# Survival > General Survival Discussion >  What does a "CORD" of split/stacked/delivered Firewood Cost???

## Sourdough

Where you are in the world what does firewood cost??? 

PER:  REAL CORD???

And why has it not increased at near the same rate as other fuels???

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## Riverrat

That would depend on where you are, in my area, New brunswick, Canada, it goes from 140.00 t0 200.00 per cord. Differanice is what type of wood and how it is split.

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## crashdive123

A little labor and sweat.  As you can imagine there isn't a large "market" for firewood in my neck of the woods.  As the themometer dips little stands pop up selling firewood.  I haven't seen anybody selling cords, but rather small bundles that will probably last but a few hours.  I've seen it go anywhere from $5 to $10.  A rip off in my book.  When I lived in Seattle area in the 80's a cord of pine - split, delivered, stacked - $45.  Madrona - about $125.  I'll stick to the labor and sweat while I can.

As far as why it hasn't gone up in cost as much as other fuels......I can get my own firewood.  I haven't yet perfected my exploration, drilling, extraction, refining yet for oil.

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## nell67

Last time I paid for a cord of wood,in 2000,it was $150. most people buy it by the rick around here,and now pay about $40-$45 a rick.

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## Sourdough

Nell, What is a rick...??? A cord is a legal measurement.... is a rick a con like a pick-up truck load of firewood...???

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## nell67

Yes hopeak, a rick is not considered a true measurement for selling,but it done here all the time,it measures 4'x8'x16"also called a "face cord'.

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## Sourdough

Thank-you..............

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## nell67

You are welcome....

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## Rick

A rick is pretty common in the Midwest. Sadly, I don't make any money on the infringement to my name. 

My firewood is free, Hopeak. I go to the landfill a couple of times through the summer and especially a couple of days after a strong storm. All the tree companies around here cut the wood up to a size they can handle then take it to the landfill. The landfill is tickled to get rid of it. They've already been paid by the tree company and the more I take the more space it provides them. Since it's already cut to length (I have a large fire box) all I have to do is split it.

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## Stony

depending on the wood (soft or hard) split shoudl be at least $ 250.
if someone is not willing to pay that price, they will get a cold butt.

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## MCBushbaby

> A rick is pretty common in the Midwest. Sadly, I don't make any money on the infringement to my name. 
> 
> My firewood is free, Hopeak. I go to the landfill a couple of times through the summer and especially a couple of days after a strong storm. All the tree companies around here cut the wood up to a size they can handle then take it to the landfill. The landfill is tickled to get rid of it. They've already been paid by the tree company and the more I take the more space it provides them. Since it's already cut to length (I have a large fire box) all I have to do is split it.


hey look!  a rick  

sorry, couldn't stop myself

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## Rick

Here's a local company (in the city) that sales by the rick: 

http://www.broadrippletree.com/firewood.html

This one is about 50 miles outside the city. Also by the rick:

http://apollotreetrimming.com/Firewood.html

About half the cost of the city.

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## Rick

As usual, that Nell is right on the money!! Here's everything you ever wanted to know about a rick, rack or a truck load. That must might strike a chord with you. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  

http://www.woodheat.org/firewood/cord.htm

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## Sourdough

I think firewood is too cheap, way too cheap. And if I see something way too cheap, I want to buy 100 cords or 1000 cords or a million cords.

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## Rick

Well now......I'll be happy to ship you 100 cords but you'll have to pay shipping.
Unless you want to swap and send me 100 cords back.  :Big Grin:

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## Ridge Wolf

> A rick is pretty common in the Midwest. Sadly, I don't make any money on the infringement to my name. 
> 
> My firewood is free, Hopeak. I go to the landfill a couple of times through the summer and especially a couple of days after a strong storm. All the tree companies around here cut the wood up to a size they can handle then take it to the landfill. The landfill is tickled to get rid of it. They've already been paid by the tree company and the more I take the more space it provides them. Since it's already cut to length (I have a large fire box) all I have to do is split it.


