# The price of firewood



## suprz (Sep 26, 2013)

This is not meant to start a war, but is the labor, gas, wear and tear on equipment really worth 200-300 dollars per cord of wood?  Especially if the seller is a tree service, and gets the wood from paying jobs?   I am looking for honest rational opinions not emotions..    Just wondering what most folks think.


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## AmarilloSlim (Sep 26, 2013)

After I've handled the wood from standing tree to seasoned firewood. Maintained equipment etc. Its worth every darn penny!  But no way would I pay that much. That will buy a face cord here though.


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## Ansky (Sep 26, 2013)

I voted fairly priced, because last spring I bought a cord split and delivered for 170, and just a couple weeks ago I bought a cord split and delivered for 180.  Of course they were both supposed to be seasoned, but neither were truly seasoned.  
I've seen as low as 160/cord if you buy 2 or more cords.  Wood is pretty cheap around here in the sticks!


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## paul bunion (Sep 26, 2013)

Also figure in taxes or rent on the lot where it gets processed and stored.   In some places that can be quite significant.


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## Craig S. (Sep 26, 2013)

suprz said:


> This is not meant to start a war, but is the labor, gas, wear and tear on equipment really worth 200-300 dollars per cord of wood?  Especially if the seller is a tree service, and gets the wood from paying jobs?   I am looking for honest rational opinions not emotions..    Just wondering what most folks think.



Depending on your location, that seems like a fair price to me for 'seasoned' wood.  I see the 160-180 price on CL all the time, but you run the risk of getting wood that isn't really ready to burn.

In most locations, the tree services generally don't have the facilities to split, store, and the time to season enough wood to make it a worthwhile effort for them.


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## Paulywalnut (Sep 26, 2013)

We'll it is a business for the wood guys. Expenses we don't see. Employees are expensive insurance etc.
I know all the work I do cutting splitting stacking I think I have a lot of wood and by the time I have it all stacked
it's never as much as I thought. So it's a lot work involved in the whole process. It's probably fairly priced but it's what the market will except. I wouldn't pay it but some have to buy wood.


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## BobUrban (Sep 26, 2013)

I wouldn't pay it but I wouldn't sell it for those prices either.  After the effort involved to get my CSS stash to where it is my price per 3yr seasoned cord would need to be in the 1000$ range to even get me to listen.  That said - I would give a cord away to a good friend or neighbor in need - I have plenty and plenty more to come.


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## teutonicking (Sep 26, 2013)

suprz said:


> This is not meant to start a war, but is the labor, gas, wear and tear on equipment really worth 200-300 dollars per cord of wood?  Especially if the seller is a tree service, and gets the wood from paying jobs?   I am looking for honest rational opinions not emotions..    Just wondering what most folks think.


 
I think $300 is a bit high.  You can get a cord of kiln-dried firewood delivered for $300 here. 

But I think $200-225 is a fair price for "seasoned" wood.  Generally around here that must means they cut it and split it last year and its been laying around in a loose pile for a year.  But if you buy it one year ahead, its good to go the following year.  Even if you buy it in April, most of it (beside the oak) should be pretty decent by October/November.  If you are willing to buy in bulk, around here you can also buy a large dumptruck full (3 cords) for about $500, or about $166/cord. 

One way I measure the "fairness" of the price is that I sure would not want to sell *my* seasoned stacks for $200-$300 a cord.  No way!  Its worth a lot more than that to me.


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## BobUrban (Sep 26, 2013)

teutonicking said:


> One way I measure the "fairness" of the price is that I sure would not want to sell my seasoned stacks for $200-$300 a cord. No way! Its worth a lot more than that to me.


 
Exactly why I feel fire wood is under priced!!  as well as unrealistic to expect it to be 2yr seasoned and under 20%.  Just no way I can see there being any profitability built into the equation for the supplier when the man hours, fuel and wear and tear are considered.  I don't know how they do it.  Also, makes for just another great argument for getting ahead - WAY ahead!


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## MrWhoopee (Sep 26, 2013)

For me, cash out of pocket is about $40-$50 per cord (permit, fuel, oil, chain sharpening, etc.), then figure 6 hours minimum for travel, cutting and loading, another 4 hours to split. If you are selling, there is the time and fuel to load, deliver and unload.  I wouldn't do it for $200/cord,  Cordwood is the ONLY home heating fuel that is a truly free, competitive market. Anybody with a saw, truck and work ethic can compete. As a result, prices accurately reflect what it costs (including labor) to produce and deliver. If anything, people who cut wood under-price their labor. Tree services charge the going rate, based on what the independents are charging.


