When comparing hardwood vs softwood it's important to understand that all firewood is not the same. Specific burning characteristics like heat generation, coaling qualities and lighting ability should all play a role in deciding which type of firewood will work best for you. For starters, what will be the primary use for your firewood? Do you plan on having an occasional campfire or will you be using the wood as your primary heat source? Since hardwood burns longer they work better for overnight heating and will usually have coals left over in the morning so you can quickly restart your fire. To help you decide which type to burn let's compare the two a little closer.

 

 

 

When comparing hardwoods vs softwoods it's the density of the wood that makes all the difference. Pound for pound hardwoods and softwoods will create about the same amount of heat. However, due to the difference in density, you may need twice the volume of softwood to compare the same weight as hardwood.  More volume means more cutting, splitting and stacking. This is why many people choose to burn hardwood over softwood.