Actual cost of firewood

[LD1]

What seems to be missing in the discussion here is very basic to our situation. I own 45 acres of mature hardwood forrest. The wood does not cost me a cent. If I owned an oil refinery, or a natural gas well, I might use those products. Since I don't, I use what I do own. There are always trees that need cutting, trimming or removal (called managing the forest). I seldom cut live trees, for example, we had a flood here this past spring that uprooted dozens of large oaks and hickory. Some were 36 in. diameter and over a hundred years old. Easily got 7 cords of cut wood from them. Cost, a new chain for the saw, and a couple of gallons of gas, some saw oil and my time. Cheapest heat I know of.

What's missing is.....

That while the wood is free, and you can tell yourself you are saving hundred of dollars on a fuel or electric bill every month......the wood still has value.

Around here, it's about $160 per cord.

So whatever you think you are saving.....deduct the value of the wood....what you could have reasonably sold it for. And what's left over is your "actual" savings

 

[tcreeley]

If you are not paying money to someone else, you are saving money. If you are paying less money to someone else- you are saving money. This is my way of thinking.

 

[TheMan419]

What's missing is.....

That while the wood is free, and you can tell yourself you are saving hundred of dollars on a fuel or electric bill every month......the wood still has value.

Around here, it's about $160 per cord.

So whatever you think you are saving.....deduct the value of the wood....what you could have reasonably sold it for. And what's left over is your "actual" savings

Correct and if that wood is $160 and you could have heated the home for $100 in propane you lost $60 by heating with wood.

My thought is the enjoyment some people get processing the wood is where the "Savings" is. Although you can to an extent put a price on that too. $160 a cord and how long does it take you to process. If 10 hours that is $16/hr. If you could work OT at your job for more than $16/hr you are losing money again.

 

[Deere Dude]

Something nobody mentioned is the uneven heat in the house with a Woodburner, unless it is an outside kind running through the furnace.

 

[4570Man]

Correct and if that wood is $160 and you could have heated the home for $100 in propane you lost $60 by heating with wood.

My thought is the enjoyment some people get processing the wood is where the "Savings" is. Although you can to an extent put a price on that too. $160 a cord and how long does it take you to process. If 10 hours that is $16/hr. If you could work OT at your job for more than $16/hr you are losing money again.

I seriously doubt that propane or any other fuel source could be bought cheaper unless you’re burning the wood extremely inefficiently. What if you’d rather split wood than work your day job? What if overtime doesn’t exist at your job?

 

[buckeyefarmer]

IF i have wood, that i own, its free in my books. Yes, it has a value if sold, but that also takes more time and money. if I wasnt intending to use it, i wouldnt cut it to start with. Selling anything is a big, timewasting hassle.
I would rather be cutting my own wood than work overtime, no matter the cost. People who chase every buck lose out on so much in life. Cutting your own wood, mowing your own grass is like therapy, gets you away from the stupid stuff in the world.

 

[Rock Crawler]

IF i have wood, that i own, its free in my books. Yes, it has a value if sold, but that also takes more time and money. if I wasnt intending to use it, i wouldnt cut it to start with. Selling anything is a big, timewasting hassle.
I would rather be cutting my own wood than work overtime, no matter the cost. People who chase every buck lose out on so much in life. Cutting your own wood, mowing your own grass is like therapy, gets you away from the stupid stuff in the world.

Yep, I don't get the folks trying to put a cost on something that for many is first of all, a choice and second of all a leisure activity. I also look forward to cutting wood, fixing trails, cutting grass and doing other "man things" around the place that we live. I'm not an idiot, I know that I am paying money for my tools/equipment and that translates to paying to do the things I love. I also have over $50K in a rock crawling Jeep, I pay money to do that activity as well. But I choose to, it makes me happy. I really have zero interest in trying to sell any wood. I cut it and then I burn it in ways that make me happy. It doesn't matter the level of inefficiency of the burn... I am doing exactly what the heck I want to do.

I do not see selling firewood as a profitable endeavor, it takes to much time and labor for the little bit of money you get. If you want to make money, go make money. If you want to play in the woods and cut firewood and maybe you cut so much while enjoying yourself that you really have to sell it... then sell it for whatever you can.

 

[LD1]

If you are not paying money to someone else, you are saving money. If you are paying less money to someone else- you are saving money. This is my way of thinking.

Theman419 summed it up pretty well.

I heated my house for two winter's. Took about 5 cord per winter. No ductwork. Hot basement, and cold bedrooms.

I can sell that 5 cords for $800.

I installed geothermal. I average $700 per winter, and have a more comfortable house and more even heat.

So how is cutting my own free will saving me anything if I choose to burn it and shut my Geo off for the winter?

I still get all the perks, exercise, enjoyment, etc of cutting wood. But don't have to deal with the mess in the house and those related hassles. All the while saving money by selling the wood and buying heat rather than burning it.

Kinda best of all world's.

What I don't understand is those that say they would not cut wood just to sell.

What's the difference between burning and selling? By burning your FREE wood....you are in essence burning money. (Whatever the value of the wood is). But too many people are so proud to thumb their nose at big utility that they fail to see the bigger picture. That they aren't saving nearly as much as they think. And that they could possibly be loosing money....just depends on firewood cost in their area, alternative heating costs....and what type if any alternative heat they have.

There is no doubt in my mind that with wood prices of $160 around here.....geothermal is most certainly the cheaper way to heat my home

 

[Rock Crawler]

LOL, I guess this post isn't meant for people like me. I don't heat with firewood, I drink beer and have fun with my friends and family with firewood. I happen to do a lot of drinking beer and having fun with my friends and that takes a lot of firewood! It's not a lot of fun to stand around your camp area in your property without a fire and drinking beer staring at the trees in the dark. And a fire to that and suddenly you have a great evening! For about 6 months out of the year we have fires every weekend at the camp area and invite friends over to hang out and socialize and drink. During the cold part of the winter we often have fires every weekend at least one day in the living room. It's all pure Leisure for me, I have no interest in trying to heat with firewood. That sounds like too much work when I have a nice furnace and thermostat hanging on the wall.

 

[Creamer]

I figure fuel and chainsaw chains is $5 a rick. Figure maybe another $5 a rick for a splitter but I doubt it痴 that high. I壇 have have a tractor and chainsaw anyway so not fair to factor that cost in. I don稚 know if I壇 have a dump truck or not if I wasn稚 selling firewood. Insurance is $600 a year for it, but it痴 the only truck that actually drives that I致e had since July so it痴 not fair to hit that cost entirely on firewood. I知 starting in the business of house flipping so it痴 probably a necessary vehicle anyway.

How do you figure fuel and chains at $5 a rick? that seems really high. I can cut a cord of hardwood easily on a quart of gas, my chain lasts for a few years and it costs $15 so it would be less than a $1/cord or $.33/rick. My chain oil is $10/gallon and lasts well over a year so it is about a $1/cord or $.33/rick. I can't even get close to your numbers.

BTW - I cannot compare splitter numbers as mine is a 12 lb maul.