Would you sell Poplar as Hardwood firewood?

[Junkrunner]

I've had this explained to me several times. It's a "softwood" when green, and a "hardwood" when seasoned. That's what all the ole timers tell me, anyways.

I'd just let them know what they're gettin.

People who count BTU's, pieces of wood and how much ash the get. Have WAY, WAY to much time on their hands. Man, that **** really ****** me off. It's freakin FIRE wood, just shut-up and burn it.:chainsawguy:

 

[Swamp Yankee]

I like the discount idea as a way to unload. Especially if you can keep it seasoned and dry come Feb & March when the poor planners start to run low. Advertise as bone dry, ready to burn poplar. A cord of dry seasoned popple will put out exponentially more heat than a shot of oak that's got icicles growing in it from the moisture and the cold.

Best solution from my point of view

In Jan thru March customers looking for wood to save the heirloom dining table from the stove will gladly take any wood that is ready to burn. If you do go this route, at least around here, you would have to discount the price, but not as much as Sept.

Most important, if you value your customers and reputation, is to be honest. If you're up front I've found most customers will not think poorly of you and go elsewhere. People get upset when they feel taken, this applies to everything, not just wood. In over 30 years in the firewood business I've found a good reputation for honesty is worth far more than a quick score.

There are a lot of hacks in my area that are selling real junk and misrepresenting it. Some actually are dropping off a first load of decent wood and then after pocketing the cash bring the crap on subsequent loads.

Hope all works out for you.

Take Care

 

[Mike PA]

I've had this explained to me several times. It's a "softwood" when green, and a "hardwood" when seasoned. That's what all the ole timers tell me, anyways.

I'd just let them know what they're gettin.

People who count BTU's, pieces of wood and how much ash the get. Have WAY, WAY to much time on their hands. Man, that **** really ****** me off. It's freakin FIRE wood, just shut-up and burn it.:chainsawguy:

Gotta disagree. If I'm paying for hardwood or mixed hardwood, I would not be happy to see poplar at 90% in the mix. That is a load of poplar mixed with other wood. This isn't about counting BTU's or ash. THis is a simple practical matter that poplar does not burn nearly as well as the true hardwoods. He is paying oak prices and getting poplar - doesn't sound like a fair deal to me.

While the seller was technically correct in calling it hardwood, no one in my area would consider this correct. You simply cannot sell a load of poplar around here for the same price as mixed hardwood or oak, hickory, etc.

 

[blackdogon57]

In this area if i sold poplar as mixed hardwood I would be out of business fast. Sure it is technically hardwood bit when compared to hard maple,ash,oak etc is inferior fuel wood. If I were you I would sell it as camp wood.

 

[rpl]

Poplar is a deciduous tree. It loses it's leaves in the fall. That's what it has in common with hardwoods. You really could never honestly call it a hardwood.

 

[1harlowr]

Just finished a cord of poplar this week. Now I can move on to the real hardwoods as the temps are dropping. It does season quick and leaves almost no ash.
Just be honest with the customers. I'd talk to your supplier before he drops off another load of poplar. Doubt he'll give you any money. If it was me the supplier would know I don't consider it a hardwood and don't expect any more of it. Make it clear this time what species you want. If logs are easy to come by, I'd also look around for someone else.
You shouldn't have a problem getting rid of the 4 cords in a month or two.

 

[Pulp Friction]

.......People who count BTU's, pieces of wood and how much ash the get. Have WAY, WAY to much time on their hands. Man, that **** really ****** me off. It's freakin FIRE wood, just shut-up and burn it.:chainsawguy:

I don't know of anyone that would be happy about going to the pump and paying for high-test gasoline and getting a tank full of 87 octane regular.

 

[banshee67]

I don't know of anyone that would be happy about going to the pump and paying for high-test gasoline and getting a tank full of 87 octane regular.

i bet it happens more than we think!
my buddy offended a few places testing their gas for water content right at the pump lol

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I would say you are at least partly responsible because, technically, he is living up to his end of the bargain by selling you "mixed hardwoods". You need to ask specific questions about what kind of wood you'll be getting when it is described this way. If the seller is dodging those questions, that should be a small red flag for you as a buyer.

If it was described as mixed hardwoods, and you've gotten 12 cords of oak and 4 of poplar so far, that's better than an average mix of every type. He might just be giving you whatever comes his way in a random fashion depending on the job. Now, if everything else you get is poplar as well, then you'd have a bit more of a beef. I'd let the situation play out a bit more before demanding money back. Remember, the poplar isn't useless, it's just not as good.

