tips for starting small firewood buisness

[sarge3604]

I have been selling firewood here in Texas since I was 18 and I'm now 36. I know what you are going through and I made up a list of things to remember and mistakes I made..

1) Don't get hurt!! You can't sell enough firewood all year to pay to have your hand reattached.

2) I found out that people will pay almost double $285/cord in Houston if you deliver and stack it at their place. At least consider doing it in your plans.

3) Watch your costs. Fuel is our biggest cost, and learn to sharpen your own chains and work on your own equipment. A Marine's best friend in the woods is his rifle, yours is your saw. Live it, learn it, love it.

4) Never leave home to cut wood with only one saw. Get two in case you get one pinched or it won't start. And a few wedges in your tool box is always a good idea.

5) Offer to cut trees on neighbors land, free wood is free wood right?

6) Keep your firewood stacked and off the ground. Customers don't like bugs and termite nests stacked next to their house.

7) Split your greenest wood first and your driest wood last during the summer. Get the wood out in the sun and in racks as soon as you can. The sun puts a weathered look on the wood and makes it burn great.

8) Don't be a big shot and try to split up a 40" diameter log by yourself. In fact all big logs do is tear up chainsaws, log splitters and your back. The optimum size is about 24-30" anything bigger and its a lot of work and eats up your time.

I'm assuming by your post you are having timber companies bring in hardwood pulp as your product. We found out that aside from the expense, the wood was dirty from being skidded, and was of inconsistent species. They brought us a huge load of sweet gum once...not fun to split. We found that landowners nearby would pay us to cut their dead trees down and pile the braches over the stump and we kept the wood. It's a good way to keep up revenue during the off-peak summer months.

Just a few thoughts from a firewood veteran.

Yah i have a friend that has a 51 inch oak its really hard to cut you have to do a cross cut with my 20 inch bar i wouldnt cut anything nearly that big if i was selling though you had some very good advice my biggest problem is finding a place i live in a small town lot so i would need to see if one could get in here or cut a spot in the woods at my grandmothers and do it there

 

[luckydozenfarm]

Yeah cause you will have that one customer who will be armed with a tape measure when you pull up with the wood. I guarantee it.

 

[farmer steve]

Yeah cause you will have that one customer who will be armed with a tape measure when you pull up with the wood. I guarantee it.

for sure. welcome to as lucky dozen.

 

[sarge3604]

just went out got a couple wedges some bar and chain oil oil to mix with the gas some gas tomorrow i will see about getting some wood delivered and start making money:msp_thumbsup:

 

[zogger]

just went out got a couple wedges some bar and chain oil oil to mix with the gas some gas tomorrow i will see about getting some wood delivered and start making money:msp_thumbsup:

Get some pics of your first load!

 

[qweesdraw]

If you can split directly off your truck/trailer it's one less time you have to handle the wood.
Sell bundle's! the profit is 3-4X for a little more work.
(bungee the top's for a nice tight bundle),found this on youtube.
This is my $20 firewood bundler. - YouTube
Industry standard cut is 16" and will fit almost any stove.
A Mingo marker (Bailey's) or a 15.5 " stick with sidewalk chalk will get you there.(the chalk is 1/2" to center)

 

[Dale]

We sell what they call here in Texas a face cord. Which to my understanding is a 16' long X 4' high X 16"-18" wide. We sell it for $285 delivered.

Interesting. We call a "Face" 4' X 8' X 16" here in PA. You are getting MUCH MUCH more dollars for a cord of wood than we do here. If my calcs are right, your face is approx. 2/3 of what we call a full cord (4' X 4' X 8'). You appear to be getting over $400 for what we call a full cord.

 

[farmer steve]

An option: contact local tree service companies and ask if they'll dump unwanted wood at your place. Saves them tipping costs at the landfill and saves you from buying logs.

If space is available, stack some firewood in your yard with a sign where people can see it.

You may wish to start by selling face cords at first. A face cord is attractive to passersby - spur of the moment sales are good money. If it'll fit in a pickup truck, it'll sell on the spot.

Personally, I don't recommend offering green or unseasoned firewood at a discount. That's leaving money on the table. Let it set for a year or longer and it's worth more. If the customer has to wait a year before burning it, you can wait a year before selling it.