Thanks for the rick tip Rick. Here I think they re-sell it by the rick down at the wood re-cyclers dump. But a lot of warehouse businesses offer for free... old pallet wood, again by the rick and there is a small saw mill here that gives sawdust away but that is by the trailer load not by the rick. I use that for my garden as mulch and then till it under in the fall. Great for the soil as I have heavy clay soil, ricks of it.... :EEK!:  :Big Grin:

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## Rick

I don't know why the pallets wouldn't work if they haven't been treated. I would think it's pine. It won't have the BTU of oak but they say the best wood to burn is the wood you have.

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## Sourdough

> Well now......I'll be happy to ship you 100 cords but you'll have to pay shipping.
> Unless you want to swap and send me 100 cords back.


No, but thank you.....I am thinking I'll invest in 50 or a 100 cords of wood, and if the price doubles or triples I'll have a modest return. Fuel oil is up 280%. Chainsaws are up 31%. Fuel mix oil is up 240%. Fuel for the delivery truck is up 280%. At some point the delivered cords have to go up.

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## Rick

Wood and building products are down right now because of the slump in the housing industry. There's too much wood and not enough buyers. Those of you in the Northwest, I'll bet the logging industry is laying off or at least having trouble finding buyers.

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## Ridge Wolf

> Wood and building products are down right now because of the slump in the housing industry. There's too much wood and not enough buyers. Those of you in the Northwest, I'll bet the logging industry is laying off or at least having trouble finding buyers.


yep... houses are slow here. That 'Axemen' show has a cast of two or three logging operations here... and it is relatively current film.. kind of chronicles what the logging industry is doing up here in the PNW. Although I haven't looked at any stats... probably couldn't understand stats about it anyway as I am not in the logging industry.

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## Ole WV Coot

I pay $50 for a full size pickup load of red, white oak, hickory splits out to almost 2 cord. I get less wood if I pay for it split, don't stack well in their truck but same price and is sold by the pickup load down here.

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## Rick

Is there a difference between a pickup truck load and a still load? You gotta keep the still fired some way.

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## Ole WV Coot

No difference, we have stills in the yard and put up signs for tourists. We even get them to stand in front of it and sell them pictures. We are smart enough to hide them in the open. The revenooers never find them that way.

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## Sam

> yep... houses are slow here. That 'Axemen' show has a cast of two or three logging operations here... and it is relatively current film.. kind of chronicles what the logging industry is doing up here in the PNW. Although I haven't looked at any stats... probably couldn't understand stats about it anyway as I am not in the logging industry.


 Stats understandable. :Big Grin:

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## canid

a cord may be a real unit of measure, but around here most of the sellers try for forget that and just estimate. we have a lot of orchards around here, so that's where most of our firewood comes from, about $150/cord for almond, walnut, etc. it's usually quite poorly seasoned, and often not at all. the last load i've seen was riddled with white rot and is by now quite punky, even though it's been kept dry, though i don't mind because it as given to me.

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## Rick

You make an excellent point, Canid. Often "firewood" is little more than wood that has been removed for disease and/or rot. That's really true of fruit trees. So you want to inspect your wood prior to to purchase. 

You always want to ensure you don't transport the wood any distance. Insects, like the emerald ash borer, can easily be spread that way. Taking firewood with you on a vehicle camping trip should be avoided for that reason. Always acquire your firewood on site or as near to your camping area as possible if the campground does not sell or allow you to gather wood from the wild.

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## DOGMAN

Here in Montana its been going for around $150 to $180 for a really long time.

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## dilligaf2u2

HA HA HA ! I live in coal country. I can get coal cheeper then wood. Over load my long bed pickup as full as I can costs me $150. Have it delevered costs me $200.

Wood is free for me. My mother in law has land and trees. I can just go get it! 

Don

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## Rick

Okay, Don. You have to explain that one to me. If coal is cheaper than wood, how come coal costs you $150 a truck load and wood is FREE? Isn't that a little like putting the bacon on the outside of the sandwich?

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## RBB

Hmm.  Used to sell a cord of mixed hardwood (ash, oak, maple, birch) for $45 cut, split, and delivered.  Hate to say how long ago that was.  Used to keep me in good shape though.

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## RBB

> I pay $50 for a full size pickup load of red, white oak, hickory splits out to almost 2 cord. I get less wood if I pay for it split, don't stack well in their truck but same price and is sold by the pickup load down here.


