Guide to Picking the Best Wood for Your Firepit

Nothing kills a backyard fire pit evening faster than a cloud of thick, acrid smoke rolling into everyone’s faces. I’ve been burning wood on my Montana ranch for over twenty years, and I can tell you — the wood you choose matters more than the fire pit itself.

The best wood for a fire pit is a seasoned or kiln-dried hardwood like oak, hickory, or ash. These species burn hot, produce minimal smoke, and give you a long, consistent fire without constant babysitting. The worst fires I’ve ever had came from burning green wood or random scrap lumber I grabbed in a hurry.

Below I’ll walk you through the six best firewood options for a backyard fire pit, what to look for before you buy, and what you should never throw in the pit. Whether you’re buying a bundle at the hardware store or splitting your own, this guide will help you make a better choice.

Wood Type	Heat Output (BTU/cord)	Smoke Level	Burn Duration	Best For	Availability
Oak	~26–29 million	Low	Long	All-around use	Easy
Hickory	~27–30 million	Low	Long	Maximum heat, cold nights	Moderate
Cherry	~20–23 million	Low–Medium	Medium	Ambiance, aroma	Moderate
Birch	~20–23 million	Medium	Medium	Easy lighting, social fires	Easy
Cedar	~18–20 million	Low–Medium	Short–Medium	Aroma, mild evenings	Regional
Ash	~24–25 million	Low	Long	Clean burn, easy splitting	Easy

What to Look for in Fire Pit Wood

Before you spend money on firewood or start splitting your own, there are four things worth understanding. Get these right and every fire you build will be better.

Hardwood vs. Softwood

Hardwoods come from deciduous trees — oaks, maples, hickories, ashes. Softwoods come from conifers — pine, spruce, fir, cedar. The key difference is density.

Denser wood holds more energy per log. That means more heat, longer burn times, and less smoke. Hardwoods win on all three counts. Softwoods burn faster, can produce more smoke, and leave behind more creosote-forming residue — which matters less in an open fire pit than a chimney, but still affects your experience.

That said, not every softwood is off the table. Cedar is technically a softwood but burns cleanly enough for occasional fire pit use. Pine is the one I’d avoid — more on that below.

Seasoned vs. Kiln-Dried vs. Green Wood

This is the single biggest factor in how much smoke your fire produces. Green wood — freshly cut — can have moisture content above 50%. When you burn it, most of that energy goes toward boiling off water instead of producing heat. The result is a smoldering, smoky mess.

Seasoned wood has been air-dried for at least six months to a year, bringing moisture content down to around 20% or less. Kiln-dried wood goes further — it’s been dried in a commercial oven, often getting moisture below 15%. It lights faster, burns hotter, and produces almost no smoke.

If you’re buying wood for a fire pit, kiln-dried is the easiest choice. If you’re cutting and stacking your own, understanding which woods burn best and how long they need to dry will save you a lot of frustration.

Log Size and Split Thickness

A standard fireplace log is 16 to 18 inches long. For a backyard fire pit, shorter splits — 12 to 14 inches — are easier to manage and give you better airflow. Thinner splits catch faster and burn more evenly.

If you’re splitting your own wood, a good log splitter makes a big difference in consistency. I use a gas-powered splitter on the ranch, but for a suburban quarter cord, a quality electric model does the job. You can check out our recommendations for the best log splitters if you’re thinking about going that route.

For fire pit use specifically, I like splits in the 3–5 inch range in diameter. Thick rounds take too long to catch. Paper-thin kindling burns out too fast. Middle ground is where you want to be.