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## Charles1981 (Sep 26, 2013)

I order 6 chords for 600$ log length. The seller is a forester and delivers it in a very large but smaller than a semi truck with a "claw cherry picker" i guess you call it. They claim its "seasoned" but I know that wrong but I got into an friendly debate on the phone with the forester but still knew what i was getting into ordering it. I have the ability to wait a year so I am always ahead and with this guy I don't have to order a $1700-1900 22 chord double semi trailer load (but if i did that I would only have to order once every 4-5 years....so tempting.

It takes me about 2 days with my 18inch echo to get it all cut up in stove length pieces and then I just work on splitting it over the next few weeks/months. 

So I am paying 100$ a full chord for  unseasoned wood (however surprisingly much of it come just under or at 20% moisture content when split and measured...Ash and Oak. 

The forester harvested much of the standing trees a few years back and lets them "season" whole and then delivers them and stands by his "seasoned" wood. I've talked to him about my catalyst stove and how it just doesn't burn as well if it hasn't been split and staked and he just mumbled about not liking those cat stoves and how he wouldn't have one for the life of him ect. Oh well. 

I would pay 160-200 for a chord of well seasoned hardwood if i needed wood now. I'd have to be pretty hard up to purchase it for 300 no matter what.


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## bogydave (Sep 26, 2013)

My wood is worth more than $300 cord.
My thought is anyone who buys wood & thinks it's overpriced;
 should go CSS it themselves.

I do.


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## MrWhoopee (Sep 26, 2013)

bogydave said:


> My wood is worth more than $300 cord.
> My thought is anyone who buys wood & thinks it's overpriced;
> should go CSS it themselves.
> 
> I do.


 Amen to that!
On a similar note, Henry Ford said:
"Chop your own wood and it will warm you twice."
 He must not have done it. Between felling, limbing, bucking, loading, splitting and stacking, I get warm a lot more than twice.


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## charly (Sep 26, 2013)

I think most of us feel that our wood is worth a lot to us... People who just buy their wood have no idea all the double handling there is in processing fire wood from start to finish, plus the expense... Any fully insured tree service probably doesn't even have firewood sales pay half their insurance cost alone.. Workman's comp has got to be through the roof by now. My siding guys have had no claims, 4 brothers and a couple non family workers. Their Dad started the business in 1951.. Their insurance is $40,000 a year ...Crazy!


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## lukem (Sep 26, 2013)

Wood is worth what the market will bear.  Supply and demand.  Simple as that.  

I think you are trying to get at how much profit is there in a cord of wood sold for $300.  That's going to vary widely depending on equipment and overhead costs.

I would be one broke SOB selling firewood around here for $150/cord.


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## byQ (Sep 26, 2013)

I have 10 cords piled in the front of my property. Either I have to haul it to the back and stack it or sell it. I decided to sell - $175/cord w/delivery (it is kind of an eyesore, too, and I cut some of it too long for a masonry heater, but it's ok for most wood stoves).  I've sold about 6 cords to 4 customers. Also, I've already got a bunch of wood in the back.

What I've learned - general observations,
* buyers don't have much of an idea what a cord of wood is so I could see where sellers might take advantage of them.
* 3 of the 4 didn't ask if it was dry or not (it could have been wet) None checked the wood - again seller's could exploit.
* the buyers generally have EPA wood stoves that they use as their main heat source - so you'ld think they would know more about their fuel.
* and none really examined the wood for species of wood - or better said denseness of the wood (btu info). (A cord of cottonwood vs a cord of oak).

This was my first time selling wood so I was surprised.


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## charly (Sep 26, 2013)

byQ said:


> I have 10 cords piled in the front of my property. Either I have to haul it to the back and stack it or sell it. I decided to sell - $175/cord w/delivery (it is kind of an eyesore, too, and I cut some of it too long for a masonry heater, but it's ok for most wood stoves).  I've sold about 6 cords to 4 customers. Also, I've already got a bunch of wood in the back.
> 
> What I've learned - general observations,
> * buyers don't have much of an idea what a cord of wood is so I could see where sellers might take advantage of them.
> ...


Sounds like your an honest person anyways,, those folks will be back for more next year..


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## shawn6596 (Sep 26, 2013)

I just have to laugh at the number of us that said " wouldn't sell mine for that, and I wouldn't pay that." Around Northern Indiana if you have to pay for wood It really ain't worth burning,  I would never pay for wood.


