Interesting thread this. As the meddling foreigner on this thread I will throw in my opinion once again including a predictions as to what will happen with the firewood market in the UK. It's a little long, but please bare with me, I'm sure some of the pros on here will find this of interest.
Firstly Albedo is a savy chappy for bringing this up and he is very much ahead of the curve on this.
And here comes my prediction: It is only a question of time until legislation starts to affect firewood sales. The business is growing at such a rate in the UK as well as the sale of wood stoves that the bureaucrats and politicians will stick their fingers in.
This is how it will progress: They will set up “working groups” and pay consultants to make “feasibility studies” in to how the sale of firewood will be regulated so that the consumer’s rights are taken care of. The people conducting these studies will naturally do one or both of two things: a) look towards the EU for guidance b) Look at how countries who already have a thriving firewood sector legislate the trade.
If they go the “a” route they will be guided by the Eurocrats to take the “b” route. This means that the study will centre on the Nordic countries and the Baltics (EU members with thriving firewood markets).
In Finland where the market is massive and chock-a-block with part time and small producers, firewood (cut and split 10-12 inches) is always sold by the cubic metre. Always. This is what will happen in the UK in the future. You can fight it, you can dislike it, but you might as well get with the programme, because inevitably it is coming.
The question about air has been an issue on this thread. And rightly so. There is an easy solution to this. In Finland cut and split logs are sold by quoting either “loose cubic metre” or “stacked cubic metre” (“solid cubic metre” is used mainly for cord wood). There is a simple rule of thumb factor that takes into account the “air” or lack thereof so that you can easily calculate how much you are getting. That factor is this:
1 SOLID m3 = 1.54 STACKED m3 = 2.5 LOOSE m3
1 STACKED m3 = 0.65 SOLID m3 = 1.63 LOOSE m3
1 LOOSE m3 = 0.62 STACKED m3 = 0.4 SOLID m3
This is not law, but is an industry standard (there is a law for cord and longer lengths, which I refer to in another thread. That should not be confused with the above).
As for wetness. There are only two kinds of wood: “Seasoned” or “fresh” anything with a moisture content under 25 % is “seasoned”. (I am still referring to the market in Finland)
The coming legislation for the UK will not happen overnight, earliest three years probably closer to five, but if the industry does continue to grow at this rate it will inevitably come. Those traders who realise this and position themselves accordingly will survive and adapt. They can also use the knowledge of the coming changes as unique selling points and strengthening customer loyalty, by not just being a deliverer of wood, but a respected expert by the client.
Albedo I wish you the best of luck, you are on the right track. Oh and one more thing. The above is not meant to slate the UK industry. I am simply bringing to the debate a perspective from another market, which I hope will be of interest to the pros on this thread.
That’s my well seasoned loose cubic metres worth on the subject.