Is Cherry a Good Firewood? Oh, yeah…

  • Cherry is a moderately good heat producer, but it’s beloved because it’s easy to split and dries quicker (seasons in 6-12 months) than your typical hardwood
  • So if you cut it in early spring and have it ready for your winter fuel needs
  • Cherry firewood produces 20 million BUTs per cord
  • It produces a pleasant aroma- so people love it in their firepits, stoves or fireplaces
  • Make sure you use a fireplace spark screen because it can spark a lot indoors
  • If you like smoking fish or meat, you can load up your smoker with this versatile wood to produce mildly sweet flavors

You may be finding yourself what to do with a cherry tree that had just taken a tumble to its death in your backyard. Should you pay a pretty buck to have someone come and remove it? Or do you grab a chainsaw, cut it into blocks, and store it away for next year’s winter? Here, we give you all the answers.

Is Cherry a Good Firewood?

Let’s cut right to the chase, is cherry good firewood? According to greenspherelawn.com, “cherry wood is one of the most popular woods to burn in fireplaces due to its pleasant, non-smoky aroma.”

Splitting the wood is hassle-free, and the wood burns only at medium heat- not too extreme of heat in order to burn.

Cherry firewood is a beautiful, pinkish-red color. It’s also one of the best-smelling woods, making it a favorite for people who love to roast marshmallows or smoke meats over an open fire.

Cherry wood burns hot and fast, so it’s not the best choice if you’re looking for a long-lasting fire. But if you want a quick and cheerful blaze, cherry is a great option.

Cherry is also one of the easiest woods to split, so it’s perfect for those who don’t have a lot of experience using a wood-splitting axe. And because it dries quickly, cherry is a good choice for anyone who needs to season their firewood in a hurry.

When burned, cherry wood produces 20 million British Thermal Units (BTUs) per cord. That’s about the same as oak or beech.

Cherry wood also gives off a pleasant aroma, so it’s often used in fire pits, stoves, and fireplaces. Just be sure to use a fireplace spark screen, as cherry wood can spark a lot indoors.

If you like smoking fish or meat, cherry wood is a great choice. It will give your food a mildly sweet flavor that’s perfect for summertime barbecues.

So, if you have a cherry tree that’s fallen in your yard, don’t hesitate to cut it up and use it for firewood. It’s a versatile and beautiful wood that will make your fires all the more enjoyable.

Cherry Wood BTUs

The BTUs (British Thermal Units) of cherry wood are 3,120 pounds/cord, and 20 million BTUs per cord, according to wood-heating-solutions.com.

Where Can You Find It?

Let’s say you haven’t found a fallen tree in your yard, say you’re looking for the wood instead. Where do you find it? You can often find it at hardware stores like Lowe’s and local lumber companies.

With a quick Google search, you may find a plethora of local lumber companies that sell cherry wood already chopped and ready to use. Woodworkers Source is a good resource to use when finding small business lumber companies.

Properties of the Cherry Tree

The cherry tree is made of strong and durable wood, and its heart is resistant to decay. Overall, cherry trees last a very long time thanks to such durability. They can also withstand strong storms (only losing a branch or two), unlike most trees, so cherry trees are safer than most trees to have near buildings and other structures.

Cherry trees are very aesthetic compliments to yards. These trees are a pleasing-to-the-eye reddish, gold color. Though when cut, cherry wood turns a paler color.

Going back to the heart of the tree, both the heart itself and the sapwood can be easily identified. The heart is yellowish to a light reddish-brown, and the sapwood is yellowish to reddish and narrow.

Cherry Wood Quality

As stated before, cherry wood is not a smoky wood when burned.

It’s flexible, easy to handle, and burns just at medium-high heat. This wood is perfect for indoor woodstoves because of the medium amount of heat it takes to burn and the less smoky effect. However, cherry wood is also perfect for campfires also because of the lack of smoke.

Be sure to bring some with you on your next camping trip or marshmallow roast in the backyard. No one likes large amounts of smoke blown into their faces while trying to enjoy a nice campfire.

How Easy Is It to Chop Up?

Wood For Warmth says that cherry logs are fairly easy to split, which can make this wood a good choice for those who need to cut pieces smaller for use in various burners.

Summing Up

So now you know the details about cherry wood and if it’s safe or not to burn on your next campfire, or for next year’s winter. Stocking up on cherry wood is ideal for keeping your home cozy but not too warm. If you plan on buying some and supporting local lumber companies, it’s a great and handy investment to make, and it’s supporting small businesses.

Eugene Duke Pic

Hi, my name’s Eugene Duke and I love sitting by my fireplace reading a book and sipping on an adult beverage. Do you have a fireplace in your house? I’ll help you figure out the best type and style of fireplace for your home.

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