Anyone paying for firewood this year? If so, how much?

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Wow. I paid a lot. We just got 2 cords, split and with some kindling, delivered, for $330 cash. Good wood tho. Mostly pine. And lots better quality than last year's (which wasn't split at all).

 

[FarmerChick]

don't forget location location location

no 2 areas will ever truly be the same price as with all products/services etc

 

[old fashioned]

Bee, firewood can be very expensive but there are ways to cut your costs, if you are able. As already mentioned, find a sawmill that is getting rid of odd pieces like slab or mill ends or whatever. The mill can't use these for their main business & is considered waste, you can get it for a nominal fee cause they just need to get rid of it. You may have to cut it to size & do alot of the work yourself but it's much cheaper.
Around here the state has sometimes sold permits for a small fee that allows you to harvest downed or deadfall, I don't know about your area but you might want to check into that. As far as I know the permits are good for a period of time, not a size. (example: permit good for however much you can haul in a day vs per truckload) Just don't quote me on this cause I don't know for sure, but it would be worth checking out.
Also, check some local businesses that have pallets stacked in the back and ask if you can get some. Alot of time these are free for the taking you just need to cut them to size or take them apart. Some are made from pine or fir and some from oak & all are ready to burn.

Another option is to buy logs & cut yourself. The initial cost might seem expensive (example, not true cost-$500 for semi truckload) but it can give you several cords to last a couple of years depending on how much you burn.

Your best investments might be a chainsaw, axe, sharpening tools & oil and have your boys help!

 

[sufficientforme]

Here in AZ our cords run anywhere from 250-350 a cord for mesquite or red oak delivered/stacked. It is cheaper for us to use natural gas unfortunately. Too bad because I love wood heat.

 

[old fashioned]

Here in AZ our cords run anywhere from 250-350 a cord for mesquite or red oak delivered/stacked. It is cheaper for us to use natural gas unfortunately. Too bad because I love wood heat.

FC's right about the location, location, location...but then we don't have those varieties. Fir & alder mix is more common here.

 

[sufficientforme]

My sister gets all their firewood for free from the woodmill scraps by their house, I guess it's good to have connections We can get a permit to get wood out of the forest but in all honesty I am not searching for firewood with all the scorpions, snakes and poisonous critters here. I will just pay the gas bill and call it good. I do keep a supply on hand for emergencies though.

 

[moolie]

Poplar is usually free from people who have acreages and farms where they are clearing land--cut but not split, haul your own.

Birch and fir runs $150-$350/cord, some will deliver and stack, some will just deliver and pile it on your driveway.

 

[k0xxx]

Around here people sell wood by what they call a "Rick", which is actually a Face Cord, 4 ft. high x 8ft. long and cut to the length that you want. It works out to around a half Cord (a Cord being 4ft. x 4ft. x 8ft.), and usually sells for $45 or $50, which equals about $90 - $100 per cord. It only takes about 5 or less of these "ricks" to heat our home for the entire mild winter season. This is for oak and you do have to be careful of the quality, as some will try to pass off real green or sometimes rotting wood.

ETA: It is amazing how the measurements of wood piles vary by area. What we locally call a face cord, is different than in other parts of the country. YMMV

 

[Beekissed]

I used to get seconds from the local sawmill but since we had that big snowy winter a few years back, the locals have shut out that opportunity. They grab up every bundle that gets set out before I can even make an offer for it.

I got a lead on a guy who delivers good wood, 3 pickup loads for $220. I'll be giving him a call this week and see how it goes.

I could get a lumber truck to dump a load of logs but my back will not allow me to cut, split and stack my own wood anymore and, sadly, the boys are all working different schedules and can't get down to my place very often anymore.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Wow. I paid a lot. We just got 2 cords, split and with some kindling, delivered, for $330 cash. Good wood tho. Mostly pine. And lots better quality than last year's (which wasn't split at all).

Do you guys burn a lot of pine out there? Here on the east coast pine is considered "junk" firewood because it's so tarry.