Some Tips on Buying Firewood

Very few things are more inviting than a crackling fire in the fireplace.

Of course, wood costs money. Increased demand has increased prices, so, it is important to shop around for the best value.

To get the greatest value from firewood, it should be well seasoned and dry. Green wood will burn, but seasoned or dry wood will burn easier and it has more heat value. Any moisture in the wood reduces the heat output because the moisture absorbs heat when it is changed to steam. To get the maximum heat, wood should be seasoned after cutting and splitting.

If you buy unseasoned wood, you will have to either season it yourself or be satisfied with less heat output.

There really is quite a difference in the heat value from various kinds of wood. All are not equally good sources of heat. The harder woods such as oak, beech or apple tend to burn more slowly and put out more heat than softer woods such as willow, birch, poplar or pine.

Of course, the harder woods weigh more than soft woods, but most wood is bought by volume rather than weight so you are paying the same for either one.

The standard measurement for firewood is a cord, a stack four feet high, four feet wide and eight feet deep, containing 128 cubic feet. The actual volume of wood in a cord is about 100 cubic feet because of the spaces between the logs.

A rick or face cord is sixteen inches wide and represents one-third of a standard cord.

In urban areas, firewood is sometimes sold by the pound or part of a ton. A face cord of mixed wood usually weighs about a ton so you can figure the price accordingly.

Buying wood by the truckload is less precise. Depending upon how the wood is stacked, the amount in a truckload can vary tremendously. If you buy a truckload of wood, you probably should specify the weight or number of cords you will expect.

When you bring your wood home, stack it in neat loose piles off the ground, preferably in sunlight. Plastic sheeting or closer stacking of top pieces will protect firewood from rain and snow.

Firewood put in a shady corner near buildings and surrounded by shrubs and other vegetation deteriorates faster than wood stored in a sunlit location. Wood stored on the ground soon decays, reducing the fuel value.

Store split pieces with split side down. Do not stack firewood against buildings because termites may attack the wood and eventually enter the building.

Storing wood for longer than one year increases insect and disease problems. Periodically check the woodpile for insects. Be especially alert for powder post beetles, bark beetles, carpenter ants and termites.

Source: David Robson, Horticulture Educator, Springfield Extension Center

Autumn 1998
Powdery Mildew Thrives Now | "Wet Feet" of Shrubs, Trees & Flowers | Baking Soda Update | Some Tips on Buying Firewood | Lawn Care Caldenar | Bug Bites: Slugs | Cybergarden Sites | Hort Shorts | Hort Tips | Refrigerator Storage | Locally Grown: Edible Flowers | Pre-Washed Salad Greens | Foodborne Illness: What Consumers Need to Know | Health & Household Tips | Did You Know?

Index | Feedback