#3 Firewood Business - Starting and growing a small business 

Two words - Sunday Eastonmade!

You know people fuss about the price for firewood but they just don't know all the hard work involved but great vid

This man basically gave all of us the freaking answer key on how to start a firewood business to make profit. Awesome!!!!!!!!!

I just found you here. 34 years at firewood. Divorce cleaned me out 10 years ago and I had to start again from nothing. You must be my brother from another mother. Everything you have said is 100% correct. You need to put money back in always. We started with a small chainsaw and electric log splitter and now we have 2 processors, 2 vertical splitters, a kindling machine, 2 trucks (one dump and one with a crane for handling big bags) A loader with forks, a small 360 and 6 tractors. Buying in truck loads is definitely the way to go. We done 40 truck and trailer loads last season Another one is tree surgeons. They drop us wood from tree work they do in the nearby city. Best regards brother and wishing you well. Ger, limerick firewood

Did my first year last year selling, 240 cords ...not face cords! of Cottonwood, 45 cords of ash, 15 maple. This fall shipping in Pine,spruce,birch shipped in from the north. Some of my Cottonwood trees are over 100' tall,what a boom they make Had a half ton dodge + trailer Lol. Now this winter should be able too do 500+ cords ;) Still no tractor, no processor, 372 xp and the ol' 7.3 l with a logger box :) Your story is similar too mine. Husky 455, too now a 372xp. What a good biz

I recently decided to start a firewood business, I have 1 38cc saw as well as a 60cc and a mall, plenty of land. I want to thank you for being so candid and sincere. I am taking your advice and just staying small for as long as I can and reinvesting in the business. You are a big help for this newbie. Must admit my shoulders are a bit sore most of the time, but I enjoy the exercise. Thanks again my friend.

very interesting, your videos are so watchable, great to hear how you started and how you grew, thank you for sharing

You are spot on Chris I don't sell a lot of wood and don't intend to . I cut and split for our use and anyone wanting any comes here for it. I just turned 71 about 10 days ago or so, and do not want to get bigger. Just getting by and taking care of my wife and the property is enough. I butchered 6 hogs for folks, had three cows I butchered for us given to me If I would haul em. Of course I would LOL At any point I started and stayed small about 5 years ago. Let the money help pay the smaller bills still using the same saws and splitter. Had to have the saws worked on so let a friend do the work. But I watch young guns around here but the processors trucks etc and try to sell high to make a profit and it don't work....most have lowered prices to move wood...oh rambled on enough. Good to hear a level head in the mist of all this. Take Care.

Chris, again I love your business philosophy for your steady & true customers. You will never run out of loyal customers. Take care & stay safe.

I never planned on being in the firewood business but here I am. We are primarily a tree company that specializes in high risk removals. I agree with you in starting small and growing. We started bringing all the rounds back to the lot a few years ago after landfill started charging an arm and legs for yard waste. First year I split wood every weekend with an ax. Year two we invested in a 37 ton log splitter. Year 4 we invested in 2 more log splitters. Groundsman can work on their off time and split and stack wood and are paid on face cords split and stacked. This winter we had to hire a guy just to deliver firewood as calls just keep coming in. One thing I would add is sell a quality product. I have 2 cords that have been drying for 2 years and are still not ready to go out. 18% moisture. We deal mostly with oaks.

Great video. Grew up as a kid cutting and splitting wood. We had a wood furnace at my parents house so we got logs delivered and looked for people who needed trees cut and removed. As an adult of 49 years I own 25 acres of wooded land with plenty to cut so looking to start a side business to make some extra money to help pay some bills. The idea is the farm and property as a tool to pay for it's self. Thanks for all the great info. Lots of great ideas to think about and implement!

That’s how it goes. The chores I had to do as a kid I didn’t like until I didn’t have to do them anymore, then I missed them. Enjoyed the video. Keep it up and stay safe!👍🏻

Your work ethic is tremendous and inspiring. Just getting started with wood as a side business. Thank you for your insight

Great tips. I am starting a firewood business myself this year. I also decided to start out small. Its hard work. Very hard. I am buying only what I need to process fire wood, like waterproof winter clothing, gloves and chainsaw consumables for now. I sold my old log splitter to buy a new one on credit though. That was my biggest expense. I cant believe how busy you can get doing this. I could have sold so much more if I had it ready.

