# What dos everyone pay for wood by the cord?



## smelt240 (Apr 10, 2016)

Im in Maine, going to be using a lot of wood soon for my trailer.  I have a guy not too far away who delivers wild Cherry or Apple for $225 a cord.  I know Im getting a steal at that price, for either one. Both are semi-dry, worked good in my stick burner.  Oak and maple seem to be around $200 a cord green, up to $300 or so for seasoned. A guy down in Southern Maine wanted $300 a pick-up load for shagbark Hickory. Seemed high, but did taste and smell good ( I got a small sample back seat full from him).   Just kind of wondering what its like in other places???


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## cliffcarter (Apr 10, 2016)

I'm in Old Town. FWIW I get my cooking wood for free from friends and the maples around the house.

If you are getting cherry and apple for $225 a cord that's a great deal IMHO, both go well with all meats. They are all you need.


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## 3montes (Apr 12, 2016)

I'm having a cut, split cord of red oak delivered in a couple weeks. $200 dropped at my house. I'm happy to get it. Red oak is my favorite wood for the stick burner. I also picked up a pick up load of sugar maple for $100 last week. Apple wood I stumble across for free from friends. I watch Craigslist. Fruit tree trimmings show up there once in awhile when people trim their trees.


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## phatbac (Apr 12, 2016)

I bought a Lang patio back in february. about the end of january i bought 1/2 a cord of wood for it. Red oak cut into 12" logs seasoned a year. and he delivered and stacked it for me for $75. He said i could have hickory if i want for the same price but both are really common down here in NC. i have in 2 months used about 1/3 of the 1/2 cord i bought. (1/6 cord i guess) figure i will buy another load at the end of the summer.

Happy Smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)


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## smelt240 (Apr 12, 2016)

Hickory for $150 a cord would be awesome.  I have a pretty good sized piece of woods, thought about clearing an acre or 2 and planting hickory, just for later use.  We have a few acres that is going to be covered in Christmas trees over the next 7 years, maybe a few dedicated to smoking wood wouldn't be a bad idea.  Im going to do some seedling research now...


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## cb1314 (Apr 27, 2016)

I live in southern Maine now, but grew up down the road in Richmond.  I'm looking into getting a stick burner and need some wood.  Where can I get some/contact someone to either pickup or have some delivered?  I do not care if they're logs or its already split, I don't mind doing the work.  Most places I've contacted that have wood just mix it together for firewood.  Thanks.


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## brandon91 (Apr 30, 2016)

I bought a cord of seasoned wood today that consisted of equal parts Cherry, Almond, Pecan and Oak for $325. I think it was a pretty good deal. I'm in socal and everyone around here wanted like 450 for a cord of oak. And get this The only place I found that actually had hickory and mesquite wanted $1250 a cord LOL, I was shocked.


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## smelt240 (Apr 30, 2016)

cb1314 said:


> I live in southern Maine now, but grew up down the road in Richmond.  I'm looking into getting a stick burner and need some wood.  Where can I get some/contact someone to either pickup or have some delivered?  I do not care if they're logs or its already split, I don't mind doing the work.  Most places I've contacted that have wood just mix it together for firewood.  Thanks.


The guy I got my hickory from has a few craigslist ads, he's in York. Search Hickory Firewood and you'll find him. He has Hickory, black Cherry, and Apple all separate. Its expensive, but  honestly, the Hickory is worth buying a truckload if you're doing any amount of smoking. It does add something that you cant get out of a bag.  I have about 20 sticks of it left, just put a brisket on at 2am, I hope to have some left after this cook, but we'll see.  I have to call him and just buy a load I guess.  Im doing a Hickory/ Cherry/ Apple mix tonight/ today, You would have to smell the combo to believe it....


