Is Cherry Wood Good to Burn? A Complete Guide to Cherry Firewood

Wood from the cherry tree can be used to make high-quality furniture, floors, musical instruments, and even boat interiors. But did you know that it can also be used as firewood to heat your home or cook your family’s meals?

As wild cherry trees are native to the UK, you may already have some degree of access to them and may be wondering whether they can make decent firewood for the winter. The answer is yes, but there are some caveats, which we will discuss later on.

If you don’t have the ability to harvest and dry your own cherry wood, we recommend buying higher-quality oak and birch logs instead. But if you do, continue reading this article, and we will tell you exactly how good cherry wood is.

See Also:

• Wood Briquette Tech 101: The 3 Generations of Wood Briquettes
• London Firewood Logs: Where to Buy Firewood in London?
• Top 4 UK Firewood Suppliers Compared

Cherry Firewood at a Glance

Cherries being handpicked in Kent, which is where most UK-grown cherries are produced.

What is Cherry Wood Firewood?

Cherrywood is the word used to describe any wood that comes from one of the trees producing cherries. It is a hardwood tree species, which means that, if dried well enough, it can make for firewood that burns for a long time and at a high temperature.

As cherries come from a wide variety of trees, they can also come in a wide variety of colours, such as white, brown, red, or yellow. Darker cherry wood is considered more luxurious and is usually used for premium furniture, whereas cheaper cherrywood can be used for firewood.

Is Cherry a Hardwood?

Yes, cherry is classified as a hardwood tree species. If you're unfamiliar with the term, it describes wood from broad-leaved flowering trees, which are typically better suited for use as firewood than softwoods, which come from fast-growing evergreen trees. From a biological point of view, cherry trees belong to the Prunus genus, which also includes plums, peaches, and (a surprise to many) almonds.

Cherry wood is generally considered a medium-density hardwood, being firm, stable, and having a fine, even grain, which makes it good for making furniture. Black cherry wood also has a naturally mild aromatic scent.

This being said, because cherry is less dense than other woods, it provides less heat for the same volume of logs. If heat density is what you're after, we recommend you look at the perennial favourites:

• Kiln-Dried Birch Logs
• Kiln-Dried Ash Logs
• Kiln-Dried Oak Logs

Nevertheless, cherry burns more steadily and generally produces better embers than many lower-density hardwoods and softwoods, which makes it a decent option if you can source it at a low price.

What is Cherry Wood Used For?

Cherry wood is a quality wood that can be used for many things, from making furniture, flooring, doors, and as high-quality firewood.

How Cherry Vs Other Firewood Trees

Cherry is a good type of wood for burning in a log burner or an open fire, although it doesn’t produce as much heat as oak or beech. On the other hand, due to its reduced sap content, cherry logs burn longer than most other wood fuels.

If you can get them for free and season them yourself, they can make for a decent economy option. If you have to buy them, we recommend taking a look at high-quality kiln-dried oak or birch logs instead.

Cherry Firewood BTU Heat Output

On average, cherry firewood outputs around 20 million BTUs of heat per cord.

Does Cherry Firewood Smoke When Burned?

When compared to other hardwoods, cherry wood produces an above-average amount of smoke. This means it is not perfect for people preferring clean-burning fuels, who are better served by birch or oak firewood.

Does Cherry Wood Smell When Burned?

 Cherry smoke produces a distinct aroma, which some people like and others don’t. If you think of burning cherry firewood in the winter, it is best to get a test sample first to see how members of your family respond to the smell.

Does Cherry Wood Spark When Burned?

Yes, cherry firewood sparks when it is burned. If you need a wood fuel that does not spark, it is best to use a wood briquette fuel like Pini Kay Eco Logs.

How Long to Season Cherry Wood

Due to its high sap content, cherry tends to be very slow to season. So how long does cherry wood take to dry cherry wood? On average, you should expect to wait at least 12 to 18 months before it can be safely used. In an industrial kiln-drier, this process can be sped up to take no longer than 7 days.

How Well Does Cherry Wood Burn?

