Cedar is fair firewood, but it is better for kindling and short fires than long-lasting heat. It lights easily, burns with a lively flame, and usually has a pleasant aroma. Its main disadvantages are frequent sparks, a relatively fast burn, and a weak bed of coals.
Properly seasoned cedar can be burned in a wood stove, fireplace, or outdoor fire. It works especially well for starting a cold stove or mixing with dense hardwoods. If you need an overnight fire or want the most heat from limited storage space, cedar is not the best choice.
Cedar Firewood at a Glance
| Heat output | About 13 million BTUs per cord for eastern redcedar and 18.2 million for western redcedar |
| Overall quality | Fair |
| Ease of splitting | Easy to medium |
| Smoke | Low to moderate when properly seasoned |
| Sparks | Many |
| Coals | Poor |
| Fragrance | Pleasant and aromatic |
| Seasoning time | Usually 6 to 12 months after splitting |
| Target moisture | Below 20 percent |
| Best uses | Kindling, short fires, and mixed stove loads |
| Main drawback | Burns quickly and does not hold a strong coal bed |
Which Type of Cedar Are You Burning?
“Cedar” covers several conifers with different heat values. True cedars belong to Cedrus, but most North American cedars belong to the cypress family.
Western redcedar is Thuja plicata, northern white-cedar is Thuja occidentalis, and eastern red cedar is actually a juniper, Juniperus virginiana.
“Red cedar” may therefore mean western redcedar in the Pacific Northwest or the lighter eastern red cedar found across the eastern and central United States.
How Much Heat Does Cedar Produce?
Cedar produces low to moderate heat per cord. Published firewood data lists western redcedar at 18.2 million BTUs per dry cord and eastern redcedar at 13 million. Figures vary with density, moisture, and stacking.
Western redcedar provides similar heat to poplar firewood and some lower-density hardwoods. It falls below cherry at about 20.4 million BTUs, red oak at about 24.6 million, and black locust at about 27.9 million.
A cedar cord takes roughly the same storage space as oak but contains less energy. You will need more wood and more frequent stove loads over a heating season.
How Cedar Firewood Burns
Dry cedar catches quickly and produces a strong flame without requiring much encouragement. This makes it useful when lighting a cold stove, reviving a fading fire, or warming a room for a short period.
It also burns through a load faster than dense hardwood. Cedar does not form the deep, durable coal bed produced by oak, elm, or black locust. A stove filled only with cedar may provide good immediate heat but little warmth by morning.
Cedar also tends to pop and throw sparks. This is manageable inside a closed wood stove, but it matters in an open fireplace or fire pit. Use a properly fitted fireplace screen, keep combustible materials clear, and never leave an open fire unattended.
Can You Burn Cedar Indoors?
Yes, clean and seasoned cedar can be burned indoors in a suitable, maintained appliance. Its aromatic oils do not automatically make it unsafe or coat a chimney with creosote.
Creosote forms when combustion products condense inside a cooler flue. Wet wood, restricted airflow, low temperatures, and overloading increase the risk. Wood-burning safety guidance emphasizes these conditions rather than prohibiting resinous softwoods.
Maintain a hot, clean fire and do not close the air control excessively to extend the burn. Follow the appliance instructions and clean the chimney regularly.
Do not burn cedar that is pressure-treated, painted, stained, glued, or coated. This includes many fencing, decking, siding, and furniture scraps.
The Best Ways to Use Cedar Firewood
Cedar is particularly useful in these situations:
- Kindling: Thin, dry splits light quickly and help larger logs catch.
- Shoulder-season fires: Its short burn suits cool spring or fall evenings.
- Daytime heating: It works well when someone can reload the stove.
- Mixed loads: Start with cedar, then add oak, ash, or black locust for longer heat.
- Outdoor fires: Its lively flame and aroma suit campfires and fire pits.
Cedar should normally cost less than premium hardwood. Paying the same price for a lower-BTU cord gives you less heating value.
Is Cedar Easy to Split?
Most cedar is easy to process. Straight-grained pieces often separate cleanly into thin kindling. Western redcedar is moderately easy to split, while eastern redcedar is generally easier.
Knots, branch unions, and twisted grain can resist a maul. Split cedar promptly for even drying, saving the straightest sections for kindling.
How Long Does Cedar Take to Season?
Allow most split cedar 6 to 12 months to season. Small pieces in a dry, windy location may be ready sooner, while large splits can require longer.
Cut it to length, split it, and stack it off the ground. Cover the top but leave the sides open. Test the center of a fresh split with a moisture meter; it should read below 20 percent.
Wet cedar may hiss, smoke, struggle to stay hot, and leave more deposits in the flue. A strong cedar scent does not indicate that the wood is dry.
How to Identify Cedar
Western red cedar has flat sprays of scale-like leaves and fibrous bark that peels in vertical strips. Its lightweight, reddish heartwood has a strong aroma.
Eastern red cedar has scale-like mature foliage, sharp young leaves, and small bluish cones on female trees. Its reddish or purplish heartwood is aromatic.
Use several features when identifying a tree or woodpile. Color and smell are helpful, but leaves, cones, bark, grain, and location provide a more reliable identification.
Is Cedar Worth Burning?
Yes, cedar is worth burning when it is available and properly seasoned. It is especially valuable as kindling and for quick fires. Its pleasant aroma is another advantage, although fragrance varies by species.
Cedar is less appealing as your only winter fuel because it burns quickly, throws many sparks, and produces poor long-term coals. Use it below 20 percent moisture, contain sparks around open fires, and mix it with denser wood when you need a longer burn. Used for the right purpose, cedar is practical firewood rather than waste wood.
