Can You Burn Cedar in an Indoor Fireplace?

Red-colored wood is characteristic of cedar trees. Cedar trees are members of the pine family and grow to 100 feet in height. Western red cedar and eastern red cedar are two species of cedar trees. Wood from cedar trees is used as firewood and can be burned in an indoor fireplace.

Heat

• Cedar is a softwood tree. The wood burns quickly but produces less heat per cord (4-foot by 4-foot by 8-foot stack) than hardwood trees, such as maple. One cord of cedar is equivalent to 135 gallons of heating oil or about 5559-kilowatt hours of electric heat. A cord produces approximately 18.9 million BTU (British Thermal Units) of heat.

Burning Characteristics

• Cedar is easy to split and burn. However, it produces some smoke and will throw sparks as it burns. It is an excellent wood for kindling and releases a pleasant fragrance while burning; however, it produces poor coals.

Weight

• A cord of freshly-cut red cedar weighs approximately 3,260 pounds, while a cord of air-dried red cedar---featuring a twenty percent moisture content---weighs 2,700 pounds.