pleasant, but it burns hot, so keep fires a sensible size and use a screen.

Compare with similar woods

Black locust (27.9 million BTU per cord), Hophornbeam (27.3 million BTU per cord). Or see all 23 species side by side.