Firewood by species / Softwood
Extension tables · checked 2026-10-20
Hemlock firewood
A cord of hemlock holds about 17.3 million Btu of heat, according to the University of Kentucky forestry table (at 20% moisture content). That ranks it #41 of 52 species on this site, 13% less than the 20 million Btu the U.S. Energy Information Administration uses for a generic cord of wood.
- 1Heat per cord 17.3 million Btu
- 2Rank of 52 #41
- 3Dry weight 2,700 lb/cord
- 4Splitting Easy
How much heat is in a cord of hemlock?
The two extension tables used here disagree by 2 million Btu: Kentucky lists 17.3 and Utah State lists 19.3 (as "Hemlock"). The figures are close, so either one gives nearly the same answer in the calculator. Cord Calc uses Kentucky's figure because its table states the moisture basis (20%). It sits 3.4 million Btu below the median species (20.75), and it is #9 of the 14 softwoods listed, whose average is 18.9 million Btu.
One cord of gambel oak, the highest in the table, holds as much heat as 1.77 cords of hemlock. In the other direction, a cord of hemlock replaces 1.25 cords of buckeye (horsechestnut), the lowest. In energy terms one cord equals the heat content of about 125 gallons of heating oil, using EIA's 138,500 Btu per gallon; the stove and the oil burner each lose some of that before it reaches the room.
Cords of hemlock for a winter
For the example house used across this site (2,000 sq ft, built in the 1970s, wood as the only heat, a 74% efficient stove), a normal winter takes:
| State | Degree days | Hemlock | Generic cord (20 M Btu) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota (coldest) | 9,184 | 8.0 cords | 6.9 cords |
| Oregon (median) | 5,269 | 4.6 cords | 3.9 cords |
| Florida (mildest) | 646 | 0.6 cords | 0.5 cords |
Because hemlock falls short of the generic cord, the stack is 16% larger than the same winter on average wood: more splitting, carrying and stacking for the same heat. Your own house will differ; the calculator takes your state, floor area, house age and price.
Weight, splitting and how it burns
- Weight: Utah State lists 2,700 lb air-dried. That is 21.1 lb per cubic foot of stacked cord, and roughly 1,350 lb for the half cord a full-size pickup bed holds.
- Kentucky's table puts a cord at 2,000 lb, 700 lb lighter than Utah State's dry figure.
- Splitting: easy (Utah State); Kentucky rates its splitting excellent.
- Burning: many sparks, poor coals, good fragrance. A species that throws many sparks is best kept to a closed stove rather than an open fireplace.
- Water in the living tree: 97% moisture content (Kentucky), on the wet side, so allow the full drying time.
Whatever the species, the heat figures assume dry wood. Seasoned firewood is below 20% moisture; fresh-cut wood is 35 to 50% water by weight (CMHC), and burning it wastes heat boiling that water off. The seasoning guide and the moisture meter guide explain how to get there and check it.
What a cord of hemlock is worth
Maine's Governor's Energy Office surveyed dealers at $355 a cord on September 21, 2026 (seasoned wood, minimum 2-cord purchase, local delivery included). Paid for as hemlock, that is $20.52 per million Btu in the wood, or $27.73 per million Btu delivered by a 74% stove. At a flat per-cord price, a light species like this costs noticeably more per unit of heat; it is worth paying less for it, or using it for kindling and shoulder-season fires. Only two states publish a dated cord price; see Maine and New Hampshire.
Similar species
- Yellow-poplar: 17.3 million Btu per cord (#42)
- Alder: 17.5 million Btu per cord (#40)
- Chestnut: 18 million Btu per cord (#39)
- Quaking aspen: 18.2 million Btu per cord (#37)
Compare every species on the firewood BTU chart, or see what a cord, face cord and rick hold before you buy.
Sources: University of Kentucky Forestry, Comparison of Properties Affecting Firewood (row "Hemlock"); Utah State University Extension Forestry, Wood Heating (Kuhns and Schmidt), Table 1 Firewood Facts (row "Hemlock"). Last checked 2026-10-20. Price: Maine Governor's Energy Office, 2025-2026 Heating Season Weekly Fuel Prices (September 21, 2026). Method: methodology.