Firewood pricing

[Boomer 87]

I was thinking about getting into selling firewood, how much do you guys get for like a stacked 8ft pickup bed worth? It's a 3/4 ton truck so I can stack it decently high.

 

[jrider]

Every market is different. You need to find out what your prices your market will support.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Load your truck, then unload and stack to know how many cu. ft. your pricing, both for your own information and the customers. People are going to ask how much is that (volume wise).
And they are going to make assumptions. Like, "Just put it on the back porch." Pricing depends on how you unload. You can throw it in a pile off the truck, or stack it on the back porch, down the hill thru the narrow gate, and up twenty steps to the wood rack. The wood rack that the end is falling apart and is a quarter full of odd ball shorts and knurly clumps to stack your wood nicely on. And hope the porch doesn't come tumbling down before you can start your truck. Or, you can learn to say no. It is a very simple and useful word at times. But use it politely, and try not to laugh...
Good luck, and keep it fun.

 

[svk]

Yep your market price will be determined by the supply/demand in your area. If you are in the peak of EAB normally the prices will be down till folks use that wood up.

Set a price, be on the generous side with your count to make sure you aren't shorting people, and advertise like crazy until you have enough orders to fill.

 

[Blackbruin]

Eab or not doesn't affect my prices. I do not believe you can make any money under $200 a cord here in North Central pa. I have mainly oak and charge accordingly, a little maple, ash, black birch, etc.... it was cut and split at a minimum of one year. I also hold onto a stash and charge a premium price in February or so when nobody has any but green, if it is a mild winter it just goes to the next year. Don't undersea yourself and if it's green please disclose that, don't say seasoned if it isnt.

 

[Boomer 87]

What's EAB?

 

[Erik B]

What's EAB?

@Boomer 87 EAB is emerald ash borer. It is what is killing ash trees .

 

[Boomer 87]

Ahhh ok

 

[svk]

That's a great point he made about selling in the winter. Many folks don't even think about wood until snow flies and by then many sellers are out of wood and others are hocking freshly cut as "seasoned". Good dry wood will then sell at a premium.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Load your truck, then unload and stack to know how many cu. ft. your pricing, both for your own information and the customers. People are going to ask how much is that (volume wise).
And they are going to make assumptions. Like, "Just put it on the back porch." Pricing depends on how you unload. You can throw it in a pile off the truck, or stack it on the back porch, down the hill thru the narrow gate, and up twenty steps to the wood rack. The wood rack that the end is falling apart and is a quarter full of odd ball shorts and knurly clumps to stack your wood nicely on. And hope the porch doesn't come tumbling down before you can start your truck. Or, you can learn to say no. It is a very simple and useful word at times. But use it politely, and try not to laugh...
Good luck, and keep it fun.

A dumptruck took care of that for me. It's dumped in a pile, customer handles the rest.

 

[farmer steve]

Load your truck, then unload and stack to know how many cu. ft. your pricing, both for your own information and the customers. People are going to ask how much is that (volume wise).
And they are going to make assumptions. Like, "Just put it on the back porch." Pricing depends on how you unload. You can throw it in a pile off the truck, or stack it on the back porch, down the hill thru the narrow gate, and up twenty steps to the wood rack. The wood rack that the end is falling apart and is a quarter full of odd ball shorts and knurly clumps to stack your wood nicely on. And hope the porch doesn't come tumbling down before you can start your truck. Or, you can learn to say no. It is a very simple and useful word at times. But use it politely, and try not to laugh...
Good luck, and keep it fun.

laws vary from state to state so make sure how you are allowed to sell in IL. Here in PA it must be sold by the cord or cubic feet. p/u truck load is not not allowed but i see it all the time advertised that way on C/L. good luck.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I load about 85 cu ft into my truck with a 6-ft bed racked up as shown in my avatar. My price is $120 a load, delivered and stacked, cash or check upon delivery. Most customers add another $10 if they write a check. That's because I deliver quality wood and it's stacked cab high. I also talk to the customer and answer their questions.

Best part is that most of the customers who help stack leave their cell phones in the house and ask their kid(s) to help.

 

[Boomer 87]

My problem is I price stuff way to low as not to offend anyone then by the time I'm done haggling my self I haven't made a dime. Firewood is the same way I delivered a 1/4 truckload yesterday for 20 bucks bc they didn't want much just a recreational outside fire

 

[Wood Doctor]

My problem is I price stuff way to low as not to offend anyone then by the time I'm done haggling my self I haven't made a dime. Firewood is the same way I delivered a 1/4 truckload yesterday for 20 bucks bc they didn't want much just a recreational outside fire

I've done that for $60 a half truckload. They still come out way ahead of $5 a bundle at the service stations and marts. A half truckload sold with loose logs will yield about 30 bundles or $150 equivalent. Figure 150 logs. I easily get 300 logs or more on a full truckload when the logs are split the same size as the bundled logs sold elsewhere.

 

[Boomer 87]

I was thinking 100 bucks for a stacked 8ft truck bed with short racking like you got in your avatar. Maybe that's too low still. There's some guys selling In my area I'm gonna ask them what they get

 

[Wood Doctor]

I was thinking 100 bucks for a stacked 8ft truck bed with short racking like you got in your avatar. Maybe that's too low still. There's some guys selling In my area I'm gonna ask them what they get.

That is still too low if you rack it up. My racks are only 9" high, almost that same as the ones shown in your avatar. You can pack 100 cu ft in your truck as shown. I say no less than $130 for your load, especially for split logs delivered.

Make sure your springs are heavy duty. Mine are.

 

[Boomer 87]

O yeah Nelson- (my truck) is 3/4 ton it's big coil springs and a add on overload leaf as well.

 

[Blackbruin]

720 pieces of 16" is slightly more than a cord, 640 of 18". If they are small split's I don't count them. Loose loaded into a dump truck, I can fit 2.5 cord stacked, 6x10x5.5 ft, I crown the top on 16" to make up on the 4", tailgate down on 18". I do offer the 2.5 cord for a slight discount , $475 within 15 miles, otherwise it's $500 up to 25, over its $1.00 a mile over 25. Gotta pay for fuel there and back. My farthest regular gets two full loads a year, 34 miles. I don't charge him. I find some balk at my price and look else where only to find they eventually return. I don't do this for fun or extra money, it's income to me. I feel I offer a quality product at a fair price, every year there pops up a new guy at discounted prices and usually green fresh cut wood and they can't keep up with the orders. The best are the outdoor boiler guys that tell ya green is ok, any cheaper? I do sell seasoned snoots, crotch wood etc... one guy loves them, says it's like loading poker chips, never have to worry about the stack falling over either. Problem is they take two years to get good.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I don't deliver less than a cord. I've got better things to do than drive around for $100 of wood. Can come by the shop and pickup though.

One big hurdle with deliveries is one order tying up the truck so I can't keep going until it's delivered.

I deliver all over, some customers are 100-150+ miles away.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I load about 85 cu ft into my truck with a 6-ft bed racked up as shown in my avatar. My price is $120 a load, delivered and stacked, cash or check upon delivery. Most customers add another $10 if they write a check. That's because I deliver quality wood and it's stacked cab high. I also talk to the customer and answer their questions.

Best part is that most of the customers who help stack leave their cell phones in the house and ask their kid(s) to help.

Wouldn't want to get in a wreck hauling WAY overloaded like that. 85 cu ft... roughly 2/3 cord, or around 2500-3000lbs. Ranger payload is around 1200lbs.
I use C&C trucks for the small trucks.. GVWR of 14-17000lbs... ie.. legally hauling the load.