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## PapaDave (Sep 26, 2013)

Knowing how much goes into processing firewood, I'd say firewood is underpriced (not a poll option).
The first time I bought firewood, I got it from a guy who I think does nothing but firewood.
He drove an old beat to heck pickup with built up sides. Every time I drive by his place, he's got firewood in various stages of process-ness, and logs off to the side.
Seven years later, he's still driving the same truck, and he lives in a worn down house that could use a lot of TLC (no judgement here).
He should be selling firewood for a lot more than he does, but he'd go out of business.
He has an ad in the local paper telling folks to stock up now for next year, so he gets it, but I'm not sure how many do that around here.
Prices have remained pretty steady for the past few years, instead of keeping up with inflation or whatever you want to call it.
Takes me close to 6 hours to process enough logs into enough splits to equal a cord....not stacked. He might be making $10/hour or so, not counting cost of fuel, equip.wear and tear......
I wouldn't do it.
What kind of detail are we talking about here,....'cause I could keep going.


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## NortheastAl (Sep 26, 2013)

Screwed up and hit overpriced by accident. I think firewood is more than fairly priced, considering. There are costs of saws, splitters, vehicles, employees, land and taxes, plus it is not a year round business. The time involved from when the cut rounds are picked up from a job to when it gets delivered split to a customer, even considering the wood was free, makes 1 cord at $200 more than fair. Unless these guys are cranking out deliveries like crazy, I can't figure out how they make money


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## n3pro (Sep 26, 2013)

The most I've ever paid was $180 a cord C/S/D the least $110 so I that price seems high but as the say in commercials "prices may vary with location".  I have never bought any from a tree service, all mine have been bought from people who do it as a side job / seasonal work.  I look at as a few others have said, insurance, permits, taxes, equipment, fuel, plus same way with the truck, time, etc.  There are a lot of cost not seen.  Working with my families property management business, the tenants only see what they pay in rent and assume that 90% is profit and their rent is way too high.  Unfortunately, they don't see the expenses nor do they believe it anyway. 

Just my view point.  As with anything, value is in the eyes of the buyer.



PapaDave said:


> Prices have remained pretty steady for the past few years, instead of keeping up with inflation or whatever you want to call it.



A point I didn't think about, in my five years gas, oil, taxes, etc have all increased yet the price I've paid has remained the same or slightly fallen.


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## MarkinNC (Sep 26, 2013)

I know someone with a tree service.  He said if you are not getting paid to cut the firewood you're losing money and I agree with him.  I am selling 2 cords this year because I have so much for $200 a cord plus delivery.  Lots of shoppers but only one taker so far.  I will give it to charity before I give it away.  I would like to put the money towards a splitter.

When the cost of buying firewood exceeds the cost of heating with a fossil based fuel, the cost of the wood is not worth it IMO.


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## red oak (Sep 26, 2013)

I can buy a cord of mixed hardwood, mostly oak, for $120.  I know a guy that sells for that.  I haven't bought any so no promises on if it's seasoned or not - I would always assume wood I bought was not seasoned.  If I had to, I would buy it for that price and feel pretty good about it.  I can also get a deal from another guy for buying in bulk - I think 3 cords for $350.  So I could still heat my home for less than $500 per winter buying wood.  Of course it's cheaper, and infinitely more rewarding, to cut and split my own.  I don't think I'd sell any of my own wood but I would give some to friends who needed it.

Personally, there's no way I'd spend 200-300 dollars on a cord of wood, even if it was kiln-dried.  I'd buy it cheaper in bulk and let it season myself.


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## madtrapper (Sep 26, 2013)

I have been selling firewood for about the last 7 years . We have cleared all the fence rows off our farm as well as the ash borer has hit our ash trees. Also have a lot of dead elm just coundnt see all the wood going to waste so I started cutting and processing my self. I started burning wood a couple of years ago and am easily 4 years ahead for myself. The trees are dying faster than I can cut them. The last couple of years I have sold about 30 cord a year at 135 a cord picked up. I don't deliver. Selling wood over the years I have bought a bigger saw my own splitter a new quad and a trailer to haul behind it. Some of the wood I sell each year has been CSS for a year or more but most of it less. I am always up front with buyers and tell them when it was CSS. I would like to charge more but they can get it delivered for 170 around here may not be dry but most don't care.  Am I getting rich no but I enjoy doing it and I have a lot of free time.


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## Hearth Mistress (Sep 26, 2013)

I think getting a cord of beautifully c/s/s kiln dried hard woods delivered to my house, up my 15+ steps stacked on my pallets is worth every penny of the $325 they charge.  It is always a true cord, and then some and it takes 2 guys almost 4 hours to unload it all. A local driveway seal company built the kilns so they could keep their crews busy year round, great mom and pop company.

Not that I will never have to buy wood ever again thanks to Sandy pulling trees down everywhere but last year, most of our stash was covered not only by fallen trees but debris (pieces of my house) so we had to buy wood or oil...wood wins every time.