Found older video educational now I know how you started, thank you for sharing this

Amazing how a bigger saw changes the game on the hard stuff. Thanks for the video!

I just found your channel and I love it! I have been cutting firewood for a while now and I have been wanting to start doing it as a side hustle (Mainly because I just love cutting firewood). Your information is so valuable for me. I really appreciated hearing that you purchase your wood rather than go cut the trees down yourself. It makes a lot of since, I've thought the same thing myself but it's good to hear someone with experience give this advice. You've got a new subscriber. Keep up the good work!

thank you for the wisdom.

I love the 572 xp in the background. Love to hear mine rip

Just found your channel . Nice . Looking forward to more of your videos .

I've been to selling firewood as a winter hustle after lawn care business slows down and been doing a little at a time and this year I've sold more than I ever sold the past few years combined. Completely overwhelmed now and watching your videos has given me a pat on the back that I'm in the right direction.

Some good advice. Thanks for sharing.

Love hearing the story. Great job Chris

Great! I started selling firewood just few weaks ago. I don't want to make it full time job. But I simply love being in the forrest, processing wood. I have a trailer, which can take 2 square meters of firewood. I buy wood stacked and I also get some free trees standing, I have to cut down. Selling firewood is fun, I love the process of delivering and the extra money made me buy Stihl chainsaw this tuesday. So far, I was running 80 EUR noname crap. I will keep it as secondary saw now 👍 Thanks for the videos, they are entertaining and you make things exactly as I think about them.

A little tip. Mix your saw 40 to 1 i stead of 50 to 1. Ive used the same husqvarna 51 since 1998 and the saw have cut about 5 cords a year

Nice video. Thanks for the tips. I just registered my firewood business last year. I don’t sell a lot of wood (just 20 cords this year), but I haul my splitter around and split customers wood. Sometimes they want it stacked and I charge for that. Plus, I cut and remove trees as part of my business. You are correct, grow slow and steady, reinvest in the business.

Good video. Nice wood yard.

Good video I agree with you start small grow at rate that break the bank. I hand split everything for the first 5 years got a splitter never used it till now my helpers used it alot now I'm having a mini processor custom made for me 15 years in the biz still going strong feeding 3 other families during this crazy covid time

You made the business strong

Great videos.. really like your honesty. Step by step business plans. I have tons of red and white oak. Titusville Pa here. Thank you so much !!

That you fir the info.. I am on year 4 of firewood sales & Production. I get my wood from a few tree service companies and I go get it bring it back to the house for splitting.. In this time I have bought 2 trucks (1 truck was totaled by a hit n run) 1 trailer and a used small log splitter this year bout a new Sthil 461 saw.. Firewood for me gets me outside as I am in a building all day for my normal job. Guess I could do a video on what firewood has done for me health wise as that has made an impact as well.. So far all around win win..

Thanks Chris, appreciate the video!

Great video on how to start out 👍🏼

I’m clearing acres of woods at a property I just bought and I’m getting the wood for free. Looks like I will have about a dozen full cords split and stacked by the end of the week and probably 40 or so by the time the property is cleared. I’ve been looking for something to do in between flipping houses. There’s always the down time from when the property is finished and the time it sells and this seems like the perfect in between side job for me. Great channel, great content, really enjoying it!

Great video with really good information. Thank you !

Dude just stumbled across your channel. You produce amazing content! Just getting back into the firewood business down here in Tx. I went all in the first go around and it really bit me in the butt, going slow this go around.

Loved this video clip. Many happy greetings from Tasmania. Wished that you were here and that I could buy wood from you right here in Launceston .......... ☆☆☆☆☆

That was a really great video, thank you. You give a very clear message and it sounds like very good advice (especially for someone like me who can't wait to buy a wood splitter ;-) Also, I was thinking about the viability of buying logs and you covered that too. Excellent. Have subscribed and will watch more. Cheers.

Great video

Great information about the wood business, very interesting thanks for the video 🇨🇦

I started my firewood business today. I filled my first two IBC totes with split wood.

Great insight- thank you!

