Cherry Firewood

Black cherry is a relatively low BTU hardwood that burns with medium heat. Black cherry firewood burns well but not as long or hot as the more dense hardwoods like oak. Despite this, it is usually well liked and makes good firewood. It dries quickly and splits easily.

A lot of people like burning cherry wood because it produces a nice fragrance as it burns. It is also great as wood for smoking foods.

Cherry will rot and grow fungus easily so it’s best keep it dry if you are going to store it for a long time. If you have cherry trees or logs that you are considering cutting into firewood, you might want to check and see if they would be more valuable for saw or veneer logs. Cherry can be valuable as lumber so someone might be willing to pay you good money for them.

BTU of cherry firewood

Post your experience with cherry firewood below.

6 thoughts on “Cherry Firewood”

  1. How long does it take cherry firewood to dry? I cut some early last summer and stacked it in my shed. I have been burning my oak all winter that was older and now I am getting to the cherry and when I am splitting it open it is still wet inside. It had almost 8 months to dry. Does it need a full year to dry?

  2. I have found that cherry firewood will not dry until it is split. Since you say you are just now splitting it I am guessing you were trying to dry it in rounds. That is probably why it is still wet. Split it all up and it will start drying and make some good wood to burn in a few months.

  3. Cherry can be burned right off the stump. I burn it a lot and like to let it sit for 6 mos before burning

  4. Come on guys, save the cherry for smoking the barbeque.
    Don’t waste it on heat. I make furniture and cabinets from cherry and use the drop off for barbeque. Awesome flavor in ribs and brisket.

  5. I have a lot of black cherry on some land I own. It dries very quick after its split. Burns hot, but not too long. I cut a bunch of longer logs of it for my brother, who had it sawed into boards for trim in his house. Nice stuff.

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