How much did you get for your wood last season?

[Jakers]

I don't sell firewood myself as there is no money at all in it around here. Guys are selling for about $150/cord of dry hardwood delivered. I can't justify spending the time to process it when I make way more taking the trees down. Softwood usually sells between $85-100/cord

 

[Iowawoodguy]

I sold a pickup load of maple for $75.

 

[jrider]

I was getting $260 a cord for oak last year

 

[Franny K]

Fast forward to 2019-2020 had cool weather with a few feet of wet snow. .......My biggest competitor charges $490 with $50 to $100 delivery fee for seasoned Oak. At the moment I charge $525 for average Oak seasoned delivered. I can not keep up with demand by my self. ............ Is every one selling similar or average. Thanks

I think the price of oil has depressed demand in this area. Not the price but easy to get real prompt delivery from the guy most around seem to use that actually buy. In years gone by had to wait to spring sometimes. It is $500 for two cords processed by machine whatever you want in length or fineness. Takes checks, not cash only. Delivered with truck that has box that goes back and tips both. That is for "seasoned" which is only seasoned in the log so not seasoned really. Green is less and more sensible to plan ahead and let really dry. Plenty generous quantity. All good hardwood I would say less than 10% something other than oak or hickory from what I saw this year. Around when I joined there was a thread about what a cord was. Apparently it is the customer can re stack it as tight as they can per consumer protection and the old four foot lengths pile 4x4x8 is for when used for train fuel. There is one guy who delivers 4 cord on a single axle truck with a swinging baffle in the middle, lots of loud mouths take his pricing and quantity as "gospel, he sells a lot".

 

[Ted Jenkins]

Oil furnaces are illegal here so oil prices does not matter here. We have a mix of full time and part time residents which can make matters complex. Many residents have generators for when the electricity goes out. Most homes here need electricity to run their furnaces. Most people here need at least a 1/4 cord supply of wood for emergencies. The popular method is to wait until the last possible moment and order some wood which makes for interesting pricing. When there is snow on the ground it is not difficult to sell a 1/4 cord of any kind of wood for $400. The rest of the year can make many people who sell wood to go in to desperation mode which causes some people who sell to give wood away or sell below cost. So for me I try to find a balance of selling wood on an average schedule, but being ready to gouge customers when weather condition prevail. Thanks

 

[Cowboy254]

All I got for my wood was the ability to keep the house warm last winter

I got that, plus some attention from Cowgirl. I figured it was worth it.

 

[Cowboy254]

So for me I try to find a balance of selling wood on an average schedule, but being ready to gouge customers when weather condition prevail. Thanks

That's the market, no-one in your business should feel bad about that. Someone's failure to plan is not your emergency unless they're willing to pay.

In our part of the world, local eucalypt hardwood (think somewhere between oak and locust in density) goes for $110/cubic metre, dumped in your drive way, which equates to AUD $400/cord or US$265/cord. About 3.7 cubic metres to a cord. Red gum, which holds a special place in people's hearts but is only 10% denser than the average local stuff sells for AUD $160/cubic metre or USD $390/cord. That's local delivery. A cube of red gum in Melbourne would be at least $350 AUD at the minimum.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

Of the hard woods available in California Eucalyptus is the common cheap wood to sell and burn. Many people like it and get along with it, but it is not good for cooking. Some years I have an abundance of Oak and then some years I have more than enough of Eucalyptus. Right now I know a contractor that will load my truck and trailer with Euc for free if I just go get it. It is about a two and half hour haul each way and storage become an instant problem. It will sell on a typical fall winter for about $400 a cord which is not all bad. It will easily double in price if there is snow on the ground. When the weather is cold below freezing and there is snow on the ground $500 for a half a cord is reasonable. Who knows when that will be though. Finding storage here is a challenge unless you are willing to pay $3000 to $4500 a year for a place to park it. An issue with storage is it is at 5,500 feet where it can get snowed in pretty easy. Thanks

 

[FlyingDutchman]

Been helping a friend split wood for his side firewood business in exchange for help around my farm.

He wants to price his split, seasoned locust, ash and oak delivered and stacked at $300 a cord. Most wood available on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace is cheaper than that or by the "truckload" or unspecified as to what the price is in the ads. He sold out last year at $250 a cord, charging $20 for delivery locally. Around 15-20 miles away a fella is delivering locally in that area for $200 a cord delivered.

Very confusing business.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

I have never had more wood locally than this year which is both Pine and Oak. Decent seasoned Oak is $625 a cord right now and have a waiting list. My focus has been to have on hand a decent amount of inventory and then wait for weather to cool. I have no interest in competing with others who have a chain saw and pickup. If I do not get top dollar then it will not get sold. A customer called about a week ago asking what I have that would fit his wood stove which was 19'' wide. I quoted that I have some 18'' Oak that was not all pretty but pretty sound wood for $500 a cord and he asked me why so cheap. That caught me by surprise. Apparently there are so many people who just do not want to work and are afraid of the Covid. Thanks

 

[Harmon]

This summer we were selling dead dry beetle killed spruce to a firewood guy in anchorage for $80 a cord generally in 4' logs. We did have some equipment to load and furthermore the other option was to chip it and pay to throw it away. Its ok firewood, ready to burn but there was SO MUCH OF IT there was nowhere to put it all. That being said the beer fridge at the shop was never empty!