# extra money selling firewood?



## MotherBucker (Nov 17, 2010)

I began to cut a couple of years ago for personal use, and really enjoy the work. I've got about 20 acres of red oak, and found that with a little help I can fell, buck, and split about 10 cords in 25-30 hours total. Because i've had to buy wood for my stove in the past, I know that wood around here typically sells anywhere from 175-300/cord. 

I would like to sell some wood for some extra cash, but dont know how quickly i could build a customer base, and how much wood i would expect to move in a year. 

If i knew i could make a living doing this year to year, i would quit my job and cut for a living, but i just dont know where to start. any help is greatly appreciated.


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## ropensaddle (Nov 17, 2010)

MotherBucker said:


> I began to cut a couple of years ago for personal use, and really enjoy the work. I've got about 20 acres of red oak, and found that with a little help I can fell, buck, and split about 10 cords in 25-30 hours total. Because i've had to buy wood for my stove in the past, I know that wood around here typically sells anywhere from 175-300/cord.
> 
> I would like to sell some wood for some extra cash, but dont know how quickly i could build a customer base, and how much wood i would expect to move in a year.
> 
> If i knew i could make a living doing this year to year, i would quit my job and cut for a living, but i just dont know where to start. any help is greatly appreciated.



I think I would keep the job until the business makes enough to make you quit. It all looks great on the otherside but expense and equipment cost eat up money fast. I would not even sell it if I stayed busy in my tree work. However as a side job it can be very gratifying imo just deliver when you say and in the amount you say and it wont take a huge amount of time to get clients. CL is actually a fair place to part with wood but the niche markets like bundles seems more profitable. I am holding my wood for now I only sell when I need the extra dough.


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## Johndirt82 (Nov 17, 2010)

I do it as a side deal aside from the military as my main job. If you have consistent access to good quality wood then start as a side gig . A couple good saws, a 3/4 or 1 ton truck that can haul cords at a time or a trailer. I use a 79 f250 with huge overload springs. and a fast home made log splitter. As stated start with craigslist , make a set of business cards. Once you get a few customers they , if you have a good quality product , will help you get your name out and more business as well. Yes its quite labor intensive but if you work hard the rewards can gratifying. I sell 3-4 cords a week. nothing crazy. The San Diego market is generally better than most would expect. It does get cold here , sometimes , contrary to popular belief


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## MotherBucker (Nov 17, 2010)

any ideas on advertising? We live a pretty secluded lifestyle, and would rather not attract more attention to our property that is absolutly necessary. 

As far as equipment costs, I own my truck, and i can rent a 20 ton splitter for 77 dollars from saturday until monday, and i'm sure with more experience could easily get 12-13 cords in the 2 days i would have it. 

What would be a fair price to sell for? I was thinking around 150/cord, which would be cheaper than others around here. 

do you think 100 cords sold/year would be too ambitious? 

Again, thanks for the feedback, and I'm sure i'll have more questions coming as they come to me!


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## Johndirt82 (Nov 17, 2010)

I always deliver, so be it reasonable distance.That keeps people away from the homefront. I wouldn't lowball what you sell cords for. If your wood is good stuff. See whats on craigslist and see what others goes for and meet it in the middle somewhere. 100 cords for a 1 man strongback operation may be a bit hefty. I did 40+ by my self last year and that was alot for 1 guy in good shape. I get 300 to 400 for a cord of good oak. I don't mind drivin a little further and stacking for free if asked. Customer service will get you far too. Don't show up lookin like you just came out of the woods from Deliverance , appearance and professionalism can give the impression that someone has their act together and that will gain you more loyal customers as well.


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## 066Bigbear (Nov 17, 2010)

All I can tell you is what has worked for me down here in VA. Well I started off on CL and some in the local paper. Just were ever I could get a free add in, and from there it just took off. I am really looking at expanding the first of the year I also have a full time job but I have a extra hand help me when I need it. The main thing is to keep cost low on "everything" renting a splitter here and there adds up. If you keep your eyes open you will find a deal on a good used one I know I did (did just a little work and I had a free one that I am still using) but like stated before if you sell nice dry wood and you are true to your word about what you sell, than the customers will do the rest. Most of my new orders come from word of mouth "its a powerful thing". But just start off slow get your feet yet that way you can see if its for you that way before you get to deep into it you can get out if you dont like it and you will not have lost that much. Hope that you get some good info on here I know I have.


