Firewood, how much $$ compared to last year?

[Wood Doctor]

I would probably sell by the pickup truck load. Most people do not know what a either a rick or a cord is, but they can see your truck and they usually measure after you drop and stack.

My truck (shown in avatar and mounded up) holds 75 cubic feet because of the side racks. I figure in Nebraska, that's worth $100. So, two truckloads equals 150 cu ft or 1.2 cords, and I think that should pull in $200 of mixed hardwoods (elm, maple, ash, locust, mulberry, and oak).

Priced any higher than that and people around here would look elsewhere or just burn more natural gas. So, I seldom sell my wood anymore. Instead, I burn more of it on my own and keep my house warm. It's great exercise and far more productive than walking on a treadmill.

 

[Ohiowoodguy]

My truck (shown in avatar and mounded up) hold 75 cubic feet because of the side racks. I figure in Nebraska, that's worth $100. So, two truckloads equals 150 cu ft or 1.2 cords

Only if its stacked. THE Ohio State University says a thrown cord of 16" firewood = 180 cu.ft. (128 cu.ft. when stacked, and if you could stack it tight enough that there was no air- 90 cu.ft.!)
Ricks aren't legal in Ohio (only cords or fractions) because a 16" rick=1/3 cord, a 24" rick=1/2 cord.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Only if its stacked. Ohio State University says a thrown cord of 16" firewood = 180 cu.ft. (128 cu.ft. when stacked, and if you could stack it tight enough that there was no air - 90 cu.ft.!)
Ricks aren't legal in Ohio (only cords or fractions) because a 16" rick=1/3 cord, a 24" rick=1/2 cord.

I was unaware that Ohio State University was spending that much time helping firewood dealers supply firewood to customers. I suppose that's a step in the right direction for the Buckeyes.

Note that I said in my post, "they usually measure after you drop and stack." That's how I measured my truck's capacity--after I unloaded and stacked it. That way I know precisely what's in the truck when I deliver it.

I have another secret to help firewood suppliers who sell by the truckload. After you "fill" your truck, throw on a couple more logs here and here to help stabilize the load. If you do that, and the customer still says you shorted them, don't sell anymore wood to that customer. Find another customer.

 

[zanderson]

Right now: $150 a cord
Last year at this time: $125 a cord
Split, but not delivered.

 

[Zodiac45]

It's all about location, location , location.... Up here, cut/split is $200+ a cord. No one sells anything but cords (Cut split). We sell tree length by weight though and that's working out too $120 a cord this year. We are into next year delivery wise though.

 

[Widmere]

Prices

I supply firewood in the UK - no one has ever heard of a cord or a face cord or a rick - I supply my firewood in large bags - I never stack - the pieces of firewood demanded in the UK mean a log length of under 10 inches. I have just got the calculator out and am shocked that we retail at $500 a cord. I am going to put prices up this Autumn - my costs are always going up. If only you were nearer I'd buy any amount at some of the rock bottom prices you quote.

 

[NC Firewood]

glad to see some prices

Long bed truck here in NC for me is $100 delivered and $10 to stack, 10 miles without additional charges. This is roughly 5x2x8 (80 cu.ft.) My dump truck is 7x2x14 (196 cu. ft.) and I get $250 for it with $25 stack fee. Anyone else around the south have prices?

 

[Wood Doctor]

I supply firewood in the UK - no one has ever heard of a cord or a face cord or a rick - I supply my firewood in large bags - I never stack - the pieces of firewood demanded in the UK mean a log length of under 10 inches. I have just got the calculator out and am shocked that we retail at $500 a cord. I am going to put prices up this Autumn - my costs are always going up. If only you were nearer I'd buy any amount at some of the rock bottom prices you quote.

Sounds realistic to me, except for one thing--log length under 10". You are kidding because to me, that's absurd. So, the volume could be off a bundle compared to USA volumes. We usaally cut the average wood lengths to 16" unless the customer (or me) specifies longer. About any stove will accept a 16" log, and any length shorter than that will start reducing heat output and be hard to stack.

Hmmm...

 

[Scootermsp]

Today's Paper

http://telegram.com/article/20080810/NEWS/808100731/1002

here is link to article about firewood demand from today's paper. National article from AP.

 

[Scootermsp]

About 24"

I am fortunate to be able to cut everything to about 24" (my splitter only does 25") there is a lot less handling and I stack them 2 wide on a 4' wide pallets. This makesit easy to caculate the number of cords on hand.