Wood to Avoid in a Fire Pit

A few things should never go in your fire pit:

• Treated or painted lumber — pressure-treated wood contains chemical preservatives that release toxic fumes when burned. This is non-negotiable. Never burn it.
• Green or freshly cut wood — too much moisture, too much smoke, too little heat. Let it dry or buy kiln-dried instead.
• Pine (in large quantities) — pine isn’t toxic, but it’s high in resin and creates significant creosote and smoke. A small pine log to help a fire catch is fine; burning it as your main fuel is not.
• Driftwood — wood that’s been soaked in saltwater absorbs chlorine compounds that produce toxic gases when burned.
• Poison ivy, poison oak, or oleander — burning these plants releases urushiol and other irritants into the smoke. Inhaling it can cause a serious respiratory reaction.
• Plywood or OSB — full of adhesives and resins. Not safe to burn, period.

Oak Firewood

Oak is my go-to recommendation for anyone who wants a reliable, low-drama fire pit burn. It’s the most widely available hardwood in the US, it’s dense enough to put out serious heat, and when properly seasoned or kiln-dried, it produces very little smoke.

Red oak and white oak both perform well. White oak tends to burn a little longer due to higher density. Red oak lights a bit easier. Either one will give you a fire that lasts three to four hours without needing constant attention.

The main drawback is that freshly cut oak needs a long seasoning time — up to two years for optimal burn quality. If you’re buying oak logs locally, make sure they’ve been properly dried. If you’re ordering online, go kiln-dried.

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Hickory Firewood

Hickory is the hardest-burning firewood you’ll commonly find in the US. It runs 27 to 30 million BTUs per cord depending on species — that’s about as hot as firewood gets. On a cold October night in Montana, hickory is what I reach for.

It burns slow and steady, holds coals exceptionally well, and produces very little smoke when dry. The density that makes it hot also makes it harder to split by hand, so kiln-dried splits are worth the premium for fire pit use.

One thing to know: hickory can be harder to find than oak depending on your region. It’s most common in the southeastern and central US. If you can get it, it’s worth every penny.

Cherry Firewood

Cherry won’t put out the raw BTUs of oak or hickory, but it brings something those species can’t — a genuinely pleasant, mild aroma when burning. If you’re sitting around a fire pit with friends and you want the whole experience to feel a little more special, cherry wood delivers that.

It burns at a medium pace with a nice steady flame. The smoke it produces has a subtle, slightly sweet quality. Not overpowering, just pleasant. I’ll mix cherry with oak on nights where the company matters as much as the heat.

Cherry is a good choice for spring and fall evenings when you don’t need maximum heat output but want a long, relaxed burn with good ambiance.

Birch Firewood

Birch is my pick when I need a fire to get going fast. It catches easier than oak or hickory and produces a bright, active flame. Heat output is solid — comparable to cherry — and it smells clean when it burns.

The catch with birch is moisture. Birch bark holds moisture against the log, which means it tends to retain more water than other species when air-dried. Kiln-dried birch is noticeably better than air-seasoned in terms of smoke and burn quality. If you’re buying birch, go kiln-dried.

Birch also burns faster than the denser hardwoods on this list. It’s not the best choice if you want a four-hour fire without reloading. But for a two-hour social fire, it’s excellent.

Cedar Firewood

Cedar is the one softwood on this list, and it earns its spot for one reason: the smell. Burning cedar releases a distinctive, pleasant aroma that a lot of people associate with camping and outdoor fires. If ambiance is what you’re after, cedar delivers it.

It also crackles and pops more than hardwoods, which adds to the experience — though that’s worth knowing if you’re sitting close to an open pit. Sparks can pop a bit more aggressively with cedar, so a spark screen is a good idea.

Heat output is lower than any hardwood on this list. Cedar is best used for mild-weather fires or mixed with a denser hardwood to extend the burn. On a warm June evening when you just want something pleasant to sit around, cedar is perfect.

Ash Firewood

Ash doesn’t get the same attention as oak or hickory, but it’s one of the best all-around firewoods you can burn. It splits clean and easy — easier than any other hardwood on this list — which makes it popular with anyone processing their own firewood. Heat output is strong, smoke is minimal, and it burns consistently without a lot of fuss.