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## millbilly (Nov 17, 2010)

MotherBucker said:


> any ideas on advertising? We live a pretty secluded lifestyle, and would rather not attract more attention to our property that is absolutly necessary.
> 
> As far as equipment costs, I own my truck, and i can rent a 20 ton splitter for 77 dollars from saturday until monday, and i'm sure with more experience could easily get 12-13 cords in the 2 days i would have it.
> 
> ...



I think you are over estimating on how much wood you can easily split in two days with a 20 ton splitter. I think a realistic amount would be 4 cords in 8 hours, and thats a long grind


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## lxt (Nov 18, 2010)

I was just thinking that...12-13 cords in 2 days, WOW! good luck on that!!




LXT.............


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## rwbinbc (Nov 18, 2010)

Idk I'm lazy when it come to firewood Me and a friend can cut, split, and deliver 8 ricks a day in the winter buying tops, We would run three different ads in the paper with different prices and phone #'s, We used a 1/2 ton ford with wood sides so we could fit two ricks at time in it. Our prices where $60 a rick,$55 a rick, and 2 ricks for $90. The two for $90 sold like crazy, We was working sun up to sunset everyday of the week. When We would take a day off We'd have a stack of people wanting wood. Now everyone talks about seasoned wood, Tops that set for a year burn pretty good so that what We sold them as, All the wood I sell from doing tree service is all green and I'm already sold out, I get a couple cords in and its gone just as fast. The guys up here with boilers buy Me out. Dont cut Your woods up for profit find Your local foresters and Buy there tops off the logger, or get in to Lot Clearing. Keep Your woods full for a rainy day.

The Way I look at it...


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## BlueRidgeMark (Nov 18, 2010)

MotherBucker said:


> I can fell, buck, and split about 10 cords in 25-30 hours total.





What kind of "cords" are you talking about? That number is pretty hard to believe.


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## Taxmantoo (Nov 18, 2010)

MotherBucker said:


> I began to cut a couple of years ago for personal use, and really enjoy the work. I've got about 20 acres of red oak,




Is that mature oak, or has it been logged in the last 50 years or so?

You might get $20-40k from a selective logging without doing any work yourself. 
Then you can cut up the tops for firewood.


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## MotherBucker (Nov 18, 2010)

BlueRidgeMark said:


> What kind of "cords" are you talking about? That number is pretty hard to believe.



they are full cords, it was not me alone, I had help with the splitting, and we used a tractor to pull the downed trees from the woods so it could be bucked right where we were splitting. 

And yes, it was just a smidge under 10 cords, 2 shorter days to fell and buck, 2 longer days to split. (wasnt stacked in that time) and as i thought about hours invested, it was probably closer to 30-35 hours work.


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## ropensaddle (Nov 18, 2010)

While I admit I am gettin older I off and on did this pile estimated at ten 180 cubic foot cords as it's loose stacked! It was hot so I worked a while and posted a while lol two weekends and this was the sum. If I did not deer hunt I could have all my logs split already oh well late season lmfao

Note I could not have got near that done without the tw!


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## ropensaddle (Nov 18, 2010)

ropensaddle said:


> While I admit I am gettin older I off and on did this pile estimated at ten 180 cubic foot cords as it's loose stacked! It was hot so I worked a while and posted a while lol two weekends and this was the sum. If I did not deer hunt I could have all my logs split already oh well late season lmfao
> 
> Note I could not have got near that done without the tw!



Oh yeah 100 cords at a 150.oo is only 15k If I were wanting to do it full time I would shoot for 350 cords or more!


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## ropensaddle (Nov 18, 2010)

Which would be 35 times the pile I have there for 52.5 k gross not net!


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## himiler (Nov 19, 2010)

ropensaddle said:


> Which would be 35 times the pile I have there for 52.5 k gross not net!



