Reputable Wood Dealers

[taweste]

We purchsed our house in the spring and my first task amongst many was to purchase a stove for the existing flu, and wood. I bought the stove from Home depot, an Englnd 30NC for $750. I was very happy with my purchase. I looked to craigslist for a wood dealer and I found someone selling cords for $200. I scheduled a delivery and he arrived with a shortbed F150 full of unstacked wood along with a trailer approximately 8'x5'x3' also full of unstacked wood. I had no experience with wood other than talking to a few friends and looking up some stuff on the internet (I had yet to discover this forum). I was concerned that this was not 2 cords of wood and I expressed my concerns with the wood guy. He stated that he would give me what he had for $350. I hessitantly accpeted. While unloading the wood I was dissapointed to see lots of unsplit, large stumps and sticks, with some quality splits. I laughed as he left telling me he had more wood and to refer him to my friends.

Frustrated with my purchase I turned my back to the wood market, realizing that I still needed more wood. I came home one day to find a new pile of wood in the driveway, ordered by my fiance. She explained that her brother had referred her to someone selling semi-seasoned wood for $225 a cord. She bought 2 cords. the wood smelled fresh and it did not look like 2 cords. After stacking the wood I discovered that I had approximately 2 cords of wood (I used this calculator http://www.maine.gov/ag/firewood.html) which I had spent $800 on. When buring season began I was having trouble getting a good fire going, and using trial and error as well as alot of help from this forum I realized that my wood was not seasoned properly. I burned hot to try and prevent creosote build up, and using a firestarter my finance found (pinecone dipped in wax), I was able to get a good efficient fire burning on a regular basis. However, by Januray I was running out of wood.

I found another listing on craigslist advertising cords of wood for $190. What sold me on this guy was that he also provided references. He arrived, and again he had a pickup full of some stacked and some unstacked wood. Extremely frustrated I explained to him that there was not 2 cords there. He explained thatb his dump truck had broken down and that he would deliver the next cord tomorrow. He unloaded the wood, and i was happy to see that it looked good, and it looked like an actual cord. I stacked the wood and according to the cord calculator it was only about a 1/2 cord. Then I went to start a fire with the wood and it spewed moisture like crazy and it took me hours of blowing on the fire with a bellow to get my stove up to temp. I called the guy and told him not to deliver the 2nd cord.

And thats where I stand today. Before I smash my stove into pieces and sell it for scrap to purchase some oil, I figured I would look to the members of this forum to help me find a reputable wood dealer in central MA.

Thanks for reading and thanks for your help
Tim

 

[mellow]

I can understand your frustrations, I do not have any names to provide you, but I am sure it will be hard this time of year to find someone selling true seasoned wood. The first year or two are the hardest, if you can get through it you will learn alot and not make these mistakes again the next year.

Please do not take your frustration out on the 30, it is trying to do its job

From this point on it might be in your best interest to switch to an alternative way of heating your home. As you have found burning green wood is just not a good solution.

If you feel the need to burn wood here is what I would suggest:

1. Buy a moisture meter (tells you how seasoned the wood is, helps alot when buying "seasoned" wood from people)
2. Got any neighbors/friends that burn wood, see if you can swap your green wood for some seasoned wood
3. Buy some bio-bricks and burn with the green wood to help keep temps up (not the best thing to do but works)
4. Try scrounging around to find some used pallets to mix in with the wood to burn
5. Know anyone with downed trees? Standing dead trees can be cut and burned in a pinch, somewhat better than green wood

Next year will be easier, buy wood this year so it will be seasoned for burning next year, you will be alot happier.

 

[SlyFerret]

A couple things about making sure you get all the wood you're buying (or think you're buying)...

1) Make absolutely sure that you make it clear to the dealer that you're speaking in terms of full 4x4x8 cords.
2) Only buy wood in terms of cords (never tons/truckloads/etc...)
3) Get the wood dealer to stack it (or at least help you stack it) so that it can be measured BEFORE they leave.

The trick is to establish the price in advance, and then pay for exactly what is delivered.