Now, I have 4 cords of my "Sandy" wood plus what's left of the kiln dried.  My neighbor a few door down had a lot of trees down too so when we all ran out of flat land to stack, we started piling it in a old barn on his friend's property. The plan now is to go up there with the splitter and trailer and bring it home as we need to replenish the stacks so there is an on going c/s/s process and NONE of us have to buy wood ever again


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## JP11 (Sep 26, 2013)

bogydave said:


> My wood is worth more than $300 cord.
> My thought is anyone who buys wood & thinks it's overpriced;
> should go CSS it themselves.
> 
> I do.



Honestly.. I don't agree with you there.  I wouldn't sell MY stacks for that.  BUT.. hear me out.

I'm a homeowner.  Now, I've got a fair amount of equipment.  Tractor, logging winch, hydraulic splitter.

Someone selling for a living?  Now that's a whole different ballgame.  If I had an employee that I could tell to split wood 8 hours a day.  Or I had a guy I could pay to run a skidder and gather all day.  There's an economy of scale there.  I don't feel that all wood is overpriced, but a guy with all the gear can make some money I think.  If you just bought log length in the woods, and a processor, conveyor, delivery truck.  Heck, maybe even an insulated shipping container and did the kiln thing..  I think you could build up a business.

I guess I don't think GOOD wood is overpriced.  But with the crappy definition of "seasoned" (well  It laid down as log length one WHOLE summer)  is what I believe makes most purchased wood overpriced.

JP


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## Shadow&Flame (Sep 26, 2013)

Wood prices are a relative term and are also very different by location.  Anything that you have put blood, sweat and tears into will be
more precious to you than something you just bought.  I buy some wood from a friend because I have a bad back and he needs the money.
I am also going to hit the woods and get caught up(I hope)now that my back is feeling a bit better.  I think he is fair with his wood prices
and I sure wouldn't sell mine for the price he gets for it.  I enjoy getting out and getting my own wood, but if I cant...I have no problem
paying for some to keep me ahead of the game.  My woodstove is not saving me any money...electricity is cheap here, but I cant make
electricity, gas, or oil...but I can get wood from my own place if needed.


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## blwncrewchief (Sep 27, 2013)

Let's look at it from another angle and compare it to the other major alternatives. These are based on my approximate prices around here and would obviously vary by location and market prices. For simplicity sake let's just figure an average of 20 million btu's per cord of wood.

Electric: Average price including surcharges is about $.11 per kwh. Since a kwh is 3,412 btu's it would take about 5,860 kwh to equal one cord. So 5860 x $.11 = $645 per cord

Propane: Average price is about $2 per gallon. Propane is about 91,500 btu's per gallon. So it would take about 220 gallons to equal one cord. So 220 x $2 = $440 per cord

Natural gas: Average price with surcharges is about $.90 per therm. With about 100,000 btu per therm it would be 200 therms  to equal one cord. So 200 x $.90 = $180 per cord

Oil: Average price delivered is about $3.20 per gallon. With about 140,000 btu's per gallon it would take 143 gallons to equal one cord. So 143 x $3.20 = $458 per cord

Now putting a number on it from a business perspective is something I can not do accurately without the numbers. Taking some guesses and figuring the wood is free up to the point it gets dumped off the truck. Guessing the numbers for a small 2-5 man company I come up with about $150-$180 per cord gross on 1-3 cords delivered. By gross I mean with no net profit.

So I would have to say yes $200-$300 per cord is a fair range. And no, I would not sell my wood for that. Around here you can get wood delivered for $150-$175 a cord. The only businesses here that even sell firewood are those that have a large portion of employees that, well to try to keep it pc, have mostly employees that do not speak english. The other people that sell firewood take cash only. So for the most part you can put 2 and 2 together and figure it would  take $200+ per cord to be worth it legitimately.


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## daveswoodhauler (Sep 27, 2013)

Here in Central mass you can get c/s/d for $185/cord green. $225 for seasoned seems fair, but its only seasoned cuz it was probably cut split in the spring, and sold as seasoned a few months later. I buy green 18 months before I am going to burn it.


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## billb3 (Sep 27, 2013)

suprz said:


> Especially if the seller is a tree service, and gets the wood from paying jobs?



Well. *That wood* should be cut, split and stacked neatly in my yard for free.


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## BillLion (Sep 27, 2013)

I've been gathering my own wood now. But for the last 2 seasons I've paid $250 delivered for seasoned hard woods. Mostly oak with some maple and black locust thrown in.

When I consider all the costs to handle and process the wood it seems more than fair to me. I wouldn't sell mine for the same because it hardly seems worth all my labor.

