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September 2006
Firewood
By Brian Murray
During the hot summer months, the last thing that most people like to think about is winter. The people who think ahead already have or at least made arrangements to obtain a good dry source of firewood. This has become more of a challenge in the last couple of years due to quantity and dryness issues.
When we talk about quantity we think, “a cord is a cord”. Well this is not always the case. When wood is purchased in an 8’ length the wood is purchased by the cord- usually in 7 cords or larger quantities. This is the way most suppliers purchase, before processing (cutting & splitting). The problem is that once the wood is split and piled it takes up less space than 8’ cords. The usual loss due to the smaller size is around 20%. The issue is does the supplier sell a full cord or the processed cord. If he sells the purchased/processed cord- it is now only 80% of what he bought. He also might sell a full cord that means he has to add an additional 20%.
As confusing as this might sound there is a simple answer. If you know how many cubic feet you are buying just divide it into the price paid- this will give you a price per cubic foot. All honest dealers will tell you how many cubic feet you receive along with the total price. If you buy a truckload, trunk load or any similar measure without cubic feet involved- there is no way to argue your case as these terms are not legal measurements.
Dryness is an issue that has been around forever. Most people have their own idea of what are dry vs wet. This varies from person to person even with the same wood. A new way to do this is to use a moisture meter. The cost of meters has come down a lot in the last few years, and will give a fair estimate of the moisture content. The only thing is, the wood has to be free of rain for at least a few days. If you get a reading below 20% it can be used. The lower the better and we find 14% to be right for most people. You might not be able to buy wood this dry initially, but proper drying conditions- time of year- type of wood- as well as the way it’s piled can produce satisfactory results. One thing that is hard to tell is how long the wood has been first cut. Most dealers won’t sell wood unless it has been cut for at least a year. When the wood is in 8’ lengths it is starting to dry, but dries much faster once cut, split and piled.
The best way to get a deal is to go and look at the dealer’s wood and ask questions. Most dealers will tell you all you want to know and more. This also gives you a feeling for the company you are doing business with as well the quality of the product. If you have doubts of the integrity of the dealer- keep on looking. Remember if it sounds too good to be true-it probably is. Caveat Emptor.
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