 

[Widmere]

Dear Doctor - fireplaces in the UK are based on coal burning grates and so are very small. There are aslo some pretty small woodburning stoves in peoples houses - maybe it's because we have smaller house and smaller room size. All I do know is that I have very few clents who could use a 16inch plus log. This stacking thing is something I find hard to accept. Go to woods cut down tree stack in in vehicle - restack at yard to await splitting - split and restack - stack in back of vehicle - arrive at customer and er yes stack it again. Everytime a piece of wood is handled is labour and it costs.

My ideal would be put tree trunk on firewood processor with tractor grab - watch logs go up conveyor till a large heap is seen. Wait - can be as little as six weeks - pick up logs with bucket - take to customer in bulk in a tipper or put into bags and deliver. Labour for bagging is 40 cents each

I am not sure that two ten inch logs will have any difference in calorific output to a twenty inch log. The shorter wood will dry quicker due to greater surface area to volume and will burn slightly quicker for the same reason.


It's taken me 48 years to realize that I appear to suffer from the same affliction as the rest of you - an obsession with firewood

W

 

[lazermule]

MN Prices

I am getting $100 a face cord and $200 a full cord for dry split oak picked up here in Minnesota. I had a few people buy it by the pickup load which looks to be about 1/2 cord and I charged $125. I sell it pretty steadily and this summer I have sold a lot to campers and to folks for their lake places.

Lazer:greenchainsaw:

 

[Wood Doctor]

Widmere said, "It's taken me 48 years to realize that I appear to suffer from the same affliction as the rest of you - an obsession with firewood."
---------------
QFT! Also, I did run into one customer who always wanted his wood cut short. It was easier for him to carry it into the house and easier to split. His stove was way over designed for the area he was heating, so he never really used it at full output. Short logs sap the stove output and that was fine for him.

So, to each his own. I have also had customers tell me that if I brought any log less than 16" long that it would remain on the truck. Finally, I got tired of taking care of customers like that. I found a friend with a barrel stove who likes really long logs--up to 28". He and I divide up what I cut so that he gets the long ones and I take the rest. He owns and maintains the logsplitter, and I saw up the wood that we split together as a team. That way nothing is wasted.

 

[avalancher]

QFT?
excuse my ignorance, but what does that stand for?Or do i want to know?

 

[Wood Doctor]

QFT?
excuse my ignorance, but what does that stand for?Or do i want to know?

QFT = Quoted For Truth. Total agreement and correct, etc. That means about the same as +1. :greenchainsaw:

 

[ms310]

maple and ash

I am getting 55 picked up at the yard for cut and split rick. I am charging $185 delivered full cord. And $65 for a delivered rick. THat is up about $5 dollars a rick from last year and i am thinking that is still too low i have orders that at this time of year i never had and i am having a hard time keeping up. I will try to post my pricing sheet

 

[Scootermsp]

Wall Street Journal

Today's WSJ had a multi page article about stoves and pellets as well as firewood scarcity. All major suppliers of wood and wood type heating equipment have large backlog of orders and do not expect new orders to be filled until SPRING 2009 ! Two largest firewood suppliers in Maine are OUT of seasoned wood. Glad I didn't wait until August to make the move to an OWB

 

[Wood Doctor]

Today's WSJ had a multi page article about stoves and pellets as well as firewood scarcity. All major suppliers of wood and wood type heating equipment have large backlog of orders and do not expect new orders to be filled until SPRING 2009 ! Two largest firewood suppliers in Maine are OUT of seasoned wood. Glad I didn't wait until August to make the move to an OWB

Saw the same article in the WSJ. I got told my stockbroker that I was out bringing in a truckload of firewood this morning and knocked off 5 lb of water weight doing it.

He said, "You need to sign up at one of the local gyms and work out there on a tread mill. It's much easier."

I said, "Maybe I need to talk to Charlie." :censored:

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Saw the same article in the WSJ. I got told my stockbroker that I was out bringing in a truckload of firewood this morning and knocked off 5 lb of water weight doing it.

He said, "You need to sign up at one of the local gyms and work out there on a tread mill. It's much easier."

I said, "Maybe I need to talk to Charlie." :censored:

And pay them to sweat ?

Uhmm , I'll pass. I can get more done in the same amount of time and feel better afterwards. If I still feel like going for a brisk stoll at the end of the day , I should have gotten more done.

 

[Outdoorsman]

A very interesting thread,

A guy up the road is charging $80 for 1/3 cord & $225 for a full cord for mixed hardwoods.

For pure oak however he charges $125 for 1/3 cord & $350 for full cord.

Those were his prices last year anyway for him to bring it to you, havn't heard his prices for this year, but I'd imagine they are up.

And he's not able to get ahead as far as usual this year I've noticed, folks are hauling it away to fast......

I'm thinking about selling some myself. Lots of trees available here due to those ash borers killing all our ash trees,