It all boils down to what you have more of in any given season -time or money. If you have more time than money, it's worth processing your own. If you have more money than time, it's worth buying.


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## brokenknee (Sep 28, 2013)

The price is still $70 a logger cord here. Just talked to the logger I purchase my wood from and will have a load of red oak (11 cords) delivered here is a couple of weeks. Of course at that price I C/S/S and season myself. Still buying logger length save me a lot of time I do not have. I added an addition this summer and am putting in a new Harman wood stove. I also put in a Harman P68 pellet stove for the shoulder seasons and when I am away for a few days at a time for work. (easier for the wife). I hope to cut my wood consumption down to 5 cords or so. Last year I went through 12 cords; winter just would not end and I was heating with an old inefficient wood furnace.


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## Scols (Sep 28, 2013)

Its been a few years since I've bought wood but at $200 a cord I would never complain. A friend who has a tree service told me he pays over$30,000 per year in liability insurance. On top of this i'm sure he has payments on his cherrypicker and skid steer plus rent for his lot,crew pay,etc.... That's a big nut to pay before he even starts making money. I haven't really tried to put a per hour value on the wood I harvest myself, but I know what my time is worth and I probably wouldn't sell for as low as $200 per cord.


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## charly (Sep 28, 2013)

Scols said:


> Its been a few years since I've bought wood but at $200 a cord I would never complain. A friend who has a tree service told me he pays over$30,000 per year in liability insurance. On top of this i'm sure he has payments on his cherrypicker and skid steer plus rent for his lot,crew pay,etc.... That's a big nut to pay before he even starts making money. I haven't really tried to put a per hour value on the wood I harvest myself, but I know what my time is worth and I probably wouldn't sell for as low as $200 per cord.


Amen! There's a lot of cost involved for a Tree service company, lots! Climbing gear, chipper blades, hydraulic oil when a hose fails, and new hoses, etc.. Equipment maintenance for a bucket truck , Prentice loaded, chipper , stump grinder..   Those stump grinding teeth can set you back 200 dollars grinding out one stump in rocky soil.. Even a truck with a good size commercial grade chip box will set you back some good money...  Now lets look into getting heavy duty tires for everything!  That can be a quick 10-15 thousand easy! Yup, we're making money now.... So firewood returns is chump change! Why would anyone do it? Maybe because they think they're making money? Does anyone ever pay their equipment off and really make a profit?  Unless you run the equipment yourself, most likely your employees have abused it to death!  So whats a fair price on firewood?  I think down the road people selling firewood will be burden with such regulations that almost immediately they will just realize it won't be worth their efforts.. It just won't be profitable... big brother!   If you can get your own wood you'll be blessed...


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## Standingdead (Sep 29, 2013)

I got a tree service guy near me on CL always posting bucked cords of rounds for sale. Usually it's marginal wood like silver maple, red elm, etc. He generally asks about $70-$100 a cord. I called and asked if he ever cut oak he said rarely which I found odd. He then went on to try and sell me two loads of "big leaf aspen" for $100, said it was easy splitting wood. I am 3 1/2 years ahead and dont need to mess around with any fancy named popal even if he came and dumped it for free.


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## Scols (Sep 29, 2013)

charly said:


> Amen! There's a lot of cost involved for a Tree service company, lots! Climbing gear, chipper blades, hydraulic oil when a hose fails, and new hoses, etc.. Equipment maintenance for a bucket truck , Prentice loaded, chipper , stump grinder..   Those stump grinding teeth can set you back 200 dollars grinding out one stump in rocky soil.. Even a truck with a good size commercial grade chip box will set you back some good money...  Now lets look into getting heavy duty tires for everything!  That can be a quick 10-15 thousand easy! Yup, we're making money now.... So firewood returns is chump change! Why would anyone do it? Maybe because they think they're making money? Does anyone ever pay their equipment off and really make a profit?  Unless you run the equipment yourself, most likely your employees have abused it to death!  So whats a fair price on firewood?  I think down the road people selling firewood will be burden with such regulations that almost immediately they will just realize it won't be worth their efforts.. It just won't be profitable... big brother!   If you can get your own wood you'll be blessed...


I agree. I think most only handle firewood because a bucks a buck and every bit helps. Plus many places charge to dispose of it anyway.


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## JustMike (Oct 7, 2013)

It seems we are getting off real easy here on the island. Wood is an abundance! Therefore the market can only dictate a cut cord (junked, not slip) for $80. It's not seasoned but for that price, who cares. I still cut my own due to the enjoyment and relative ease of acquiring it.