You're making an important point that needs to be heeded. 
*GROSS NOT NET* 
If you don't track expenses then you're on track to going out of business.


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## ropensaddle (Nov 19, 2010)

himiler said:


> You're making an important point that needs to be heeded.
> *GROSS NOT NET*
> If you don't track expenses then you're on track to going out of business.



yup the fuel alone would be 12k


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## ropensaddle (Nov 19, 2010)

ropensaddle said:


> yup the fuel alone would be 12k



Prolly expect to net 32k realistic


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## newmexico (Nov 19, 2010)

*I*

my story, I cut what I need, barter the rest for better firewood, and am too lazy to get more than one house worth of firewood for the winter.... I can't compete with /// it's time, equipment, and for what some people deliver pine fir mix... I'm lazy... and I just can't compete 

charity work I do... selling, no way. 

new sig

if you ever find one of those good pitch stumps.. red fir... pitch to the max, stuck by lightning, burned fifty years later, found untold years after that... only 2 feet remaining, honey gold in color--- better than gasoline, susceptible to a good match after splitting into little pieces and smelling like the holidays.. best to make little matchbook size stocking stuffers out of that... they Will appreciate the gesture in the cold cold night


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## Cutler tree (Nov 19, 2010)

If you already have everything but the splitter and can rent that for under $100 what's the worst case senerio? You can't sell the wood and just burn it yourself over time. I agree no need to tear through your woods for $200 a cord. Maybe have your woods logged and if it goes good the first season or 2 invest that money back into your company. I would agree with splitting tops and also getting with all your local tree services about picking up the firewood they leave behind, There's a post about how most tree services charge to remove wood. CL is a great place to advertise. I don't think that if you start small there is a downside, however keep your full time job and reinvest your money into equipment. Buy everything cash so you can keep your overhead down.


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## flushcut (Nov 19, 2010)

You can make some money selling fire wood if you don't track your time and expenses.


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## MotherBucker (Nov 19, 2010)

Just so everyone knows the methods we used, and how it is very possible to go from standing trees to 10 cords split in that time frame...

1 person felling, another chaining and skidding out to the field to buck... goes quickly when the 2 get in sync. 

Bucking is done very systematically, cutting pas7 3/4 of the way through each tree, every 16 inches, than rolling the trees and seperating the rounds. (this goes very quickly with 2 people, one making the initial cut, and the other following behind, rolling the trees and finishing)

From there, using a 20 ton vertical splitter, roll the rounds over and split. we try to take trees that you can wrap your arms all the way around, and about half of our wood was from trees that size. those only take 2 or 3 splits per round, and they usually "pop" with the wedge just an inch or 2 into it. 

The larger stuff was more time consuming, but we only took dead/standing trees this year, and were able to get the 10 cords in 2 days of splitting. 

note to the skeptics: On the days we split the wood, my only help was my 130 lb girlfriend.... she works like a mule tho, I was ready to quit before she was.


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## flushcut (Nov 19, 2010)

Ok so what did it cost you to make that 10 cord pile? Two guys, two saws, one splitter, one tractor, one truck(maybe two), saw gas/bar oil, gas for the splitter, gas for the tractor, gas for the trucks(delivery), insurance if you have any, These are some of the things that you need to account for to make a profitable biz selling wood. I wish you the best but if you aren't going mechanized your profit will be small if at all.


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## ropensaddle (Nov 19, 2010)

flushcut said:


> Ok so what did it cost you to make that 10 cord pile? Two guys, two saws, one splitter, one tractor, one truck(maybe two), saw gas/bar oil, gas for the splitter, gas for the tractor, gas for the trucks(delivery), insurance if you have any, These are some of the things that you need to account for to make a profitable biz selling wood. I wish you the best but if you aren't going mechanized your profit will be small if at all.



My profit seems to be heat lol


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## flushcut (Nov 19, 2010)

ropensaddle said:


> My profit seems to be heat lol


 and sweat!


