Current firewood prices per m2

[Woodworks]

2 hours ago, doobin said:

But then you run the risk of having expensive stock next year if prices come down again. Better to have it on par with current cord prices IMHO.

 

What are people being quoted for cordwod? I was quoted £2500 cash for an arctic of processor ash last week!

True but I haven't bought any timber at the new inflated prices yet. Bought in all I could in the spring  when it was clear what was going to happen this winter but prices hadn't gone up. 

[Justme]

21 hours ago, doobin said:

 

 

What are people being quoted for cordwod? I was quoted £2500 cash for an arctic of processor ash last week!

 

 

I wish.

 

Getting quotes of £2.6k to £2.8k + VAT IF they have any available in the next two months.

 

 

Some possible cash deals at same prices so makes no sense if registered. 

[Justme]

18 hours ago, Big J said:

Crazy prices throughout. A sign of the times though. It was only about 5 years ago really that I was charging £55-65/cubic metre (plus delivery charge) for soft and hardwood out of the sawmill. 

 

 

Broadleaves are not an efficient method of producing firewood. You are far better off with conifer or eucalyptus. Much shorter production cycles and mechanical harvesting vastly reduce production to roadside costs. Then, the actual firewood processing is much faster too (straight logs). These savings can then be passed on to the eventual customer whilst maintaining the same profit margin for all in the production line.

 

 

 

Yet the price per tonne is only about £20 less for softwood.

Thats does not even make up for the volume difference never mind the energy difference per tonne.

[Big J]

3 minutes ago, Justme said:

 

 

Yet the price per tonne is only about £20 less for softwood.

Thats does not even make up for the volume difference never mind the energy difference per tonne.

 

Eucalyptus has a similar calorie content to oak, if it's over 7yrs old (trees younger than that are mainly sapwood, which is less calorific). 

 

Conifer does have fewer calories, but the difference (species dependent) isn't massive. To buy it in isn't very much cheaper than hardwood (on the whole) but the processing and drying time is so much less that I'd always try to steer customers that way. 

 

Sawlog prices are still depressed in the UK (though I'm a bit out of touch now) so it's possible to find sawlog at a similar or even lower price than hardwood. I'd be on the lookout for sawlog that's been left roadside for too long (especially pine, which has a very limited shelf life at roadside). It might be possible to pick it up cheaper.

 

On our processor set up that we had in Scotland, you could process 30cm larch at about 4 times the speed of similar sized hardwood. The hardwood quality up there isn't great, which was part of it, but I really can't see too many advantages to hardwood.

 

At £120 a cube, hardwood is about £0.10/kwh, not accounting for efficiency losses. It's a bit more expensive than gas and oil with none of the convenience. 

[openspaceman]

1 minute ago, Big J said:

Conifer does have fewer calories,

Per m3 or per tonne?

[Big J]

Just now, openspaceman said:

Per m3 or per tonne?

 

Per roadside tonne. Not per dried tonne. But then, that does depend a bit on species.

 

My understanding is that conifer is 10% higher in calories per dry tonne, on account of the resin content.

[htb]

Been offered 37 t of spruce at roadside at £30/t

[openspaceman]

15 minutes ago, Big J said:

My understanding is that conifer is 10% higher in calories per dry tonne, on account of the resin content.

Mine too but it is the higher lignin content as well as resin

[Big J]

16 minutes ago, htb said:

Been offered 37 t of spruce at roadside at £30/t

 

Bargain!

[Justme]

37 minutes ago, Big J said:

 

Eucalyptus has a similar calorie content to oak, if it's over 7yrs old (trees younger than that are mainly sapwood, which is less calorific). 

 

Conifer does have fewer calories, but the difference (species dependent) isn't massive. To buy it in isn't very much cheaper than hardwood (on the whole) but the processing and drying time is so much less that I'd always try to steer customers that way. 

 

Sawlog prices are still depressed in the UK (though I'm a bit out of touch now) so it's possible to find sawlog at a similar or even lower price than hardwood. I'd be on the lookout for sawlog that's been left roadside for too long (especially pine, which has a very limited shelf life at roadside). It might be possible to pick it up cheaper.

 

On our processor set up that we had in Scotland, you could process 30cm larch at about 4 times the speed of similar sized hardwood. The hardwood quality up there isn't great, which was part of it, but I really can't see too many advantages to hardwood.

 

At £120 a cube, hardwood is about £0.10/kwh, not accounting for efficiency losses. It's a bit more expensive than gas and oil with none of the convenience. 

Dried wood, hard or soft all have about the same kWh per kg but soft is massively lighter per m3.