Believe it or not, the last order I placed was for 5 cords, but when the dealers (two brothers) and I got done stacking and measuring, it came out to 5.25 cords. Not often that they bring more than you expect to get! Multiplied 5.25 x $130 (the agreed on price) and handed them their cash.

Somebody on here once told me that if the wood isn't stacked in a truck or trailer, you can get a rough estimate of how much wood there is by calculating the volume of the truck/trailer and then multiplying by .7 (Meaning that if the wood is just thrown into the truck, you loose about 30% of the space to extra air space). Turns out, that is actually a pretty good approximation.

-SF

BTW... Don't take this as a lecture... It's just what I've learned from experience. I'd rather pay a little more per cord for the help stacking than to find out I've been ripped off for a lot more money.

 

[logger]

Reputable seasoned wood sellers are few and far between. If you stumble upon one, dont lose their number. A rule of thumb for ordering split wood is to be sure you buy it at least a year in advance. That way it will have a full year to season. If you still have some green wood, it can be used next year. Many people sell "seasoned" wood in my parts that has only been split less than a month ago. I only know of one reputable person and he charges an arm and a leg to customers who come back every year because they know its been split and stacked for 2 years. Needless to say most people cant afford him but he does have some very loyal (and wealthy) customers.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Last year was my first year burning and I bought from a company called Helverson Brothers. A lot of people around here use them and after reading horror story after horror story about wood buying I can see why. You order two cords, they give you two cords. I bought 5 cords from them in total last winter and every order stacked up to the right measurement. It was clean, split wood to the size I requested, which isn't hard as I can jam up to a 22" split in the Vigilant.

Was it 'dry'. No. But it wasn't green. If I ordered my wood in advance, like I should have, it would have be perfect. But I didn't. I ordered two cords in September, two cords in December, and another cord in January (I had no idea how much I could expect to burn). Did I get some sizzling? Some.

The wood burned okay and it got us through the winter. I did have a good amount of creosote at the top part of the chimney.

This year I scrounged early and had my wood ready by the end of May. Is the wood completely dry? No, I hit the occasional wet spot in my stacks. But, it is a big improvement over last year. And my costs drastically dropped. 5 cords last year cost me $1075 in total. This year I had about 6 cords ready for this winter at a cost of $350 (plus my time, and the three axes I bought).

 

[taweste]

Thanks for all the advice!

I have started stock-piling for next year. I purchased 4 measured cords of freshly cut wood for $130/cord from a friend of a friend. Unfortunately he did not have any seasoned stuff available, and could not refer me to anyone.

 

[zzr7ky]

Hi -

If you have a fellow burner in your area you might arrange a swap to get you though this season. I'm cutting now for 2011-2012, so swapping would not cost beyond the effort of stacking.

ATB,
Mike

 

[Catspaw]

I was fortunate to be able to buy kiln dried firewood for this season from a local lumber company. No question about what "seasoned" meant. This stuff burns like a dream.

http://www.vermontlumber.com/firewood.php

According to their web site, a "thrown" cord (unstacked) should have a volume of 180 cubic feet.

 

[daveswoodhauler]

Tim, let us know where about you are located in Central Mass...i...PM me if you like...and if you are up near my area I will pass on my wood supplier to you. (He is small, and doesn't deliver very far, but always gives a full cord)

 

[Battenkiller]

I was fortunate to be able to buy kiln dried firewood for this season from a local lumber company. No question about what "seasoned" meant. This stuff burns like a dream.

http://www.vermontlumber.com/firewood.php

According to their web site, a "thrown" cord (unstacked) should have a volume of 180 cubic feet.

That's exactly how much my wood guy told me. He's extremely honest (OK.. he slipped in a bit of red oak into my two cord of hickory) but there's no doubt it's a full cord or a bit more, no need to stack it to find out.

If the guy has a dump truck or trailer, you can get a very rough idea of how much is in the pile by estimating its volume as if it was a cone. Volume of a cone is 1/3 x area of the base x height. Area of a circle is 3.14 x the radius squared. I just use 3 instead of 3.14 and then they cancel each other out in the equation. So volume is approximately the radius squared times the height of the pile. Good enough to get you close.