?  Two cords on a pickup?  You must have larger pickups - or awfully light wood.  Pretty hard to get one cord on a one ton pickup around here.  You need to have a special rack that extends out beyond the sides of the bed.

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## Rick

It's dehydrated, RBB. Just add water. :Big Grin:

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## Ole WV Coot

If you want water they will deliver water maple. 3/4 ton with built up sides and the wood stacked well and not split gives you a lot more plus it's cheaper. Just about everyone down here has overload springs and 4X4 with the big 8. I guess I get it so cheap is a timbering job and a couple of sawmills close and they don't have to haul it over 10 miles. I am also very lovable and their wives help keep the price down plus I vote right.

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## crashdive123

> I am also very lovable and their wives help keep the price down plus I vote right.


Well that explains it. :Big Grin:

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## amranch

A cord of wood cost on Vancouver island is about $120,,(4x4x8'),usually u can get your own just on a Sunday drive.

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## nell67

Update on this thread,around here since the windstorm,you can get wood for $25-$35 a rick,or $75-$105 a cord. a litle more to get it delivered.

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## Sourdough

Nell, Would be great to have 10 cords, if the power went out for 4 months. I have 9 cords split&dried, and another 6 or 7 cords in rounds unsplit, but dried. If you buy it here it is $285.- to $325.- per cord, that is a real cord.

If I could buy split wood for your price I would buy 100 cords, maybe 200 cords. It is better than money in the bank.

There are few things that make one feel more like a outdoorsman more than splitting firewood.

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## sobeit

right now around houston you can probley get a cord of wood prity cheep. and most of it oak. some people will almost pay you to take it.

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## Ole WV Coot

Same as last year, same type wood, same person, same truck- $50

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## Sourdough

Coot, Are more people going to use wood this winter. I am going to try and use some electric heaters this winter to try and save wood consumption. Stove oil is $4.30 per gal. here.

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## Ole WV Coot

> Coot, Are more people going to use wood this winter. I am going to try and use some electric heaters this winter to try and save wood consumption. Stove oil is $4.30 per gal. here.


Oil is out of sight. I have relatives in Northern Maine that will have a tough time this year. I don't see much of an upturn in wood use around here. We have an abundance of wood now and had offers of free wood tops from a few farmers. Also right of way is being cut by power companies. Natural gas still isn't bad, yet. I got six loads($300) this year, don't have a gas line where I live but I know folks that have wells on their property and it doesn't cost them anything. It's dirty to burn but we have plenty of coal and what we call cannel coal is free, just pull off roads thru the hills and load up. It isn't quality stuff and leaves a lot of ash but it will keep you warm. My place is all electric but a mid-size Buck insert has kept my house warmer & cost down. I had folks calling me this year wanting to sell, but I have a good thing going with this one guy because he knows he can sell me a few loads green anytime he needs some cash.

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## Gray Wolf

Group buying for delivery in the same area, if you trust the people in your group, can be a good way to get a good price!

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## wareagle69

hmm my firewood cost me about 180,000 dollars not sure how many cords i got but it should lastme about a couple hundred years, not sure if i will be around that long though specially ifn i keep parking me arse in front of the funny box here

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## nell67

> hmm my firewood cost me about 180,000 dollars not sure how many cords i got but it should lastme about a couple hundred years, not sure if i will be around that long though specially ifn i keep parking me arse in front of the funny box here


Yep,but look at all the amenities that came with that firewood!!!!! :Stick Out Tongue:

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## Ted Foureagles

'Round here (Central Colorado), the lowest price I've seen lately on a good cord, split & delivered (dumped, not stacked -- never thought to ask about that), is a hundred and twenty bucks.  That's for about half cottonwood, with the rest aspen & pine.  Doesn't burn real well, but it's what's available here in the High Country.  I hear that you can get oak from Missouri for a little over twice that price -- might be worth it.

I've paid as much as $150/cord a couple o' years ago (and hear that the same stuff goes for $275 over the hill in Aspen), but the public land sources have opened up a bit since then.  It costs $10/cord (minimum 3, maximum 300 I think) to cut it from BLM or National Forest land.  Been a while since I was young & strong enough to do that.  The Dear Wife & I burn around 8 cords/year in a 3,000 sq.ft. 1893 house at 8,200'.  Propane fills-in for washing & cooking and the occasional furnace run, and costs us about half as much as the wood.

