Buying firewood isn’t as simple as going to the store and buying a pair of shoes. There may be many shoe stores but there are few woodmen that deal with firewood as a cut, split, and ready to deliver product. Among the limited dealers you can always find the unscrupulous that is just waiting to take advantage of a buyer with limited knowledge of the subject. If possible, only buy firewood from a dealer with a known reputation for being fair and honest. Avoid the “weekend pick-up truck” wood dealers.

Some things you should know about buying firewood and firewood dealers; what type of wood the dealer has available, in what quantities does he sell by, is it seasoned firewood (less than 20% moisture by weight), is it cut and split in the right length to fit your woodstove, and of course the price. Never buy firewood in quantities other than by the cord. It may be a full cord or a portion of a cord. A cord of firewood measures 8 X 8 X 4 feet, or 128 cubic feet. There are many other terms used to quantify firewood such as rick, short cord, tip 4 or tip 5, or a pickup truck load. Stay away from these dealers. Buy only by full measured cords or a measured portion of a cord. In most states firewood can only be legally sold as a cord because it is an unambiguous measure.

Where you live depends upon the type of firewood for sale. Hardwood is the best wood for burning in a woodstove. However, in some parts of the county where there is a limited supply of hardwood, softwood is burned in woodstoves and fireplaces. If possible stay with red oak, white oak, hard maple, hickory, beech, white ash, and birch. These varieties are not the best in terms of BTU; they are limited to approximately 20,000,000 to 25,000,000 BTU per cord. This represents approximately 144 to 179 gallons of #2 fuel oil in terms of BTU content. Don’t over pay for firewood or you may as well burn fuel oil. A cord of fire wood in the northeast varies from $250 to $400, depending on location and if it’s seasoned firewood. It takes approximately one year to dry fresh cut hardwood to less than 20% moisture.

If you have the time and the equipment, the cheapest way to buy firewood is by the log-length and cut it up yourself. This will reduce the cost per cord by more than half; however, it is a lot of work and you will require a chain saw and firewood splitter. I burn approximately six cord of firewood a year in a single woodstove. Because I buy it by log length and cut and split, the real cost per cord is approximately $90. I stack it and dry it for 18 to 24 months before burning.

See: Buying a Woodstove