That's what someone told me this week while telling me about the log load he purchased. The very next words out of his mouth were, " How much is a cord anyway? Like, in feet." 
Quote: I only burn two cords a year.
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Soundchasm
Minister of Fire
And what you heard was the sound of Common Sense running away as fast as it could on its two feet. 
D8Chumley
Minister of Fire
Guy tells me he cut down a hand full of trees he has 15 cords of wood for me. He only wants 2 cords for himself. when I get there it is about 3 cords of wood. He had 1/3 of a cord set aside for himself.
D8Chumley
Minister of Fire
One of my neighbors is excited about his wood supply for this year. It's all maple and as he proudly put it, "it's had THE WHOLE summer to season!" He's outside splitting it right now.
BigCountryNY
Burning Hunk
One of my neighbors told me that he burned 9 cords last year. He's heating a 2 bed 1 bath home that's around 1000 sq ft. I know the house isn't insulated very well, but that's a LOT of wood to heat that little space. I saw him about a month ago with his splitter - asked him if he was going up to split the rounds on the back part of his property and he says he just finished. I asked him about the huge pile of rounds and he said that those were for next year. The wood he just finished splitting was for this year. So part of his wood consumption is due to the fact that his wood is most likely not dry, but I also wonder if he knows the difference between a cord and a face cord and he really burned 3 cords of wood.
Maybe, if it had been treated right. But it's been in rounds the whole time. He was still working on the splitting part today. The tree was cut down in April or May.
Not too good but if it's soft Maple, not split big, it might not be too bad in a few months...
Seeing lots of folks within the last week or so cutting and splitting their wood . . . and I strongly suspect it's not wood for next year or the year after that.
Wisneaky
Minister of Fire
I think most people just don't understand wood moisture content and how it effects performance.
Little Digger
Member
Maybe wonder on over with your moisture meter in hand, and explain to him why it's a good tool to have.
Though I spot check the wood I'll be burning for the current season, It's probably not necessary since I keep 3 seasons of firewood ahead. With this years score, I may shoot for being 10 seasons ahead.
FireFighterJake: The wood I'm currently splitting could potentially be used in 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21, and further. Is there such a thing as having too much firewood ahead? Not in my book!
Though I spot check the wood I'll be burning for the current season, It's probably not necessary since I keep 3 seasons of firewood ahead. With this years score, I may shoot for being 10 seasons ahead.
FireFighterJake: The wood I'm currently splitting could potentially be used in 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21, and further. Is there such a thing as having too much firewood ahead? Not in my book!
Around here a "Cord" is a lot of different things. It can mean a face cord... it can mean a short bed pickup filled to the top of the bed, it can mean an 8 foot pickup filled as high as possible... it can even mean a pallet of wood stacked in a square to about wait high. There is even a guy who charges $200 a cord for a dump truck filled to the top with wood. Neighbor bought wood from him last Feb because the wood is at the least CSS for 12-16 months... That dump truck fits 2.5 cords in the back... my neighbor told him that and this good old boy said "Well, I always charges $200 for a dump truck load and nobody even knows what a cord is so I just tell em its a cord" Turns out the he himself didnt know what a cord of wood is.
The term seasoned can mean a lot out here too.
That tree is fully seasoned "Welp, it fell down last spring and has been sittin there since, its fully seasoned wood"
This wood is seasoned "Well we cut it into round in april and it has sat there all summer, its seasoned"
This wood has been cut and stacked "We cut it into rounds and it has been sittin in a pile on the ground for at least all summer"
This oak is seasoned good "It was CSS in January of the current year and is ready for your stove this November"
The term seasoned can mean a lot out here too.
That tree is fully seasoned "Welp, it fell down last spring and has been sittin there since, its fully seasoned wood"
This wood is seasoned "Well we cut it into round in april and it has sat there all summer, its seasoned"
This wood has been cut and stacked "We cut it into rounds and it has been sittin in a pile on the ground for at least all summer"
This oak is seasoned good "It was CSS in January of the current year and is ready for your stove this November"
I can't find anybody in my area that even uses the term cord. Its typically bought by the "rick" which appears to be a face cord or by the pickup truck load. The fact that selling firewood in my area is not a regular or competitive business seemingly reduces the need for a widely recognizable standard unit of measure. In my part of Tennessee everybody and their brother has a chainsaw and a pickup so there is just not much market for it.
No, no, no. He's an older guy that won't take advice from anyone, especially someone half his age. I once offered to sharpen his chain for him after seeing him brutalize his with a file. He declined my offer and took his chains into a shop to have a pro do it. He also told me that chimney liners are just a scam for the industry to make money and his slammer has worked fine for years.
He really is a great neighbor though, and I mean that. We're the only two houses on a dead end gravel road and we do a lot to help and watch out for each other. Taking advice just isn't his strong point.
Same here in Indiana. A "rick" is one stack, 4x8x16". And it's the only unit of measurement people use.
Little Digger
Member
Around here, firewood is sold mostly by the pickup truck load, short and long beds. Occasionally I see a dump truck load. More often than not they had this "Call for prices" or similar which I don't quite understand. Just list the prices, how long it's been seasoned, and I would decide from there. Also, is the wood thrown in, or stacked? It makes a difference as far as how much wood your actually getting.
Eventually, there may come a time when I'll get to old to cut, split, and stack my own, so I may have to purchase some already split. Since I'm familiar with cubic feet and a cord, over a pickup or dump truck load, it would be nice if they just state what it is. third cord, half cord, cord etc. Listing the species would be nice since "mixed hardwood" covers a lot of area including the soft hardwood - poplar.
Eventually, there may come a time when I'll get to old to cut, split, and stack my own, so I may have to purchase some already split. Since I'm familiar with cubic feet and a cord, over a pickup or dump truck load, it would be nice if they just state what it is. third cord, half cord, cord etc. Listing the species would be nice since "mixed hardwood" covers a lot of area including the soft hardwood - poplar.
Up here in Maine, it seems everyone is familiar with how much is a cord and the firewood industry is regulated by the state bureau of weights and measures. Anyone selling short cords would be identified quickly and their name would be mud. Same goes for trying to mix in any pine with the firewood. It's a sure way to get a bad reputation.
What's wrong with seasoned pine? It's not hardwood but I have never had any issues burning some. Now if they advertise hardwood and there is a bunch of pine then I could see a problem with that but pine is wood that burns also. Quickly.....
I've always been told that it creosote the chimney and just isn't decent firewood. We have always avoided pine. But, if it helps, after reading this forum, I have put a little bit up for next season. I built a woodshed this summer and had to take down a small eastern whore pine that was in the way. I was going to take it to the dump, but, today I cut, split and stacked it in next year's stack. I have no idea how long pine needs to season. Should it be OK next season?
D8Chumley
Minister of Fire
Whore pine? Lol I'd say next year it will be fine. Pine soaks up the rain, I keep mine top covered. Well, I keep all mine top covered but especially my white pine. I used to think pine = bad until I came here. Now I have maybe 1/2+ cord for this year I can't wait to burn and looking for more
Babaganoosh
Minister of Fire
200 bucks for a dump truck load that stacks out to 2.5 cord? I'd probably stop scrounging, cutting, and splitting.
I agree totally. That is one helluva deal.
Yeah, I got a nice chuckle out of the whore pine myself. Around here the whore pine grows right next to the hooker honey suckles and the skanky sticker bushes.
I like the way your auto correct thinks though. LOL! That's just not right...........
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