:agree2:

 

[D&B Mack]

i bet it happens more than we think!
my buddy offended a few places testing their gas for water content right at the pump lol

I took samples from all the stations around me to find the "cleanest" gas. Didn't test onsite though.

 

[blackdogon57]

I've been selling firewood for close to 20 years now and never sold any poplar. I've cut tons of poplar and given it to family or burned it myself. 2 years ago I had my daughter and suffered many health issues that prevented me from cutting enough fiirewood for my customers the following year. With my next kiddo weeks away I thought I would be pro-active and buy in some green wood to ensure that I would have enough wood for my customers next year. So I found a guy who would give me a fair price on green wood and I have bought over 50 cord from him. The wood has been very nice and clean and a nice mix of hardwoods, in fact the first 12 cord where mostly red oak. I just got another load of 4 cord and found it to be over 90% poplar and was very disappointed. I called they guy and he said poplar is hardwood. After a bit of reading I did find that it is in fact a soft hardwood. I think If I sold 4 one cord loads to 4 of my customers with 90%+ poplar I would loose all 4 customers. What are your thoughts on how to deal with this situation?

If this guy sells a lot of firewood logs he knows he is sticking it to you by bringing a load of poplar. I bet just by calling him on it he won't pull a stunt like that again. If you let these guys drop loads that are no good for resale they will keep doing it. When i first started buying logs I got stuck with a few loads of junk wood because I didn't know any better.. I make it clear to new suppliers that if they show up with wood that it not the right size,species or quality then it stays on the truck.

 

[Tofurkey]

They say more babies are born in September and October when poplar is the only wood available to burn. Burning wood isn't the only way to stay warm

 

[Mike Van]

"technically this" and "technically that" is all BS. If any of you bought a cord of 200.00 wood and it was all or mostly poplar, you'd be some cranked about it. Especially in NH or any northern state. Load the stove with that at 10:00 PM, you better set your clock to do it again at 1:00. Call that dude up, tell him to pick that crap back up & return your money. All you that call poplar a hardwood, you'd be some pissed if I sold you a trailer deck sawn from it.

 

[John R]

I put Poplar in the same category as pine, good wood to burn in the spring and fall, also good kindling.

I wouldn’t pay hardwood prices for it.

 

[jerryw66]

Yes Poplar is a hardwood, but no firewood business with a conscience would sell it as hardwood firewood. Poplar and cottonwood are hardwoods, have had that argument a few times, but they are at the bottom of the heap when it comes to firewood.

 

[Alan Smith]

Yes Poplar is a hardwood, but no firewood business with a conscience would sell it as hardwood firewood. Poplar and cottonwood are hardwoods, have had that argument a few times, but they are at the bottom of the heap when it comes to firewood.

Same here

 

[DSS]

You couldn't sell popple in a load of hardwood around here. There would be a lynching.

They go bananas here if they see a stick of white birch. And you can't tell them that birch is hardwood, so popple would be out of the question.

Around here hardwood is rock maple.

 

[CUCV]

Thanks for the chat guys, it really has helped me reflect on the situation a bit. The first 12 cords where a test run to check quality, quantity and how clean it was. It was great.

He flat out told me he sells dark hardwood like oak green and the white woods seasoned.

I'm being generous when I say 90% poplar, its really 99% poplar from what I can see. I saw a piece of red oak!

I have burned tons of poplar myself and know its benefits and drawbacks well.

I'm always, always honest with my customers and have a good reputations, other firewood producers recommend me when they are out of wood and I have customers who used to sell much more firewood than me in there youth.

Bottom line right or wrong it was a poor business move on his part and would be a poor business move on my part to sell it without telling my customers what they are getting. I would have to sell it at a greatly reduced rate.

I'm pissed about it, which has caused me to look for another source. I have found another source that will give me 100% red oak and will charge me 10% less without any negotiating. I'm getting a load on Sunday.

 

[CUCV]

I returned 6 new customer calls for firewood tonight. Every single one asked what types and % of each kind of wood they would expect. Poplar just doesn't fly in this area.

 

[Hlakegollum]

cant forget black birch though, its excellent firewood, very high in btus!
and cant beat the smell as far as in concerned

Black birch is fine firewood!