Back in the Seventies, my neighbor & I used to cut free wood from the boonies around Ft. Lewis, Warshintun.  We took the back seat out of his '66 Chevelle, pumped the air shocks up, and stuffed axe-cut 8' logs through the trunk.  Of course, in those big woods, we had to forego logs so large that it would have taken all day to hack them to a size two people could handle.  They probably burn mostly lumber scraps out there these days.

}}}}

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## Shaniun

I just paid $185/cord (measured cord) for fir.  I bought 4 cord for the upcoming winter, and have about 1.5 cord left from last year.  It's the only heat I use in the house.

Normally I get a permit from the gov't and go harvest my own from slash piles, but family situations didn't leave time for that this year.  If I get desperate I can go down to the beach and snag some drift logs, but that's really harsh on the stoves and the liners.

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## Sourdough

How does that Cottonwood burn.....? Does it take years to dry...? Fair amount of it near here but never heard of people burning it.

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## cabingirl

I just paid $120.00 for a cord of firewood. That was cheap, most here in Mississippi or paying $150.00 or more per cord of wood.

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## Fletcher

I'm not sure  but I'll guess around  $750.00 to $1200.00
They would have to fly it in. Would a beaver take off with
a cord of firewood on board? But have no fears that stuff grows around here.
We callem trees until there sideways then their firewood.

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## crashdive123

> I'm not sure  but I'll guess around  $750.00 to $1200.00
> They would have to fly it in. Would a beaver take off with
> a cord of firewood on board? But have no fears that stuff grows around here.
> We callem trees until there sideways then their firewood.


For that price I'll deliver all of the fire wood you want.  I'm only about 30 miles north of you......can have it there by supper.

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## Sourdough

But Crash,you don't have a beaver........ :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## crashdive123

True.......but I know somebody that does. :Wink:

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## Fletcher

OK Crash if you can put a cord of firewood on a beaver and make him-her fly I'LL give you $2000.00 a cord deal or no deal????????????????

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## crashdive123

You see there Fletcher, Im an entrepreneur.  So you just worry about coming up with the $$$$ and Ill work out the details on delivery. :Wink:

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## Ted Foureagles

> How does that Cottonwood burn.....? Does it take years to dry...? Fair amount of it near here but never heard of people burning it.


Cottonwood burns fast & sorta hot, with lots of ash -- not real good for an ovenight fire.  The stuff around here that falls (and it falls often) is as dry as it'll ever be when it hits the ground.  These are large, weak, short-lived trees, so it doesn't make much sense to cut a live one when it'll just come to you eventually.  It does have a nice hairy inner bark that makes for good starter.

}}}}

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## Fletcher

> You see there Fletcher, Im an entrepreneur.  So you just worry about coming up with the $$$$ and Ill work out the details on delivery.


Knowing you, You'll  find some link somewhere..................
With a 2" drywall screw and onefoot lenth of tiewire.......
duct tape and pliers................  Damn it  that cost me 2 grand!!!!!!!

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## nell67

Fletcher,don't give him ideas,make him work it out,LOL and your probably right about the link,there is probably a virtual beaver out there on its way to you with a virtual cord of wood,and it cost you 2 grand  :EEK!: 


 A lady today on the local buy ,sell ,trade show advertised a cord of mixed hard wood for thirty bucks.

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## crashdive123

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

Hey Crash, I'll call my cousins in to make an air drop.  Start stacking it for pick-up.......and as usual, remember our cut.

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## skunkkiller

I seen  210.00 today full cord and 275 a half because of the small load witch is the better deal but some people pay for the half cord.

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## pioneerboy

I live in the Sierra mountains in CA.  Oak firewood here costs $250 to $265 a cord (delivered) and is cut to 16 inches in length.  The cost was $165/cord in 1997.  Soft woods (pine, etc.) are much cheaper (about $150/cord).  It's important that oak be aged ("seasoned") for at least six months or you will have trouble keeping it lit.

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## Riverrat

Right now firewood is going for 185.00 split, but you pick it up. 240.00-280.00 delivered. That is up almost 40 buck from last year.

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## crashdive123

Although we don't go through too much wood around here, it was all free after the hurricanes passed. :Big Grin:

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