Good video

just started watching your channel. been making firewood since 14 yo. sold a couple face cord the last 2 years. Got to raise my price. advertised and sold out in 5 days. waiting to pick up my wolf ridge splitter in june. Have a home made splitter and a 37 ton box store splitter which I will sell. Agree that people like the wood split small. I also help a lady split campfire wood to sell. and another one that is poor i make the wood to heat her house. Have a sawmill and burn a lot of slabs in my owb. 77 year old.

cuting firewood is fun

Nice video

Great advice, thank you Chris 🪓🇺🇸🪵🇺🇸🪓🇺🇸🪵🇺🇸🪓

I am a first time viewer and enjoyed your video. I appreciate it how you cover specifics like how to make money and your equipment list. What is the next splitter you are planning to buy?

Thanks for sharing the hole in the bottle cap idea. I always poor too much in one spot and have to spread it on the beam. Problem solved.

That's it then I am going to charge for stacking from now on

The nice thing is most of the tools are home owner essentials. The splitter is optional. You could definitely get by with a maul. After all it takes a year to dry. The delivery option scares me since I have no plans on quitting my job for a side gig. However, a year to split makes the first truck pay for the splitter. I already have a few chain saws... Found there's no way to keep one running when there's almost 100 trees on my little lot. ( Damn box elder) very interested in trying for a year. If I buy the first load it's a year away from being in business.

Ive heard the same. Ive always got free wood from storm damage but i have my time in dragging it to my property. Buying truck loads is far better

One big firewood guu said is cheaper to get a really good commercial grade log splitter than a cheap firewood processor. Tge good splitter will holf up a lot better.

So I live in British Columbia Canada and I have been watching your videos for a couple weeks now and quite enjoy them. I have been selling firewood for 5 years now. Last year I worked at a concrete form rental company full time and sold wood on evenings and weekends.... definitely some long days and was selling about 40 full cords a year. Spent 40hrs a week at full time job and 30-40hrs a week selling firewood. Last December I got laid off due to the type of work and it being slow in the winter and went on employment insurance for the winter and in may of this year the EI ran out and with the virus every company was slow or shut down so I ramped up the firewood business and starting selling it full time. I get about 75% of my wood from a friend who owns a tree service, but it gets expensive having to go to customers house and cut it load it and haul it home then split it. About 4 weeks ago I bought a brand new wood splitter that has increased my production a ton. I lived on 10 acres of my fathers so had room for the wood pile but dad sold the farm so I’m renting a corner of a friends field for my wood pile which is working out good. I’m selling about 40-50 cord a year still. I have about 5 people that I sell winter wood to but one of those people ,iced an hour away and she buys between 10-15 full cords from me every year, the other ones buy between 1-5 cords a year.. there is a lot of people around me that sell firewood so I like to be about 20 bucks cheaper than everyone else and i get the sales.

Nice video. Could you make a living only by splitting wood by hand, the first two years?

Honda rigeline is a minivan with a pickup body

Hello fellow Wisconsinite.

Good advice, I’m about an hour west of you and just starting a firewood business.

Hey it sounds like you were talking about scot the logger lol I know him

Im looking the get into this buisness, I'm a welder at our local chemical plant. Money is real good as a welder, but being around chemicals everyday and working crazy hours gets old. I live in well funded area, also we have zero local wood providers and most have to drive 1-2 hrs away for wood. I've been in contact with local tree company and they can supply me with oak tree and I also have acces to unlimited supply of pecan wood.

Just found your channel...love it! I’m in Wisconsin also, down in Columbus. I’m starting a firewood business this year, as I love being outside and splitting wood. Keep up the great work

Wow! I heard wood prices in the midwest were down I cant believe they are getting $1300 a truck load. Im in south eastern Pennsylvania and we are only getting $650. To $750 for a full Tri Axle of good hardwood

What happened to all of your videos, I enjoyed watching them

I didn't realize you are so close I'm up in Crivitz Wisconsin

I just STRUGGLE WITH IDENTIFYING WHAT SPENCERS TREE IT IS. I KINDA KNOW OAK AND PINE ID LOVE TO BE ABLE TO GO IN THE WOOD AND TELL U WHAT SPENCERS THE TREES ARE.

