When comparing almond and oak firewood, both are excellent hardwoods, but they have different qualities that make each one stand out depending on your needs. Let’s break down the key differences:
1. Heat Output (BTUs)
- Almond: Almond firewood provides 30 to 32 million BTUs per cord, making it one of the hottest-burning woods available. It burns very efficiently and generates a lot of heat, making it great for cold climates.
- Oak: Oak (especially white oak) provides around 24 to 28 million BTUs per cord, which is still excellent, but not as high as almond.
Winner: Almond, with its higher heat output.
2. Burn Time
- Almond: Almond wood burns slowly and steadily, giving off heat for a long time. It produces less ash and more coals, making it very efficient in terms of burn duration.
- Oak: Oak is also known for its long burn time, especially white and red oak, due to its density. It holds heat well and produces good coals for overnight burns.
Tie: Both almond and oak have long burn times, but almond edges out slightly due to its higher heat output.
3. Ease of Splitting
- Almond: Almond wood can be difficult to split, especially when it’s dry, because of its dense and sometimes knotted grain.
- Oak: Oak is generally tough to split as well, particularly when dry, but can be easier than almond depending on the species (white oak is harder to split than red oak).
Winner: Neither is easy to split, but almond might be slightly more difficult.
4. Seasoning Time
- Almond: Almond firewood needs about 12 to 18 months to season properly. It dries faster than oak due to its slightly lower density and doesn’t retain as much moisture.
- Oak: Oak requires 1.5 to 2 years to season properly because it retains a lot of moisture. Green oak is difficult to burn and needs to be seasoned well.
Winner: Almond, for faster seasoning.
5. Smoke and Creosote
- Almond: Almond burns cleanly with minimal smoke and creosote buildup, making it an ideal choice for fireplaces and wood stoves.
- Oak: Oak also burns cleanly, especially when well-seasoned, but can produce more smoke and creosote if burned when green.
Winner: Almond produces slightly less creosote and smoke.
6. Availability
- Almond: Almond firewood is more common in regions where almond trees are grown, such as California. It may be harder to find in other areas.
- Oak: Oak is widely available across the U.S. and many other regions, making it easier to source.
Winner: Oak, due to its wider availability.
Conclusion: Almond vs. Oak Firewood
- Choose Almond if you’re looking for maximum heat output, clean burning, and slightly faster seasoning. It’s perfect for those who need intense heat and don’t mind tougher splitting.
- Choose Oak if you prefer widely available wood with long burn times and solid heat output, and you have the patience to season it properly.
In many cases, you can also mix almond and oak for the best of both worlds: use oak for its availability and long burn times, and almond for high heat and clean burning.