The price of firewood in Wisconsin is skyrocketing. Most people that burn firewood, purchase it by the semi load from loggers. The wood is freshly cut and still has to be cut to length, split, stacked and seasoned. It usually comes in 10 - 12 cord (4' x 4' x 8') loads. Last year the cost was around $65/cord, which included delivery costs. Minimum purchase amount is 10 cords. This year, the price ranges from $80 - $100 cord. The reason for the big price jump? The pulp mills are paying significantly more for hardwood pulp. Stora Enso, the biggest buyer of pulpwood in the state, now pays as much as $120/cord (trucking allowance included) for hard maple pulp. This is driving the price of locally delivered firewood through the roof. Whats it like in your area?
Firewood, a novelty here, goes for $60.00 per level pick up load locally; split, dryed, and delivered. This is Central Florida where we turn on the lawn sprinklers to let the kids see icesicles dureing freezes, about once every few years.
Hoop, any idea as to the end use of the hardwood plup? Good oak saw timber has a decent market off shore. I cannot sell pine plulp here as there is no demand. I have some pine acreage needing thinned.
I haven't checked the price this year, but last year was $80/cord on mixed poplar/birch delivered in minimum 12 cord load logs 8' lengths. To buy it cut and split is uneconomical to buy the 12 to 15 cords for the heating season, or it would be at least $120/cord. Demand here too for strand board mill on poplar. A new mill opening down east will put more pressure on the supply. Jackpine for the pulp and paper mill, and it's higher every year. That competes with the high price paid for firewood. I wouldn't be surprised if it's $200/cord in just a few years, and this is supposed to be a major forested region. I pity what others will have to pay near logged out areas. Add to that the higher cost of fuel to deliver, and it's a doubly whammy.
Prices here have remained stable, although, I really wonder why when I consider that diesel fuel prices have gone up to more than 50% what they were from a year prior. Just goes to prove that ALL fuel prices are interrelated. Price of one goes up, the rest will soon follow.
The solution, is possible, is to raise your own quick growing trees for firewood. Of course, the wood isn't as good as hardwood, and it takes a bit of space. However, I cannot imagine $200 for a cord of wood! Yikes! Wood has always been cheaper.......maybe now only if you have your own wood!
You can't give firewood away here. An ambitious person can have all they want for free if you follow the tree trimmers for the power company. They drop hardwood trees and cut them to length and leave them laying. I have seen piles lay there for weeks before someone picked them up.
I get wood for free. I have a few tree companies and demolition contractors that call me when they have a decent volume. I pick it up as logs for free. I have the equipment I need for this, and they get rid of the wood. Cut it to length, split and season it and it sells for $200 - $300 a cord depending on the type of wood. It's a nice little income stream for me in the winter. Pete
I have worked timber products since I was 13....In nw Montana it is normal for firewood to be 125-150 a cord for fir and larch.....bear in mind that delivery can be up to 70 miles one way.... I love to see the price climbing......another twenty to thirty bucks and I may break even selling my own firewood!!!! Don't kid yourself wwhatever you are paying for firewood is cheap!!!!
I'm hoping that my price will be free next year. I have enough woods to supply our needs - I just need to make the time to cut and split (along with a million other projects). This winter though, since we moved late in the summer, I'm paying $30 a rick (3 ricks to a cord) for cut & split oak. I pick it up a couple miles up the street.
I'd check the amish saw mills. We get ours there for SOOOOOOO cheap. Like $15 a truckload. That's about 2 ricks. So try there!