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## smelt240 (Apr 30, 2016)

brandon91 said:


> I bought a cord of seasoned wood today that consisted of equal parts Cherry, Almond, Pecan and Oak for $325. I think it was a pretty good deal. I'm in socal and everyone around here wanted like 450 for a cord of oak. And get this The only place I found that actually had hickory and mesquite wanted $1250 a cord LOL, I was shocked.


And yeah, The almond and pecan would be awesome to find up here.  Especially for that price!  Im planting a few acres this fall with a bunch of assorted nut trees, I guess if I don't stay with the smoker business, Ill have some delicious treats, plus more than enough wood to smoke as a hobby for the rest of my life...    I think these guys are basing their sky-high smoking wood prices off the bagged stuff.  I should have a few more cords of cherry and apple dropped off, and saw it into chunks and get $50 a bag like everyone else.  Probably get $2500 a cord that way...


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## cliffcarter (Apr 30, 2016)

cb1314 said:


> I live in southern Maine now, but grew up down the road in Richmond.  I'm looking into getting a stick burner and need some wood.  Where can I get some/contact someone to either pickup or have some delivered?  I do not care if they're logs or its already split, I don't mind doing the work.  Most places I've contacted that have wood just mix it together for firewood.  Thanks.


Did you try these guys? Looks like they sell to cooking wood. BTW If you get a load of unseasoned northern red oak it will take 2-3 years to season before you can use it in a stick burner up here in Maine.

Good Luck
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






http://mainecoastfirewood.com/index.php

P.S. I think you meant up the road in Richmond


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## smelt240 (Apr 30, 2016)

Let me get my stash built up, then I'll post a number on here.  He's doing cords of apple and cherry, ready for the smoker, $210 a cord delivered to me (20 miles from him).  I bought a couple halfs and quarters off him first, they were a little bit short (shortbed Chevy stacked tight and high, what was supposed to be 3/4 of a cord stacked to exactly 2/3, So about 10 cu ft short) , but I cant complain for the $$$.  I bet he would travel to SoPo for a little more green.  You really aren't that far from York though, id check with that guy on CL..


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## jamesoh79 (Apr 30, 2016)

Wow. My friend delivers me a face cord and half of blended oak sugar maple cherry and apple for $160. 
Maybe just alot of trees in Michigan. But I see ads on Craigslist here in the metro Detroit area for Oak facecord for $120.


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## cliffcarter (Apr 30, 2016)

Jamesoh79 said:


> Wow. My friend delivers me a face cord and half of blended oak sugar maple cherry and apple for $160.
> Maybe just alot of trees in Michigan. But I see ads on Craigslist here in the metro Detroit area for Oak facecord for $120.


A face cord is 1/3 cord of wood cut into 16" lengths, your blend is $480 a cord. the Oak is $360.


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## daniels (May 13, 2016)

Jamesoh79 said:


> Wow. My friend delivers me a face cord and half of blended oak sugar maple cherry and apple for $160.
> Maybe just alot of trees in Michigan. But I see ads on Craigslist here in the metro Detroit area for Oak facecord for $120.


The way I'm reading this is that he is getting a face cord and a half from his friend.  That would be half a cord.  The blend is running you $320 a cord.  The craigslist face cord is running $360 a cord.


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## cliffcarter (May 13, 2016)

My mistake, still too expensive IMHO.


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## Bearcarver (May 13, 2016)

smelt240 said:


> Hickory for $150 a cord would be awesome.  I have a pretty good sized piece of woods, thought about clearing an acre or 2 and planting hickory, just for later use.  We have a few acres that is going to be covered in Christmas trees over the next 7 years, maybe a few dedicated to smoking wood wouldn't be a bad idea.  Im going to do some seedling research now...


Hickory trees take a bit longer than Christmas Trees. You may be waiting awhile:

The shagbark grows best in a humid climate, but is very hardy and will adapt to a wide variety of climates. It begins producing nuts at around 40 years old and continues for up to 300 years. The nuts ripen between September and October and are considered a sweet nut. Though it is the fastest growing true hickory,* after 20 years the average tree is still less than 3 inches in diameter and between 8 and 18 feet tall.*

Probably even slower in Maine.

