How many cords will I need?

[jetsam]

Well yes because slab is scrap wood without much use.

Not anymore.

Now they mill it, don't sand it, stain it grey, and sell it for $20/sf to city people as "AUTHENTIC REAL HERITAGE VINTAGE WEATHERED BARN WOOD". My wife tells me the whole thing is the result of some TV show that got out of hand.

Same demographic that's out there paying $500 for a $20 pair of jeans that have real authentic vintage heioom heritage holes ripped in them.

 

[hickoryhoarder]

My hunch is 3 to 6 cords per year. It's highly variable, depending on how tight the house, how warm you keep it, etc. You're pretty far north.

Here's one way to look at it: My house (Indiana, below Indianapolis) is rated in the top 1% for energy efficiency for houses in my area built in the 50s (and roughly equals houses built since 2000). I heat mainly with natural gas, but it would cost me about $425 per 12 months either to heat it all with gas or all with wood. (It usually costs me $375 in gas and $50 in wood.) $425 would get me about 2.4 cords of wood. Your climate is sure to need 20% more heat, maybe more.

You want your wood well seasoned, so I figure in your shoes I'd buy 10 cords now. Maybe 12 or 15. (oak/hickory/maple)