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## teutonicking (Oct 8, 2013)

JustMike said:


> It seems we are getting off real easy here on the island. Wood is an abundance! Therefore the market can only dictate a cut cord (junked, not slip) for $80. It's not seasoned but for that price, who cares. I still cut my own due to the enjoyment and relative ease of acquiring it.


 
If I could get a cord for $80, I'd probably just buy most of my wood.  Near me its $220-250.


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## wh401 (Oct 8, 2013)

Locally I have a guy that sells a cord of mixed hardwood, mostly Oak, for $150 delivered. If you pay him cash he'll make it a generous cord. I usually buy 2 cord each September and I end up with about 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 cords stacked. So far it's been pretty well seasoned, good burning wood. I'd never pay the priced quoted in the original post.


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## Bluerubi (Oct 8, 2013)

I go through 6-8 cords per year, and a few years back I decided to skip buying it at $200ish per cord green and harvest/cut/split it all myself.  I "saved" around $1600 that I used to buy a MS 391, all the safety gear, and other accessories like wedges, axes, chains and files.  In the end I saved some money by doing the work myself, but more importantly am now equipped to take care of my entire homes heating needs in the future if things go bad.  The work was far more than I want to take on routinely with both my wife and I working full time, but it's nice to know I have a way to shave cost from the monthly budget if I need too.


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## ColdNH (Oct 9, 2013)

In my opinion its greatly overpriced around here but there also seems to be a high demand for wood around here as well. but at the same time were the most forested state in the entire country, so wood is not scarce.. People are asking 200 a cord for green and up to 300 ""seasoned"" (and we know its  most likely not)  Alot of these guys are in the tree service bussiness and have the tools and equipment to process and delievery this stuff easily. I have never heard of tree services giving away wood around here.

If your lucky you can find a tree service that will drop off log length for a fee of 100 a cord.... Even grapple loads have been going for around 120 a cord.


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## rideau (Oct 9, 2013)

Sixty to 70 miles S of Ottawa, out in the country with tons of wood available, all the wood I have seen advertised c/s/s/ runs $300 a cord.  Likely cheaper to hire some to cut for you for a day, rent a splitter for them for the day.


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## STIHLY DAN (Oct 9, 2013)

ColdNH said:


> In my opinion its greatly overpriced around here but there also seems to be a high demand for wood around here as well. but at the same time were the most forested state in the entire country, so wood is not scarce.. People are asking 200 a cord for green and up to 300 ""seasoned"" (and we know its  most likely not)  Alot of these guys are in the tree service bussiness and have the tools and equipment to process and delievery this stuff easily. I have never heard of tree services giving away wood around here.
> 
> If your lucky you can find a tree service that will drop off log length for a fee of 100 a cord.... Even grapple loads have been going for around 120 a cord.


 
I paid around 3 grand for oil to heat the house. I use wood now at 5 cord a yr. $300 a cord would still be 1/2 the price of oil. You can never find oil at the end of a driveway for free. Wood is free everywhere, just have to have your eyes open, and be willing to do a little work.


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## ColdNH (Oct 10, 2013)

STIHLY DAN said:


> I paid around 3 grand for oil to heat the house. I use wood now at 5 cord a yr. $300 a cord would still be 1/2 the price of oil. You can never find oil at the end of a driveway for free. Wood is free everywhere, just have to have your eyes open, and be willing to do a little work.


 
So whats your point? just because you save money doing something means you should still be OK with overpaying for it?

I too am saving a boat load burning wood vs oil, but Im still not ok paying 300 a cord for firewood, when like YOU said, you can get it for free! Which is what I do.

With that said, if wood was more reasonably priced I would probably scrounge less and buy more. The high cost of wood around here and the high number of wood burners around here means difficult scrounging as of late.


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## STIHLY DAN (Oct 10, 2013)

My point is, if you pay much less for the same amount of heat, then it can't be over priced. I agree the scrounge is getting tough. Which also means demand is up, so cost is up.


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## johnsopi (Oct 10, 2013)

I get my wood from a sawmill $90 a cord (3 dakota loads) 5 min from the house. Since I found this guy I have not cut or split any wood. I burn 5 to 6 cords a year.


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## tsquini (Oct 10, 2013)

We can not compare what we do with professional wood suppliers. They do not chop wood by hand or stack the wood. In Massachusetts they are getting $250 green cord. It cost them most likely $90 if not less per cord to split and deliver. 

They could be doing better. They lump everything together now. If they would allow people to order wood based on btu output or wood species. I would pay significantly more for a cord of white oak vs a cord of maple.


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## BIGDADDY (Oct 11, 2013)

Hardwood is $180 a cord here in Pa. 
Have never bought any firewood.


