Firewood Cost Per Heat Calculator

About this calculator

Not all firewood delivers the same heat per dollar. Wood species differ widely in energy density — a full cord (128 cubic feet stacked) of dense hardwood like hickory or oak yields roughly 24–29 million BTU, while a cord of a lighter softwood like pine yields closer to 15–17 million BTU — so comparing raw cord prices alone can be misleading. This calculator divides the cord price by its species' BTU content and then by your stove's efficiency rating (a modern EPA-certified stove might run 65–75% efficient, versus 40–50% for an open fireplace) to find the true delivered cost per million BTU.

The efficiency factor matters as much as the wood itself: burning cheap, low-density wood in an inefficient fireplace can end up costing more per usable BTU than premium hardwood burned in a high-efficiency stove. Homeowners heating with wood, firewood sellers, and off-grid cabin owners use this comparison to decide which species and equipment combination actually delivers the cheapest heat over a winter.