How much firewood do I need for winter?
Rough amounts for occasional fires, supplemental heat and heating a whole house, plus what changes the number.
It depends mostly on how much of your heat comes from wood. These are rough starting points for a heating season in a cold winter state. Adjust down for mild climates and up for big, drafty houses.
| How you burn | Rough amount per winter |
|---|---|
| A few fireplace fires a month | 1 face cord to a half cord |
| Evening fires most days | A half cord to 1 full cord |
| A wood stove for supplemental heat | 1 to 3 full cords |
| A wood stove as the main heat source | 3 to 6 full cords |
People heating with wood in the r/firewood threads we read reported burning 2 to 4 cords a winter. One New Hampshire poster heats a 3,600-square-foot house on wood alone.
What changes the number
- Climate. A house in Vermont needs close to twice the heat over a winter that the same house needs in Virginia.
- Your stove. An open fireplace sends most of its heat up the chimney. A modern EPA certified stove burns far less wood for the same warmth.
- The wood. Dense hardwoods like oak, hickory and locust hold more heat per cord than pine or poplar.
- Dryness. Wet wood wastes heat boiling off water. A cord at 30% moisture gives noticeably less heat than a cord at 20%.
Buy early
Suppliers sell out in cold snaps, and wood bought in spring or summer has time to finish drying. If you're heating with wood, order your first cords before fall.