Good info like your videos my brother and I are getting in the wood biz EASTON MADE 22-28 is what i have coming free wood on the ground just need to split and sell

I’ve been binging your videos as of recent! Happy to have found your channel! I was wondering if there was a certain log splitter you’d recommend for someone just starting out? I know you said you started off with maul but I couldn’t do that haha, thank you in advance.

I love your video! I found it very inspiring and informative but I have a question. . . Do you sell unseasoned firewood or seasoned?

I sell about $20,000 a year of firewood, I have my own tree business so i cut all the wood myself and i have a yard where i park all my equipment and where i keep my wood, theres a guy not too far away from me that sells about $250,000 a year in firewood he has like 8 guys that work for him and he also own a big tree business... I need to grow like that but im only on my 3rd year at this with my 27ton machine lol

Where do you see your firewood business in five years? Using a processor with employees, or pretty much like it is now?

Just getting into the business ... slowly... came across your video - great stuff. You mentioned you hand split with a maul to start. How long did you split by hand until you bought your first splitter?

Hello, love your video just looked and subscribed. One question what is a face cord vs full cord? Thanks

🤘

Do you have a license to sell firewood? Do you pay taxes from selling your firewood? Maybe you could discuss this further.

Grow up around that area

Are u familiar with Ryan with Victory outdoor services heàr on RU-vid mate

I am just getting going on a firewood operation. I have a consistent source of wood, as I am sourcing wood from a nearby tree removal service. Between me and my father-in-law are processing wood faster than I expected. I am trying to get as much split as possible so I can get it on it's way to drying. My question is this ...... is it absolutely necessary to stack the processed wood in order to get it to season out? I have a tractor with a front end loader and I've heard from some people that you can leave it piled up as long as you turn it over every so often to stir it up. I'd like to get some input from folks who've been doing this for awhile. Thanks!

How much wood is a fase cord ??? As far as volume and cost

Moving to canada, planning to work firewood. Do you think it's relatively safe to find someone who'd hire me to work together ?

What cc's mall do u need starting out¿ 20,30,40 etc???

I've been delivering wood in my 17 Ridgeline and I struggle to fit a face cord in it. How did you do it? Did you build up side walls in the bed?

How do you get the wood? Are you paying a forest owner and start cutting?

We should meet up some day. I'm over in Wild Rose.

Here's what I'm hearing. (edit: I'm not trying to be a smart ass but I realized after I typed it out that it sounded like I was.) Start small and put the money you earn back into your business = Work and make zero $$$ Don't spend money on equipment and expect to make money because you'll be paying off your equipment and make zero $$$

Hey Chris! How many cords would you say are in a truckload? A friend told me he pays about $100 a cord to have logs delivered in Cambridge Minnesota. Thank you! Pohan

what is the most you would pay for a 5.5 ft or 6.5 ft pickup box of 14" firewoods rounds if that was your only source of wood

Just curious what's the percentage of customers that actually care or say hey I want oak or ash or whatever or do they not care that it's mixed hardwoods... it's nice how you do it by separating piles but to would sure be a lot easier and simpler to mix piles when cutting and stacking in your lot? Thanks I just recently found your channel

How much do you sell a piece of firewood or how do you sell the bale?

How do you allow it to sit for a year and still sell it all

you will probably need more land

Hey...Why do you stack your firewood if you’re going to sell it. That’s a lot of work why don’t you just keep it in one pile.I’m in New York State Orange County and everyone by me keeps it in a pile.I stack mine for my own personal use

?? Face Cord?? We have regulations that call for and define "cord" -- Face Cord is not used to sell firewood.

I own a small firewood business. Are there any laws about transporting wood? I live in Wisconsin. Any answers?

Just curious I like here in Arkansas and our Rick of wood is 4x8 we sale one of them for $35-$70 each what is a face cord for you guys

So I've cut wood my hole life what is a faced cord

Are your kids gonna follow in your business?

'I sell to a lot of single women' oh la la

Your math is inaccurate if a face cord is half of a cord, how is a1000 cords 3000 face cords?

you might need a helper

Just thought of a potential source of income for you. Pain killers and herbal supplements and hot tubs. Because I bet you have ackes and pains in your life.