Firewood Buyers Guide

[Marko]

After one to many customer 'missunderstandings' and taking note of an earlier thread where Trading Standards had been involved on a similar dispute I decided to have a go at creating difinitiive Firewood Buyers Guide with the intent of capturing best practice so we all have something to point at. A starter for 10 is now online at:

 

http://www.carbonneutralfuel.com/firewood-buying-guide.html

 

Please feel free to make any suggestions at all about what is right, wrong, missing etc. All inputs are very welcome.

Edited January 28, 2009 by Marko

[Arran Woodfuels]

Sorry to sound a bit negative here, Marko...

 

But I find this a bit depressing and sounding like "beware all firewood suppliers are out to cheat you".

 

I would rather speak to any new potential customers and present our products in a positive and encouraging mode. Explain how logs will save them money and save the planet. Show them how big our loads are and let them have a couple of logs to try out. No need to frighten them off with worries over moisture content and short loads. And as for comparing prices with other areas, well I would definately not go there.

 

But then we are in a rural area and customers tend to know us already and our reputation, so I'm in no way talking for everyone here.....

[detritus21]

I think what you have down is very good but I would echo the comments made by Aarron Woodfuels. I know that in my area the quality varies alot. I wouldn't buy from the big supplier in my area having been dissapointed with how wet the wood was. There is another supplier who charges only 40 pounds a bulk bag. My advice would be if you find a good supplier or one you are happy with stick with them.

 

Knowing about volumes is important. I've not known anyone in the UK sell by the cord recently and most sell by cubic metre or portions there of. I'll sell by the load but can tell you what volume of wood you will get in that load if asked.

[Marko]

Good points. I have added "Most UK suppliers prefer to sell by the cubic meter or part thereof...." and also a new section on selecting a supplier.

[aforester]

Link to HETAS guide on soild fuels including logs http://www.hetas.co.uk/pdfs/04_Hetas%20Guide%2014_Part_2_Fuels_310407.pdf which is very similar to your buyers guide both of which offer good advise

[john burgess]

Good guide (from sussexlogs)

[firewoodman]

just out of intrest marko, what is it that you do?

[Marko]

25% Farming 25% Firewood 50% IT. Depends on the weather!

[firewoodman]

so you have the space to season the wood for 2-3 years then, if so is that seasoned split or in the round?

[Marko]

Wood is invariably cut to length and split within 12 months of being cut.

 

We now store and stack the logs in galvanised stillages which dramatically eases the ongoing handling of stock from being split to being delivered. We have plenty of space for storage and hold around 4-5 years worth but this is small scale stuff compared to some of the other guys on the forum.

Edited January 28, 2009 by Marko