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## rwbinbc (Nov 19, 2010)

I wouldn't count the trucks, saws, tractors and the splitter. They have made there money over and over, I have a small tree service that has paid for all of these. As long as they are not abused they should last along time. My splitter in over 20 years old, I've gone through 4-5 hp motors on it and two handle(not valves) I'm sure if I broke down how many cords it has split, It would be pennies per cord. Chains, tires, gas, oil, and bars count and anything that breaks down.


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## Bucko (Nov 19, 2010)

I say go ahead, rent, work, and get you some of it. If you undercut the market you will live to regret it. There is and always will be a market and room for somebody willing to work. Firewood is work! I have a processor, two splitters, four chainsaws, retriever, and tractor with a frontend loader. You will work! You will never catch up if you are honest and give folks quality product. Did I say, you will work?


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## Jeffsaw (Nov 20, 2010)

*Selling Firewood*

I tried selling firewood over the past two years and have found it doesn't pay well. But, I had to buy 20 cords at a time in 8 foot lengths, saw, split and pile it and then usually help the customers load it into their vehicles/trailers.
I thought I'd meet people who would need tree work done. That didn't happen. I figured that I made about $9/hr. so I won't be continuing in the firewood business next year. Most tree jobs don't result in good forewood-type trees either so that is not an option up here.
Best of luck in your endeavor.


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## freeweight (Nov 26, 2010)

we save pretty much all wood after a take down,we deliver to northern VA ,DC ,MARYLAND ....deliver stack somtimes give pointers on the fire starting proceedure

all wood is kept between 12-16" ,seasoned 1-1/2 years we sell as do most ALL tree services around here 6' by 3' tall stack for $120 ,$10 OF EACH STACK WHEN MULTIPLE IS ORDERED

we also sell to other "woodchucks" at $33 a stack ....but people dont burn wood like they used to ,advertisement helps alot

taking a load down on a free day on the weekend and "knocking it off" is also an option but prices negotiable

now what we see ALOT and i mean alot is people that sell cords of wood that is just crap,huge short chunks ,"green" wood pine ,pine will burn ok seasoned 2 years ,thats why we specify we keep wood certain size and length ....its nothing to go to D.C and get 120 a stack ,get rid of 5 racks easy ,they love the small easy to handle wood ,plus the service...have people runing out to the truck


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## rarefish383 (Nov 27, 2010)

One thing I always like to point out to guys trying to make a couple extra bucks husling a little firewood on the side. Watch your dimensions. Years ago we cut our wood at exactly 24" and 2 4X8 racks were a cord. Then new houses started putting in smaller firepalces and the 2' pieces didn't fit well so we dropped down to 18" wood, and had to adjust the pile to make a full cord. Now so many people use stoves it's common to cut at 16". If you cut 16" it takes 3 4X8 racks to make a cord. More splitting and pieces to handle for the same money.

Not that I've ever seen it enforced, watch how you advertise. In the state of Maryland it is illegal to advertise and sell wood in any other measurement than a "Cord" or "Part of a Cord", Cord, Half Cord, Quarter Cord. Such things as ricks, racks face cords, piles are arbitrary measurments and illegal means of advertisement. The Washington Post used to state that at the head of the Firewood collumn. I quit the Post years ago so I don't know if the dissclaimer is still there. Of course on CL anything goes.

We were licensed in MD, VA, and DC, actually for four genrations and before there was a license. Several years ago we quit messing with firewood and just wholesaled it out to a couple landscaping co's that used it to carry their guys through the winter. It's so labor intensive that it was a waist of time and effort compaired to actually doing the work that created that mess.

I still split about 10 cord a year, 5 for me and the rest for a couple friends and relatives. I love to be outside and around wood, I love the smell and sight of nice neat rows of firewood. But, it's hard labor intensive work for a few bucks. If I were out of work I'd do it to survive, but I think you could make better money mowing lawns. That, of course is assuming you're not a licensed tree co.

Yes you can make money. There are always customers for good seasoned wood. But look at these numbers. 100 cord times $200 is only 20K, slpit between 2 people. I assume you give your hard working girl friend something? That's not much money for a lot of work. That's no expenses included and assuming you never have to by any wood to process. Good luck, Joe.


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