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## Charles1981 (Oct 11, 2013)

going rate here near lansing mi is 65-85 a face chord. No one advertises chords. If you are within 10-15 miles you can usually get free delivery, otherwise another 15-20 dollars a deliver is added. I've called some places that would discount if ordering 2+ chords but the best cut, split, and dumped here for ~2 chords I cold find came out to be 360$ for 2 chords. And frankly when questioned the wood had been cut about 3-4 months ago.

I know the parameters for seasoned wood here are, but honestly I haven't found anyone out of like 20 calls that actually has properly seasoned wood for an entire year at the least except for a local tree service that sells for 260 a chord.

All of my neighbors cut their own wood log length or harvest their own property for the most part in the spring and burn in the winter and think I'm crazy wanting 1+ year seasoned wood. I have 20 acres, but its mostly cotton wood which sucks. I still have been harvesting 1-2 chords of it a year and burn it in the shoulder season as it drys ridiculously fast and burns hot but quick. It definitely decreases my hardwood consumption but is a bit of work for not the best gain.


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## Oregon aloha (Oct 11, 2013)

I buy a dump truck loads of mixed logs for $300. It yields 4.5 to 6 cords of wood. It will take me 6 days of work to process the wood. @ $20.00 an hour = $960. that is a total of $1260. Say I average 5 cord That"s approx.  $250 a cord. just to break even.

This works for me as it's my time, but I would not pay that much for wood from anyone at any quality. It's just too much.


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## nmaho (Jan 28, 2014)

I just got a mix of maple ,and oak that is green for 165 a cord,all cut and split. I measured it out and came to a little over 2 cords after stacked.


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## razerface (Jan 28, 2014)

around here, $150 a cord is average. Rarely see it over 175. See lots of it 130-150 delivered(dumped not stacked)
I have never bought any, so I don't know about the quality.


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## BobUrban (Jan 28, 2014)

and at $150/cord my 20 or so CSS'd is valued at 3G - I look out there and see a LOT more than 3G worth of effort not to mention that would only get me through a winter and maybe 1/2 burning propane.  At the recent prices only 1yr keeping the house barely tolerable(translation COLD)

Again, I have no clue how anyone can make money selling firewood and certainly would not expect primo 2yr seasoned stuff at those prices. I just don't get it sans the tree cutters for a living that sell instead of pay to dump.


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## Lumber-Jack (Jan 28, 2014)

I don't worry too much about what prices people are asking for firewood since I can just go out and get it myself for free, I'm much more worried about the price they are asking for gas and oil related products, because I've never been able to find them anywhere for free. Also, and I'm just spitballing here, but I think the oil companies are making a little more profit then most firewood companies.  I'd say when we start seeing firewood company CEOs flying around in their personal jets, and company stocks trading online, maybe it's time to start worrying if they are overpricing their cords a little bit too much.


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## Tom Wallace (Jan 28, 2014)

I just purchased 2 cords of douglas fir rounds for $100/cord + tax. What was actually delivered was more like 2.5 cords. It's from a service that collects wood from tree services and sells it. I'm quite pleased with the purchase. I know a lot of people outside the Pacific Northwest may scoff at fir, but douglas fir is not actually a fir. It's quite good for a soft wood, same BTUs as Silver Maple, according to this page.


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## billb3 (Jan 28, 2014)

Tom Wallace said:


> I just purchased 2 cords of douglas fir rounds for $100/cord + tax.  It's quite good for a soft wood, same BTUs as Silver Maple, according to this page.



Whatever gets you through the night .. it's alright.

+ tax ?


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## brokenknee (Jan 28, 2014)

Tom Wallace said:


> I just purchased 2 cords of douglas fir rounds for $100/cord + tax. What was actually delivered was more like 2.5 cords. It's from a service that collects wood from tree services and sells it. I'm quite pleased with the purchase. I know a lot of people outside the Pacific Northwest may scoff at fir, but douglas fir is not actually a fir. It's quite good for a soft wood, same BTUs as Silver Maple, according to this page.


Why would you have to pay tax?


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## Tom Wallace (Jan 28, 2014)

brokenknee said:


> Why would you have to pay tax?


Was sold by a business, not a private seller.


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## billb3 (Jan 29, 2014)

$10 /cu ft.
I sure would like to get these prices:
http://blwfirewood.com/ourprices.htm


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## splitoak (Jan 29, 2014)

I get all oak for $140 a cord....fairly seasoned..some better than others...


