Anyone price hardwood by the big truckload lately? Big truck to us down here is an 18-wheeler. Tractor-trailer rig that hauls logs. Friend of mine sells like I do and he told me he has a logger seller (we both know him, reputable) but the logger is only cutting pine right now. But if he gets hardwood, it is bringing $80/ton on the market. Meaning the logger gets this from the mill, so, that would be the price we'd pay if we bought it from him. I think he repeated a term I have heard alot online... about 9 cords per truckload? I was thinking that green red oak or white oak is roughly 5,000 lbs. If that's the case, the cord of green wood would cost you $200. Of course, there's another problem and that is getting it off the trailer. We don't have trucks that have loaders/unloaders on them. But that's not the reason for the post... price is. I recall seeing people say they can buy truckloads for about $900. Has it gone way up or what? The truckload in this example, if these numbers are correct, is $1,800. At $200/cord cost of green wood, it doesn't dollar up, obviously. My friend's selling price is $250/cord. I told him to go up but he can't go up enough! He's been scrounging like me, not buying truckloads but the problem is finding enough raw, green wood to process. I'm not concerned about it, as I am probably going to get out of selling but he's younger and wants to figure it out!
I totally agree Yawner that the dollars earned aren't worth the effort if the buying and selling price per cord is correct. I currently sell a face cord for $275 and will likely raise that another $5-10 next month to cover the increase in diesel. And I average about $25 in tips per delivery--more during the holidays. My current 70 cord inventory is about 2/3s free cut hardwoods and 1/3 purchased white oak and hickory. I pay $70 per face cord cut and split; however, I have to re-split about 3/4s of it since it is mostly boiler wood size. If I didn't enjoy producing and selling firewood, I certainly could make more money and work a lot less doing a 9-5. Good luck to your friend figuring this out.
I’m guessing hardwood is not as plentiful in your area? I see full cords of firewood priced in my area for between $175.00 - $250.00 Last triaxle I heard of with hardwood (roughly 6 - 7 full cords) was $700.00 a load. It’s amazing the difference in price in different parts of the country.
Sooooo…. Bring in a semi and a triaxle with a loader on it at the same time. Use the triaxle to unload the semi.
There are no triaxle trucks here, it is 100% tractor/trailer rigs. The only way I know of (and I have checked) if you aren't in the logging biz and have a loader is to have a large skidsteer with grapple. But it had best be able to reach high because the bunk of a tractor-trailer rig is high. And around here, logs are full logs, they are long and unwieldy. As for hardwoods being scarce, this is predominately the land of the southern pine but there are still hardwoods; each day, truck after truck of hardwood logs passes right by my house going to a mill.
Last summer price for a load was 100 a cord. This year same size load is 145 cord. Truck loads are typically 10 cord. I ordered 11 cord and then 12 cord more. I was lucky to find the 2nd load at the old price. With me being on the northern edge of the nation and you being on the southern part, I don't know if this info will help you out one bit.
Good info. Based on a price down here of $200/cord, cost to the firewood seller, and that is buying in 'bulk,' firewood should sell for way the heck more than it does. I sold for years at $240, went up to $280 last year and could have got more. I remarked constantly that there really isn't any money in it. I didn't do it for the money, I did it cuz it helped keep me active and I like being in the woods. But I don't want to lose money, so, I figured I could get $280 and did. The only way you could break even or make a little bit at $280/cord down here is if you scrounge, getting your logs for free and the rest is labor. Having to pay my helper cuts into my profit but I'm too old to do it all myself like I used to. I have spoken to two sellers who called me today looking for wood; both bought from me last year because I had good firewood and they were out. They paid retail for my wood and didn't blink. They are needing more wood now and we haven't even really started selling. That doesn't start until the first cold snap and that's usually October. Point is, demand exists. The price should be rising, seems to me. Seems to me that down here, firewood should sell for $350 - $400 a cord. And I mean firewood like I sell, high quality wood, cut uniform, not huge splits, and honest volume, no cheating on the cordage. I guess the problem is methheads who steal a chainsaw or borrow one and sell firewood for lowball price. I don't think I've ever seen one of those guys sell good quality wood.
Am I reading this right? $275 per face cord? If so, that is crazy good for you. I have never heard of getting that much for a face cord
Had the first real cold morning today and my phone won’t stop buzzing. I am selling for $275 a face cord/$825 a cord delivered and stacked. And will be raising my prices soon. I am totally lost on selling a cord for 1/3 of my price. Guess there are a lot of sellers that work hard for less than $10 a hour. Good on you
Read a Wall Street Journal article a few days ago that stated the average retail worker makes about $20 a hour these days. No equipment, maintenance, repairs or danger involved. I don’t give my firewood away and nobody else should either.
With tips, $300 per face cord is my average. I only sell the best of firewoods found in middle Tn. My opinion is that $350 would be a living wage price. Local firewood companies sell for about $360 for quality face cords delivered and stacked. I am certain my quality and quantity of firewood and service is superior, so think I have room to raise my prices.
I believe that you may have the perfect spot for selling firewood, lots of folks with a lot of extra disposable income & you are close to a metropolitan area. Good for you on getting what you can. At what you are getting per cord, in most places it would be more economical to use LP or natural gas & not have to deal with a wood stove/furnace.
This is basically the way I go too- with one small deviation. I called around to some area landscapers and tree guys and found a guy who takes down trees and has to process them himself. Every so often I'll send him a message to see if he's going to be in my area and I'll take wood off his hands. If your buddy is looking to sell cut/split firewood- perhaps he could make some calls and see if there's any local tree guys he could get in touch with. Getting it all in one shot from a big truck would be convenient for sure, but the economics of "free" can't be outdone. (fixed a spelling error)
The only way he can get those prices IMO is... lots of upper middle class to upper class buyers, probably lots of women, and they are buying for ambience, the crackling of the fire, inside or firepits. And... there are 2million people in Nashville metro area. Anyone buying for heat won't pay that. Plus, he delivers and stacks. Premium, 'bug-free' wood. It sounds crazy but I can see how it could possibly bring that much. But I've not heard of it until EODDriver showed up. I have seen $500-$600 advertised in Dallas area but not $900.
Have not had much luck with that around here. They have their set routine and most do not want to deviate. Plus, they might just take it home and do firewood, too. I did have one guy I approached when I saw him doing a job, and he brought me a load when he was in this area. I wish he would call again, lol. I gave the guy a tip for gas money.
I only have a hand full of buyers that heat with firewood. And they have very high end stoves and could easily afford to use other resources. The money in firewood is made by serving those who enjoy flames. Smokers, Solo Stovers, and patio fire place burners are my major customers. My typical customer is a triple burner: inside fireplace, patio fireplace and fire pit. And building a large base of four way burners that smoke/cook with firewood. These people keep me busy delivering firewood all year long.
All of our log trucks are actual 18 wheelers too. Unless you find some excavation contractor using his dump truck on the weekends to sell short 14 footers. Our log trucks frequently are self loaders. Maybe 10%. I just bought and processed a full log truck of “hardwood” well maple and it was 44000 lbs of logs. 40’ long, 1-2 foot diameter. Lovely load. I just finished stacking it and it got me 10.25 cords of sellable wood plus about 1/2 cord of uglies/shorts. Cost was 1200$. But seems to now be 1500$. If you have lay down area, those 40’ logs are nice. Less short cutoffs and a 40’ straight log means no junky twisted crap.