Many dump trailers won't raise high enough to make a good round base at the bottom of the pile (you have to drive it forward a few feet to get it all out), but you can average the two radii together and get a good guesstimate. It also helps to have someone else hold the measuring tape so you can step back to get a sense of where the top would be since it won't be pointy like a real cone. It most cases you will underestimate rather that over estimate, so if it looks good, it is good.

You can get a full cord - neatly stacked - in a full size pickup with 2' side racks, but most guys dump it in and leave room for chain saws, and three gas cans, etc. You won't get much more than half a cord when you stack a load like that.

 

[taweste]

I am in West Boylston

 

[taweste]

I have a bit of an update. After purchasing a moisture meter I discovered that the half cord of wood I had delivered was anywhere from 25%-40%. I called the guy who delivered it, told him the moisture content along with the fact that after stacking the wood it only amounted to 1/2 cord. He stated that I was the third complaint he had this week and that he assumed that someone had mixed up the seasoned and green wood piles. He stated that he had to determine why people were recieving green wood, and that he would get back to me this weekend to remedy my situation. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Spikem]

Thanks for all the advice!

I have started stock-piling for next year. I purchased 4 measured cords of freshly cut wood for $130/cord from a friend of a friend. Unfortunately he did not have any seasoned stuff available, and could not refer me to anyone.

That, to me, is a hell of a price.

 

[burntime]

Taweste, its not like its a 300 man operation...bet he does not call back, just enough time for the check to clear and to get you off the phone... I hope I am wrong, but it sure sounds that way...

 

[taweste]

I wish I had given a check! I gave him cash. I have some ideas of how to handle the situation, should it come to that, but in the meantime I am going to keep my fingers crossed and hope that there is at least a few honest people in this world.

 

[PapaDave]

Thanks for all the advice!

I have started stock-piling for next year. I purchased 4 measured cords of freshly cut wood for $130/cord from a friend of a friend. Unfortunately he did not have any seasoned stuff available, and could not refer me to anyone.

And so it begins. You are now on your way to being a much happier wood burner.
I wish there was a way for people who want to start this lifestyle to be informed of the need for DRY wood before they start.
Previous owners of this house burned, and left us a little over 2 cord c/s/s. Guess what, it was NOT dry. They had been burning for several years too. I thought we had it made,....... until the first fire.
We found a guy about a 1/2 mile from us who delivers c/s for a decent price, but he didn't get around to making the dropoff until the fall, even though I contacted him in the spring. It's the way it's done up here. Not me, though.
Good on ya' for getting this sorted out, and good luck.

 

[PapaDave]

I wish I had given a check! I gave him cash. I have some ideas of how to handle the situation, should it come to that, but in the meantime I am going to keep my fingers crossed and hope that there is at least a few honest people in this world.

taweste, maybe you have already read this, but if you want honest..........https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/50073/

 

[Battenkiller]

Taweste, its not like its a 300 man operation...bet he does not call back, just enough time for the check to clear and to get you off the phone... I hope I am wrong, but it sure sounds that way...

There is always hope, but I tend to agree with this. Every one of these guys is smart enough to know what a real cord looks like. The crooked ones aren't looking for repeat business. There is an area nearby that we call "Allentown" because most everybody there has the last name of Allen. All look like they have the same dad as well. There are about a dozen Allens cutting firewood out there - every last one of them give short loads. There is another area out near Vermont where everybody gives fat loads - always a full cord no matter how tight you stack it. The Allentown guys deliver in pickups, the Argyle guys use dump trucks and dump trailers. Guess who gets my repeat business every year?

I can no longer go out and do that kind of brutal work due to age, illness and injury, but I've done enough to know how hard these guys work for a living. I really don't mind a short cord here or there, but it better stack up to 7/8 of a cord if you are charging top dollar. In over 20 years of buying firewood, I have never once had a guy come back to make up for a short load. If he's out to screw you, he ain't coming back to unscrew you.