Firewood by species / Softwood
Extension tables · checked 2026-10-20
Virginia pine firewood
A cord of virginia pine holds about 20.7 million Btu of heat, according to the University of Kentucky forestry table (at 20% moisture content). That ranks it #28 of 52 species on this site, 3% more than the 20 million Btu the U.S. Energy Information Administration uses for a generic cord of wood.
- 1Heat per cord 20.7 million Btu
- 2Rank of 52 #28
- 3Weight 2,400 lb/cord
- 4Splitting Good
How much heat is in a cord of virginia pine?
Only the University of Kentucky table lists virginia pine, so its 20.7 million Btu is the one figure used here. It sits 0.1 million Btu below the median species (20.75), and it is #6 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 1.48 cords of virginia pine. In the other direction, a cord of virginia pine replaces 1.5 cords of buckeye (horsechestnut), the lowest. In energy terms one cord equals the heat content of about 149 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 virginia pine 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 | Virginia pine | Generic cord (20 M Btu) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota (coldest) | 9,184 | 6.7 cords | 6.9 cords |
| Oregon (median) | 5,269 | 3.8 cords | 3.9 cords |
| Florida (mildest) | 646 | 0.5 cords | 0.5 cords |
Because virginia pine beats the generic cord, the stack is 3% smaller than the same winter on average wood. Your own house will differ; the calculator takes your state, floor area, house age and price.
Weight, splitting and how it burns
- Weight: Kentucky lists 2,400 lb per cord (18.8 lb per cubic foot of stacked cord, about 1,200 lb for a half-cord pickup load).
- Splitting: rated good by Kentucky.
- Water in the living tree: 32% moisture content (Kentucky), among the driest in the table, so it seasons sooner than most.
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 virginia pine 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 virginia pine, that is $17.15 per million Btu in the wood, or $23.18 per million Btu delivered by a 74% stove. It sits in the middle of the table, so a flat per-cord price is roughly fair for it. Only two states publish a dated cord price; see Maine and New Hampshire.
Similar species
- Douglas-fir: 20.7 million Btu per cord (#27)
- Birch: 20.8 million Btu per cord (#26)
- American elm: 20.5 million Btu per cord (#29)
- Black cherry: 20.5 million Btu per cord (#30)
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 "Virginia pine"). Last checked 2026-10-20. Price: Maine Governor's Energy Office, 2025-2026 Heating Season Weekly Fuel Prices (September 21, 2026). Method: methodology.