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## shoot-straight (Jan 29, 2014)

timely thread. i was looking to pick up a cord of semi seasoned wood for next year. i have 10 cords of split and stacked oak and BL, but it wont be ready for next year. started the CL search. called one ad that said 2 yr seasoned hardwood. i asked if it was truly seasoned for 2 years. "oh yeah"... then i asked how long the splits were. "what ever length you want"... ? so i asked, so it hasnt been split? "no, but its been down and drying for 2 years"... i politely said no thanks, and he asked why i wasnt interested. i said it wouldnt burn right in my stove. he replied "oh no it burns nice"... again, i said no thanks and he responded "what are you looking for some kind of super-wood or sumpthing?".... (said in your best redneck twang) again, i politely thanked him for his time and hung up.

looking now to scrounge some maple or poplar that i can split small and put in the best drying location.


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## bigbarf48 (Jan 29, 2014)

I'm a little surprised by all the people that voted overpriced, but say they wouldn't let one of their cords go for anywhere near the going price 

There's a lot of work that goes into processing a cord, and I think someone getting ~150 or 200 bucks for it is perfectly fine


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## Tom Wallace (Jan 29, 2014)

bigbarf48 said:


> I'm a little surprised by all the people that voted overpriced, but say they wouldn't let one of their cords go for anywhere near the going price



I think the idea is that "my time and labor is worth more than someone else's".


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## Tom Wallace (Jan 29, 2014)

billb3 said:


> $10 /cu ft.
> I sure would like to get these prices:
> http://blwfirewood.com/ourprices.htm



Dang, the alder's all sold out! I can't imagine who they're selling to at those prices. May as well heat the home with oil as it's probably cheaper than their wood.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 29, 2014)

bigbarf48 said:


> I'm a little surprised by all the people that voted overpriced, but say they wouldn't let one of their cords go for anywhere near the going price
> 
> There's a lot of work that goes into processing a cord, and I think someone getting ~150 or 200 bucks for it is perfectly fine



I don't have a processor that will buck, split and load three cords an hour like the outfit down the road has.  And he gets paid to take the trees.


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## Lumber-Jack (Jan 29, 2014)

I've always felt that anybody who makes more money then me is making too much. 
On the other hand, the higher the price price tag the local wood dealers are asking for their firewood, the more my own wood goes up in value.


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## jatoxico (Jan 29, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> I don't have a processor that will buck, split and load three cords an hour like the outfit down the road has


Me neither cause they cost >15 K or more.


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## BrotherBart (Jan 29, 2014)

jatoxico said:


> Me neither cause they cost >15 K or more.



He has had that same processor for at least 17 years so I figure he has gotten his money's worth out of it. Biggest firewood seller in the area and gets $575 for a truck load that is "between two and a half and three cords". Like after a thousand loadings he doesn't know pretty much exactly what the truck holds.


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## billb3 (Jan 29, 2014)

BrotherBart said:


> I don't have a processor that will buck, split and load three cords an hour like the outfit down the road has.  And he gets paid to take the trees.


The guy down the road that has the processor here also supplies all the mulch and firewood to all the small landscaping businesses that own a truck and try to keep a driver employed.

Anyone else that just has a few cords from tree work as a side job is usually sold out by Christmas.


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## brokenknee (Jan 30, 2014)

Tom Wallace said:


> Was sold by a business, not a private seller.


 
Do they tax pellets in your area? Wood is a home heating source and not taxed in MN. That being said, I am not sure if they tax the little bundles of wood sold at grocery stores. I also have a pellet stove and purchase pellets at the big box store and they are not taxed.

Just curious as I know laws vary from state to state.


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## Tom Wallace (Jan 30, 2014)

brokenknee said:


> Do they tax pellets in your area?



Looks like firewood is indeed taxable in Washington. I assume the same applies to wood pellets, but that page doesn't mention it.

If you're curious, our sales tax rate is 9.5% in the Seattle area. May be lower in other parts of the state. However, we have no state income tax.


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## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Jan 30, 2014)

As a homeowner that does it as a hobby and to burn in a family room insert using 1 1/2 cord a year, I will give you my take on it. If you buy a cord of logs for say $100 and still have to buck and split it yourself, your talking 6-10 hours of labor, what is your time worth, add in gallons of gas and bar oil, you can't tell me you would sell that cord for $180, there just is no profit in all of your hard work, so when you look at it like that, buying it for $180-230 is probably worth it if you have to buy..... I get all my wood for free, thankfully, I have to saw some to size, the rest is ready to go, I have about 4 cords split and another 2 in rounds, I have several face cords of premium red oak splits that I wouldn't sell for less than $150 per face cord.
My point being, the only way selling wood is worth it is if you got the wood for free and you were way ahead of the 3 year plan. So what I'm trying to say is if you have to buy, buying a cord of wood for $200 isn't all that bad when you look at what it takes to make a cord of split wood....


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