*Bear*


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## dward51 (May 13, 2016)

Two suggestions.

1) make friends with the local tree surgeon.  The guy I used to clear some trees and limb what was left in my yard told me he ends up grinding down 80% of the hardwood they cut for clients.  They do sell some split and dried firewood, but he also likes to give some of the cut trunks away (about 10-12' in length.  Reason is if he has a job close by, he can drop a truck load off and be back on the job site to reload in 15 minutes as opposed to having to drive 45 minutes each way back to his tree yard in a neighboring town.   As infrequently as I need wood, that has worked out for me.  I just cut it to length with my chainsaw and rent a splitter for a 1/2 day from Lowes and I'm good for an entire season of smoking and heat from the fireplace.  I can also ask for certain species of wood that are common in our area such as hickory, white oak, and pecan.

2) make friends with your local apple orchard owner and pecan farm owner (regional of course).  They have limbs and trees that either blow down, are trimmed, or culled every season and often beg people to come haul what is trash to them away.  Not going to get cords and cords of wood this way, but it is probably going to be free as you are doing them a favor.   I have about a 1/2 cord of pecan that came from my bosses house when a tree split in a storm last year.  Again free, and he gets a kick out of when I bring in items that are smoked on sticks from that harvest.

For the average smoker, these will work.  For a volume or competition smoker, it may not produce enough wood for a season, but you could augment it with purchased wood as a back up.

Oh and as to hickory, I had 3 trees that lightning hit a few years back in my parents yard.  The largest of them was nearly 4' in diameter at the base.  The tree surgeon who dropped them was more than happy to cut them to length (due to the diameter) and move them to a pile at the front of their house with his bobcat.  He did not even have to dispatch a log truck on that job as I took 6 trailer loads of huge hickory rounds home to split and stack to dry.  I just rolled those big rounds up on the trailer and strapped them down with a cargo net. Split it with a rental splitter at the place where I stacked it. Used that wood in the fireplace for 5 years and still have a little left (and a bin of fist sized chunks I cut for use in the WSM that have been dried in the basement for years).  That was one of the biggest hickory trees I've ever seen.  The smallest of the 3 was a good 2' in diameter.


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## hardcookin (May 14, 2016)

I cut most of my own wood. I also got a supplier who will kiln any type of wood I want. Prices vary cause I usually give him some Q :biggrin:
But it is nice to be able to get dry seasoned wood on short notice if I get in a bind.


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## cb1314 (Jun 9, 2016)

Smelt240, been busy and just wanted to say thank you for getting back to me. I'll take a look at CL and look for the guy in York.  Thanks again.


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## emsemt (Aug 2, 2016)

Central California I can get almond wood seasoned cut, split to length for $200/cord. Oak is about $250/cord.  Red oat is slightly more but have to drive 150 miles one way to get it.  Grape wood is pretty cheap but burns too fast.  I can get almond wood for about $125/cord but it's in 24" logs seasoned. Orange wood is about $100/cord.


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## smelt240 (Aug 3, 2016)

I actually found some prime wild cherry trees about 25 feet into my side property line!  Twisted up and crooked, so they are no good for lumber, but around 14"- 25" diameter, its going to cost me $55 a cord to get it split, once my buddy lays them down for me.  My back is still wrecked, so I wont be cutting wood anytime soon.  If we get it stacked on some pallets, it should be good to go by early this fall.

  Other than that, I have found a local lumber mill who sells hardwood slabs for $100 a bundle.  4x4x16' so pretty much 2 cords for $100.  Not sure how fast they will burn, but most (95%) of it is oak, and not too old, so I'm thinking it may be a good deal. Worst case, It will be used to build a coal bed in the mornings.  I hate paying people to cut wood, but its hard to say what's happening with my back for the time being..


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