Softwood

[timberbear]

Evening Gents/Ladies

 

I've just extracted 30m3 of various softwood species ranging from Scots to Sitka from a FC site in south wales. The timber was bought as part of the FC Wales Firewood Framework agreement. It varies in sizes from 150mm to 450mm by 1.8m to 4m in length. Most of the timber was felled in 2008 and some of it is very wet but some of the thinner stuff has dried out very quickly.

 

Two questions.

 

1. How long once processed will it be ready for sale?

2. Current price for split softwood.

 

Am I wasting my time on softwood?

[firewood]

If it was felled two years ago and stacked the 6" stuff may be ready sell straight away once split.

 

as for the bigger diameter wetter stuff if you split it now and store in vented bags on pallets in a very draughty barn you may be lucky and have some saleable product in 3 months. the key things are not to store it in big heaps (use the bags) and ensure airflow across the split wood to draw out moisture. all depends on how wet it is to begin with.

 

Alternatively, split it all now and season til next winter and sell it then.

 

 

as to price....i have no idea in your neck of the woods especially as most people south of Edinburgh seem to be obsessed with only burning hardwoods so softwood is not a premium product. however for you to market it successfully without dropping price to far you should consider mixing it in with some hardwood and selling as "mixed" loads. slightly cheaper than pure hardwood but more expensive than pure softwood.

 

 

hope this helps

[firewoodman]

Evening Gents/Ladies

 

I've just extracted 30m3 of various softwood species ranging from Scots to Sitka from a FC site in south wales. The timber was bought as part of the FC Wales Firewood Framework agreement. It varies in sizes from 150mm to 450mm by 1.8m to 4m in length. Most of the timber was felled in 2008 and some of it is very wet but some of the thinner stuff has dried out very quickly.

 

Two questions.

 

1. How long once processed will it be ready for sale? in a nice open windy barn... afew months, softwood dries quicker than hardwood

 

2. Current price for split softwood. £65 selling mine for and i'm about to run out

 

Am I wasting my time on softwood?no you are not

 

 

done fishing now are you??? did you win???

[timberbear]

Firewood man,

 

Thanks for the advice, spot on as usual. Did'nt win but came second only losing by 5 ounces! Will ring you soon about the alder.

[timberbear]

Thanks for the info, its my first venture into softwood and most wood snobs wounldnt touch it with a barge pole. Never had a problem burning softwood, got a place in the Galloway Hills and its all I burn. Talking to Firewoodman and a chap from the FC it seems people are going to have to get used to softwood, it will be the only timber on the mass market in years to come.