Cherry makes better firewood than most softwood trees, such as spruce or pine, but worse than most other hardwood trees, such as birch or oak.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Cherry Firewood

Main Advantages of Cherry Wood

• Cherry is a real hardwood tree species, suitable for firewood production.
• The logs produce steady, aesthetically-pleasing flames.
• When properly dried, cherry logs produce relatively little smoke.
• It develops into good-quality coals when burned.
• Cherry's mild burning aroma is widely considered pleasant, and its chips are even used in BBQs.
• For those drying their own wood, it's far easier to split than very dense hardwoods.

Main Disadvantages of Cherry Wood

• Cherry produces less heat per volume than more dense oak or beech.
• It usually burns more quickly than premium heating hardwoods.
• Due to the previous two factors, it requires more storage space per unit of heat.
• When dried improperly, which may be hard to do in British climes, cherry wood produces excessive smoke and poor heat.
• Some pieces may pop, which can prove to be a fire hazard, especially when used in an open fireplace.
• Large, high-quality cherry logs may be worth more as timber than firewood.

Other Cherry Wood Uses

Touching on that last point, the main reason cherry isn't burned as often is that its wood is far more valuable for purposes other than burning. While it makes for an okay wood heating fuel, it can make for excellent timber. Depending on its species and quality, cherry tree wood may be used for creating:

• Various types of furniture, including premium cabinets
• Decorative veneers (thanks to its beautiful grain).
• Premium parquet flooring.
• Woodturning objects (e.g. tool handles, furniture legs, writing pens, bowls, plates, cups, vases, lidded boxes, and other ornaments).
• Musical instruments (e.g. in electric guitars, where it is used as an alternative to mahogany by brands such as Godin and Martin).
• Carving objects (e.g. figurines, plaques, furniture details, rustic architectural trim, guitar headstocks).

As we alluded to earlier, it can also be used in cooking, where its smoke is prized for its sweet flavour. In many cases, the wood will be turned into chips, then soaked in water and placed upon a BBQ fire to create as much smoke as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is cherry wood good to burn?

Yes, when properly dried, cherry wood can make for adequate firewood, although it cannot offer the same levels of performance as oak or ash. As firewood, it provides moderate heat, a pleasant aroma, attractive flames and good embers.

Is cherry good firewood for winter?

Cherry can be useful winter firewood, provided you can source it at a low price. Dense hardwoods such as oak generally burn longer and provide more heat per volume, so you need to make a calculation based on your purchase price.

How does cherry wood burn?

Cherry burns with steady, bright flames and produces good coals. It has moderate heat output and a medium burn duration. Still, it's no match for more conventional kiln-dried firewoods, such as oak, ash, and birch.

Is cherry wood good for burning in a fireplace?

Yes, provided the wood is untreated, properly seasoned, and permitted by local smoke-control rules (see our article about smoke control areas). Use a suitable fireguard because any natural log, regardless of species, can spark and split when burned.

Can you burn wild cherry wood in a fireplace?

Yes, you can. Properly seasoned or kiln-dried wild cherry can be burned in a suitable fireplace. As with all firewood, its internal moisture content should be 20% or less. Selling firewood with a higher moisture content is illegal in the UK (see our article about the Ready to Burn regulation).

Does cherry wood burn well in a stove?

Yes, it can burn quite well, provided they are properly dried and used in a suitable wood-burning stove, particularly when mixed with denser, longer-burning hardwood.

How long should cherry firewood season?

In Britain, it can take 12–18 months to season cherry wood. Drying conditions vary, so confirm readiness with a moisture meter rather than relying only on time. The gold standard is to split a log in half, measure the freshly cut inner part, taking three measurements. The average of all three should be under 20%. Learn more by reading our article about wood moisture meters. 

Does burning cherry wood smell like cherries?

No, it doesn't. It has a distinct aroma that is very pleasant on its own, but doesn't have a lot in common with cherry fruit. The aroma is generally described as mild, warm, and slightly sweet.

Does cherry wood produce a lot of smoke?

It depends. When properly dried, cherry generally produces relatively little smoke. Wet cherry wood, just like any poorly dried wood, can smoke heavily, smoulder and create fast buildup of soot and creosote in your chimney.

Is burnt cherry wood safe for cooking?

Yes, provided you take the necessary precautions. Only use clean, properly dried, untreated cherry wood with proper Ready to Burn certification. It goes without saying that you should never cook using painted, glued, preserved, mouldy or chemically contaminated wood.

This article was completely overhauled on July 31, 2026.