Good luck.

what fred said. if you have room to put some out infront of your place do it have a for sale sign with your phone #.

heres how i sell a lot of wood in these bins. View attachment 294451

 

[farmer steve]

Interesting. We call a "Face" 4' X 8' X 16" here in PA. You are getting MUCH MUCH more dollars for a cord of wood than we do here. If my calcs are right, your face is approx. 2/3 of what we call a full cord (4' X 4' X 8'). You appear to be getting over $400 for what we call a full cord.

hi dale, check pa regs.we are not supposed to sell "face cords" although i know it happens. same way with selling p/u loads.supposed to be cords or fractions thereof. or by cubic feet. i dont think its enforced to much though unless somebody gets ripped off and reports somebody.FS








ps where in pa dale?

 

[TeeMan]

I have also seen firewood sold by the pallet load where 1 standard pallet 4'x4' and stacked 4' tall is a half cord per cuft measure = 64. So, there are numerous ways you can market and stock your product. These pallets have also been shrink-wrapped and loaded by a forklift around here as well...but that is getting into equipment past a startup business.

 

[pdhowell]

I really admire your initiative.

From a guy who has been in a couple of business, see if you cannot find a niche. YOu would hard to compete against a guy with a steady supply of logs, all the equipment and a customer base.

In terms of a niche, for example....

I am amazed at what bundled campfire firewood, outside a grocery or convenience store, sells for. That could be your best and fastest money. I realize that you are not working with dry wood right now, but you are setting yourself up for next year anyway.

Do you have a restaurant or pizza place, or the previously mentioned barbeque place where they have a wood fired oven or smokers.

Start small, be absolutely reliable, and never misrepresent.

Some states requires kiln dried, or only local wood, so check regulations.

Maybe useful

 

[sarge3604]

I really admire your initiative.

From a guy who has been in a couple of business, see if you cannot find a niche. YOu would hard to compete against a guy with a steady supply of logs, all the equipment and a customer base.

In terms of a niche, for example....

I am amazed at what bundled campfire firewood, outside a grocery or convenience store, sells for. That could be your best and fastest money. I realize that you are not working with dry wood right now, but you are setting yourself up for next year anyway.

Do you have a restaurant or pizza place, or the previously mentioned barbeque place where they have a wood fired oven or smokers.

Start small, be absolutely reliable, and never misrepresent.

Some states requires kiln dried, or only local wood, so check regulations.

Maybe useful

there arent any wood fired smokers or anything i will definitely try to sell some in bundles thanks for the good idea everyone

 

[luckydozenfarm]

Interesting. We call a "Face" 4' X 8' X 16" here in PA. You are getting MUCH MUCH more dollars for a cord of wood than we do here. If my calcs are right, your face is approx. 2/3 of what we call a full cord (4' X 4' X 8'). You appear to be getting over $400 for what we call a full cord.

my "cord" contains 96 cu ft of wood. With the $285 comes delivered, stacked, seasoned wood. I also give a 100% guarantee. If you have any problems with it, call me and I'll either replace it or give your money back. Only had to replace one load b/c the customer was worried about some yellow mold growing on it after a month of sitting at her house. She thought it was Anthrax, b/c it was around 2001 when all that stuff was in the news.

There aren't a ton of trees in Houston, and most people want a fire just for the holiday season b/c we sure don't have very cold weather. Havent seen snow in 3-4 years.

 

[Mike from Maine]

If the other dealer is getting 195 that's what I'd be advertising your wood at. If it doesn't sell then it's easy to lower your price.

I'd even start a little higher. When people see a low price they think they are getting an inferior product. And some people will pay a higher price because they think they are getting a better product. At 175 you are leaving money on the table. Once cold October winds come along people will realize they haven't bought any wood and you can sell "semi-seasoned" wood for even more. The thing with firewood the longer it sits around the more valuable it gets.

 

[philoshop]

If the other dealer is getting 195 that's what I'd be advertising your wood at. If it doesn't sell then it's easy to lower your price.

I'd even start a little higher. When people see a low price they think they are getting an inferior product. And some people will pay a higher price because they think they are getting a better product. At 175 you are leaving money on the table. Once cold October winds come along people will realize they haven't bought any wood and you can sell "semi-seasoned" wood for even more.

