Anyone else notice increase in Firewood Sales since social distancing hit?

Busy Beaver Lumber · April 17, 2020, 08:02:52 AM

So has anyone else noticed an increase in bundled and bulk firewood sales since the virus hit? I have noticed a vast increase in both over the past month and a half. We currently service over 70 locations and are delivering over 25,000 bundles of wood in a typical year to convenience stores, campgrounds and retail stores.

Since all campground in Indiana are closed, i know the increase is not attributable to the normal increase that happens once camping season opens in mid April. I have some locations that are selling better than 40 to 50 bundles a week. Whereas the winter months are usually our peak times for bulk deliveries of a cord of wood at a time, I have also seen a huge increase in those delivery requests in the past month as well, with many people saying it is to have fire pits going at home for the spring, summer, and fall.

My best guess is that with all the travel and lodging restrictions, people are staying home and having back yard campfires in record numbers. So don't chip up or burn those flitches...cut them up into 16" long pieces and sell them as firewood while the demand is high.

Your thoughts?

Stephen1 · April 17, 2020, 08:57:43 AM

I am getting calls for people looking for dry firewood, I think we have cottagers hiding out from the city and now need firewood.
We have a complete outdoor Fire Ban from my area north in Ontario.

OH logger · April 17, 2020, 07:31:48 PM

I'm not too far from you beaver and I'm seein the same exact thing. I've even sold a little barely dry enough wood cause people are still heatin with it. That's when we have a few cold days. Then when we get a few warm days the backyard burners come. I guess it's either have a campfire in the backyard or stare at each other some more in the house 😆. Bundle sales at the gas stations have been great too. The camp ground campers are callin and say they'll be over for a cord of camp wood as soon as the campground opens.

Busy Beaver Lumber · April 18, 2020, 08:35:32 AM

OH logger. Glad to hear you are seeing the same surge in firewood business. To be honest firewood sales to people stuck at home are our biggest seller right now.

We are licensed Indiana auctioneers but had to stop in person auctions because of the social isolation rules. That puts quite a dent in our monthly auction income, but is the right thing to do. We have switched over to doing online auctions with some degree of success. In fact we have a on-line coin auction going on right now with over $3400 worth of coins that are already selling and still have 7 days to go, so we are pretty happy with that. Would expect that auction to bring in close to $5000 to $7000 when all is said and done.

Sawmill wood sales have been pretty decent as people are stuck home and doing more woodworking on the weekends.

Ebay sales have been good as well with all the people sitting home with precious little to do in their free time. Military collectibles, sports collectibles, artwork, cast iron banks and signed books are doing well there.

Spike60 · August 18, 2020, 06:34:48 AM

This thread was an interesting question coming out of last year's heating season. Curious as to what everyone is seeing with this year's heating season just around the corner. Most anyone who sells wood in this area comes into the shop now and then and the refrian is the same. There's naturally a bit of a survivor mentality kicking in what with all that's going on, so everybody wants more wood. And they are more inclined to take it early to insure that they don't get locked out.

The other factor around here is that most of the second homes have become primary homes and many of those folks are also looking for wood. Net result is demand is exceeding the supply and no one has burned a stick of wood yet. Most sellers are just trying to satisfy their regular customers and aren't looking for new ones. Going to be an interesting season.

jerry sundberg · August 18, 2020, 06:40:56 AM

Every body and their uncle is selling wood here at + $200 now !

Ljohnsaw · August 18, 2020, 12:31:27 PM

Quote from: jerry sundberg on August 18, 2020, 06:40:56 AM
Every body and their uncle is selling wood here at + $200 now !

Is that a face cord (16") or a full cord? Here (up the hill a bit), Incense cedar is selling around $175/cord (full) and oak around $350.

Corley5 · August 18, 2020, 01:03:55 PM

It's been busy here especially camp wood and bundles. Bundles are more than double what we produce in a normal year. Had our typical mid summer slow down for heating wood but that's over now. There's close to a 100 face cord on the list. I'm wrapping up a couple farm projects and will get back to the firewood grind in a couple days. Winter's coming ;D

barbender · August 18, 2020, 05:50:51 PM

How many bundles do you do a year, Corley?

Corley5 · August 18, 2020, 08:44:05 PM

In a normal year about 3,000. We've done close to that # since mid May this year.

mike_belben · August 18, 2020, 08:52:21 PM

How long do you guys season your bundles?

Corley5 · August 18, 2020, 08:59:33 PM

Been using bug ash this season. Bundle right off the processor and deliver.

barbender · August 18, 2020, 10:09:19 PM

We can't use ash unless it's heat treated in MN, which is a real shame because black ash is some of the nicest straight easy bundling wood. We just hit 3000 bundles this summer. That's the most I've done and it's stretched my capacity😊 I actually just ran out of processed wood, it will be back to the chainsaw and splitter for the Labor Day rush. I also have a bunch of mill slabs I'll be using.

Mike, I try to keep reasonably seasoned wood, as in I put up a pile with a rented processor in the spring and then work out of that. I also have small birch that was logged in the spring. The bark falls off and it is again, reasonably dry when it is split. I also keep dead standing softwood and cedar on hand to mix in, so the campers can always get their fire lit😊

mike_belben · August 18, 2020, 11:00:45 PM

Last year or maybe year before.. I made up maybe 40 bundles and went all around trying to sell them. At that time the wood was probably 3 months seasoned under tin on a pallet. They were plastic wrapped and the remainder have been in my little drying shed .. The trash fired kiln one. No water wind or sun. Its insulated and vented. Pretty stable temp inside.

I am seriously ashamed that they STILL wont light easily.. I just used one the other day. The plastic was open on the ends but theres not a single drying crack on em. I guess i should check the moisture.

Stephen1 · August 19, 2020, 07:45:59 AM

The plastic relly does not help the drying, even though it is open on the ends.

mudfarmer · August 19, 2020, 08:05:48 AM

Quote from: mike_belben on August 18, 2020, 11:00:45 PM
Last year or maybe year before.. I made up maybe 40 bundles and went all around trying to sell them. At that time the wood was probably 3 months seasoned under tin on a pallet. They were plastic wrapped and the remainder have been in my little drying shed .. The trash fired kiln one. No water wind or sun. Its insulated and vented. Pretty stable temp inside.

I am seriously ashamed that they STILL wont light easily.. I just used one the other day. The plastic was open on the ends but theres not a single drying crack on em. I guess i should check the moisture.

What kind of wood? It has been a crazy dry year here, I have hard maple, beech and black cherry that were cut live this spring and were stacked between trees in the woods(not covered) that are so cracked from drying you can near see through them!

mike_belben · August 19, 2020, 08:56:37 AM

Red oak, white oak and red maple are the only thing id put in a bundle. I didnt cut much hickory back then.

Im in middle tennessee @2000ft. It is very sunny and windy but always humid. We have a lotcof agricultural issues from fungal conditions. Winter is lots of rain but hardly ever a deep freeze or snow.

My outdoor wood piles under tin always fade and crack, they dry just fine but its that sun and wind action doing the work. If sheltered from it drying is severely retard.

I know the plastic wasnt gonnna help but it was just a case of testing the market. No response meant i wasnt gonna invest in it. Firewood customers here have no issue with green wood. Some demand it. Long story.