One bonus: ash is one of the few species you can burn while still relatively green. The moisture content of freshly cut ash is lower than most hardwoods, so it seasons faster and tolerates imperfect drying better. That said, properly seasoned or kiln-dried ash still burns significantly better, so don’t skip the drying step if you can avoid it.

Ash is widely available across most of the US and tends to be reasonably priced. If you can only pick one firewood species to stock up on, ash is a strong argument for second place behind oak.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best wood to burn in a fire pit?

Oak is the best all-around choice for most people. It’s widely available, burns hot and long, and produces very little smoke when properly dried. If you want maximum heat, hickory edges it out. If you want something more aromatic and social, cherry or cedar are worth considering.

What wood produces the least smoke in a fire pit?

Ash and oak are two of the lowest-smoke hardwoods you can burn. The bigger factor than species, though, is moisture content. Any wood — including oak — will produce heavy smoke if it’s wet or green. Kiln-dried firewood of almost any hardwood species will burn cleaner than poorly seasoned wood of any kind.

Can I burn softwood in a fire pit?

Yes, with some caveats. Cedar is a softwood that burns reasonably well in a fire pit and smells great. Pine works in small amounts for starting fires, but it’s high in resin and produces more smoke and creosote than hardwoods. Softwoods are generally better used as fire starters or for quick, casual fires rather than as your main fuel.

What wood should you never burn in a fire pit?

Never burn pressure-treated lumber, painted wood, plywood, or OSB — all of these release toxic chemicals when burned. Avoid green or freshly cut wood for the smoke problem it creates. Don’t burn driftwood that’s been in saltwater, and absolutely never burn plants like poison ivy, poison oak, or oleander. The smoke from those can cause serious respiratory reactions.

How do I know if my firewood is dry enough to burn?

The fastest way is a moisture meter — a decent one costs about $20 and gives you a reading in seconds. You want moisture content at or below 20% for good burning. Without a meter, look for these signs: dry wood is lighter than you expect for its size, the ends show cracks or checks radiating from the center, it makes a hollow clunk when two pieces are knocked together, and the bark comes off easily. Green wood sounds dull and feels noticeably heavier.

How much firewood do I need for a backyard fire pit evening?

For a typical 3–4 hour fire pit session with a group of 4–6 people, plan on about a quarter face cord of wood — roughly 12 to 15 medium splits. If you’re burning a dense hardwood like oak or hickory, you can probably get away with less since they burn longer. If you’re using lighter wood like birch or cedar, have a little extra on hand. Better to have too much than to be breaking down cardboard boxes at 9pm to keep the fire going.

Is kiln-dried firewood worth buying vs. splitting my own?

Depends on your situation. If you have a few cords’ worth of trees on your property and a decent splitter, splitting and seasoning your own is significantly cheaper over time. But if you’re buying firewood occasionally for weekend fires, kiln-dried is worth the premium — it lights faster, burns cleaner, and you don’t have to store it for a year before it’s ready. For most suburban homeowners running a backyard fire pit a few times a month, I’d just buy kiln-dried.

Can I cook over a fire pit, and does wood type matter?

Yes, and yes. You can absolutely cook over a fire pit — grilling over a wood fire produces outstanding results. For cooking, you want hardwoods that burn down to consistent, hot coals without a lot of smoke flavor. Oak, hickory, cherry, and apple are all solid choices. Hickory and cherry add a mild smokiness to food that most people enjoy. Avoid resinous softwoods like pine for cooking — they’ll give food an off flavor. Cedar planks are used for smoking fish, but you don’t want to cook directly over a cedar fire.

The Bottom Line

If I had to stock one type of wood for a backyard fire pit and nothing else, it’d be kiln-dried oak. It’s the most forgiving, most available, and most consistent performer on this list. Hickory is the upgrade pick for cold nights. Cherry is what I grab when the goal is ambiance over heat. Ash is underrated and earns more respect than it gets.

Whatever species you choose, the most important rule is simple: burn dry wood. A mediocre species that’s properly dried will always outperform a premium species that’s still green. Get the moisture out and the fire takes care of itself.

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