The business in one offer
Who it serves
Homeowners who heat part of their house with a wood stove or insert and burn several cords a winter. They care more about dry, consistent wood and an honest measure than about the lowest price, because wet wood smokes, builds creosote and wastes their time.
What to sell first
A half cord of seasoned mixed hardwood, split to fit a standard stove, delivered within a set radius and stacked on request for a small fee. The wood is checked with a moisture meter before loading. Excluded: kiln-dried wood, bundles for campers, softwood, delivery outside the radius and anything sold by a vague measure such as a truckload.
A stated measure and a moisture check address the two most common buyer complaints. Selling in half cords lets one pickup load handle each delivery cleanly, and a fixed radius keeps fuel and drive time inside the price.
What could it cost to start?
This is an original example budget for the limited pilot described above. It is not a researched market average or a complete quote for every location.
| Item to price | Example allowance |
|---|---|
| One log-length load of mixed hardwood | $1,200.00 |
| Log splitter rental for six weekends | $480.00 |
| Chainsaw safety gear: chaps, helmet, gloves, ear protection | $250.00 |
| Moisture meter | $40.00 |
| Pallets, tarps and stacking materials | $150.00 |
| Flyers and a measured delivery bin | $120.00 |
| Example total | $2,240.00 |
What this assumes—and excludes
Assumes you already own a chainsaw, a pickup truck rated for the weight, and land where zoning lets you store and process wood. It excludes buying a splitter, a dump trailer, labor, fuel price changes and owner pay. Check local log prices and rental rates before you commit to a full load.
Collect actual supplier, insurance and local-authority information. Add a reserve for delays and unexpected costs; the example total is not a funding recommendation.
How the unit economics work
At an assumed $190.00 per half cord delivered and $55.00 in direct costs, contribution is $135.00 before monthly fixed costs, owner pay and taxes. With 3.5 all-in working hours per unit, that is $38.57 per delivery hour before those deductions. These inputs illustrate the arithmetic; they do not establish a market price or expected earnings.
The example also allows $120.00 in monthly fixed costs. Include unpaid acquisition and administrative time when deciding whether the offer is worthwhile.
Try your own numbers
These are editable planning assumptions, not prices we have verified. Calculations stay in your browser.
Operating result = (price − direct cost) × units − monthly fixed costs. Before owner pay, taxes, financing and startup recovery. At these inputs, delivery requires 35 hours per month, plus any work not included in your per-unit estimate. Sales volume is a scenario, not a forecast.
How to find the first customers
Test a small offer before scaling traffic. Record the source of each enquiry, whether it fits the offer, and whether the buyer pays.
- Post a clear listing in a local buy-and-sell group, if allowed, that states the measure, species mix, moisture reading and delivery radius. Track how many buyers ask about measure before ordering.
- Leave a card with independent wood stove and chimney sweep businesses, and ask whether customers ask them where to buy dry wood.
- Offer early-season delivery at a slight discount in late summer, when buyers plan ahead. Record how many repeat buyers book again for the next winter.
- Show buyers a photo of the wood stacked in your delivery bin with its measured volume, so they see what a half cord looks like before you arrive.
What to validate before spending more
- Check your state's rules on moving firewood across county or state lines, since some areas restrict untreated firewood to slow invasive insects like the emerald ash borer.
- Ask your state weights and measures office how firewood must be sold and advertised. Many states require sales by the cord or a fraction of one.
- Split and stack a test lot now and check moisture every month. Use the dates to plan how far ahead you need to buy wood.
- Time one full cord from log to stacked delivery, including saw and splitter work. If hours per half cord run high, raise the price or rent a faster splitter.
The operational catch
Firewood cut this year usually is not ready to sell this year, so new sellers either sell wet wood or run out by midwinter. Wet wood smokes and builds creosote, and unhappy buyers rarely return. Buy and split at least one season ahead, mark each stack with the date it was split, and sell only what your moisture meter supports.
A practical way to fund the first step
Take deposits for early-season orders in late summer, and rent a splitter instead of buying one in the first year. Selling a smaller number of half cords at a fair price is safer than buying several log loads before you have dry stock.
Separate cash already available from money still to earn. Count only proceeds after direct expenses, and do not spend customer funds needed to fulfill their existing orders.
Questions before you start
What is the difference between a cord and a face cord?
A full cord is a stack measuring 4 by 4 by 8 feet, or 128 cubic feet. A face cord is a single row whose depth depends on log length, so it can mean different amounts. Use cords and fractions of a cord to avoid disputes.
Can I take free wood from tree services?
Often yes, and it can lower costs, but loads arrive in mixed species, lengths and condition. You will spend more time sorting and splitting. Ask where the wood came from so you do not move pest-infested wood outside a quarantine area.
How dry should firewood be?
Many stove makers and chimney professionals suggest a reading around 20 percent moisture or lower for good burning. Split a piece and check the fresh face, since the outside of a log often reads drier than the center.
Source-backed checks
These references support the specific checks below. They do not endorse this business idea or substantiate the example prices, costs or demand.
OSHA explains that exposure to high noise levels can cause permanent hearing loss, and that hearing protection can reduce exposure. OSHA: Occupational Noise Exposure.
IRS publishes standard mileage rates used to calculate deductible costs of operating a vehicle for business. Internal Revenue Service: Standard mileage rates.
FTC's advertising FAQ says advertising claims must be truthful and not deceptive, and objective claims need supporting evidence. Federal Trade Commission: Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small Business.
- Occupational Noise ExposureOSHA · Reference checked September 8, 2026
- Standard mileage ratesInternal Revenue Service · Reference checked September 8, 2026
- Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small BusinessFederal Trade Commission · Reference checked September 8, 2026
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