Perception of value. Excellent point. People will pay dearly for what they 'think' is the best. Your job is to deliver the best. That's what the customer wants. Firewood, pizza, underwear or whatever. If you're not delivering the 'best' available, then be honest about it with your customers.

Work at least as hard on your reputation as you do on the firewood. Be honest and courteous, even when the customer is an a.......The wood will be long gone before your reputation as a businessman and you won't have a second chance to make that first impression.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[sb47]

The best advice I can give you is wood is heavy and gas is expensive. Limit you trips to only the shortest millage you can. The farther you haul the less you make.
Don’t let customers try to bargain for a cheaper price. Set your price and stick with it. There will always be someone that will be cheaper then you, just be patient and hold your ground. Once they see other operations they usually will come back once they see how neat and orderly your yard is.
Categorize your wood in grades of #1 BBQ wood, then plain firewood and the scrap camp wood. Also offer the small chunk wood for small pits and wood stoves.
Keep your wood no longer then 20” max, unless you have a special order, and make them pay in advance for that service.
Keep your yard neat and your wood stacked in measured amounts so they know exactly what they are getting for that price.
Customer service is #1 stay on top of your phone calls and be prompt in calling them back, with a yes sr. and don’t blow smoke up there ass ( no pun intended).
Be patient and let time build your customer base.
Tag all the wood you stack so you know how long it has seasoned.
Deal with cash only, make them pay before you unload and stack.
You won’t get rich but you can survive and get buy depending on the market.
Sales come in spurts, one week you may not sell much at all, the some weeks you cant keep up.

Cut cost everywhere you possibly can.

 

[REJ2]

Buying at a $100 a cord and selling at $175 cord doesnt tell the whole story. You got wear and tear on your saws, splitter, and delivery truck, fuel for saws, splitter, and deliver truck. By the time you deduct expenses how much are you paying yourself for time to split and deliver this wood? Be better if you could buy your stock a little cheaper.

 

[sb47]

One more thing, I like Shtil saws , that’s just me , please don’t get in a debate over witch saw is better. After 52 years of buying cheap and expensive tools, I found if it’s something you depend on and use a lot, get the best quality tool you can afford.
If it’s something you are only going to use very seldom then cheap is the way to go.
Also buy spare parts like sprockets and there c clips, extra chains, extra files, plugs and so on. It really sucks to be out on a job and loose several hours or even the rest of the day because you need a $2.00 part that shuts you down for the day.

 

[Tim in NY]

I ran a small firewood business for a few years - paid my last couple of years of college tuition and a down payment on my house. A couple of things I can offer:

1) Stack a few nice looking piles in your front yard and put out a sign. I sold most of my wood like that - picked up by the customer. There were Saturdays that I came back from the woods for lunch and mom had sold most of the 6 face cords I had piled up during the week. Its amazing how many people buy one load at a time.

2) Consider buying tops if they are available in your area. As someone else said, if you buy for $100 a cord tree length and sell for $175, thats not much margin. Besides - half the fun is getting into the woods. I paid $5 a face cord and sold for $30 or $35, depending on the time of year - and the wood had been down long enough that it was fairly well seasoned in the woods.

3)Agree with many others - avoid delivery if you can. I could never charge enough to come close to covering my time if I had to deliver, let alone gas.

4) Agree again with others - you need more saws. There were times dad and I left with 4 and used the last one to finish a load off and get home. And get a decent axe, just in case.

5) Learn to sharpen you own chains.

6) Don't be afraid of checks if you know the people. I took a lot of them over the years and never got stuck with a single bad one. But we were in a small town, and my old man knew everyone, and everyone knew him.

7) Be real careful! I almost lost the same eye twice in a few months.

Tim

 

[sb47]

Keeping your saw clean lubed and well maintained will save you a lot of trouble.
Keeping the chain sharp will go a long way avoiding down time.
Your saw should feed it’s way through the wood with just the weight of the saw.
If you force the saw or are using pressure to make a cut your chain is dull or your rakes are too high and the teeth can’t dig in the wood.
When a chain get hot, it stretches and looses its temper, once it looses its temper, it won’t hold a sharp edge and gets dull very quick.

Its much easier to sharpen a chain that is only slightly dull with just a few strokes, then it is to sharpen one that is very dull.

Also keep plenty of sharp files handy, a dull file takes for ever to sharpen a chain, where a sharp one can do it in just a few strokes.