Gasoline-powered chainsaws are the cutting tool of choice, but it can also help to have a buck saw, Swede saw, and a razor-sharp axe. If you need to drive a wedge, use a sledgehammer and maul. Powered log splitters are very handy to have, as well, since they can save a lot of time and energy. A small business can use a pickup truck to transport firewood, but if you want to expand the business, you’ll need a low-boy trailer.
Trees on your own property are typically fine as long as there are no zoning laws prohibiting you from cutting them down. You can usually harvest marked trees from a national forest. Thin, dead, and dying trees on private forests, fence rows, and lots are usually okay, too. Purchase the excess wood usually discarded by sawmills. Offer to cut up and remove unwanted trees that fall after a storm.
If you take this option, you’ll have to remove both the bark and 1/2 inch (1. 25 cm) of the wood beneath it, called the cambium layer.
The maximum allowable thickness of wood is usually around 3 inches (7. 6 cm). Use steam, hot water, or a kiln to heat the wood to a minimum temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71. 1 degrees Celsius). Maintain this temperature for at least 75 minutes.
Ideally, firewood should be elevated off the ground to prevent moisture from soaking in through the bottom. If you must store firewood outside, keep a tarp or similar covering over the piles to limit the amount of moisture coming in contact with the wood.
Obtain the application, fill it out, sign it, and take it to a state forestry office for approval. After being approved, you will likely be issued a stamp or tickets that can be used to label or bundles. Your name will also be added to a list of state-approved vendors. You will need a separate application for each county you harvest wood in and for each separate type of firewood.
Make sure that you renew your application on time. Typically, the deadline will arrive sometime in early to mid-fall.
Firewood easily transports invasive insects. Selling firewood from your state to someone in another state could introduce that pest into another area, thereby spreading the problem. Moreover, since the insect will not be native to that area, there will not be as many natural predators to help reduce the population.
The dimensions of the pile do not need to be precise as long as the total volume equals the correct amount. For instance, the stack could be 4 feet (1. 2 meters) wide, 4 feet (1. 2 meters) high, and 8 feet (2. 4 meters) long, but it could also be 2 feet (0. 61 meters) wide, 4 feet (1. 2 meters) high, and 16 feet (4. 9 meters) long. You are not allowed to sell firewood using terms like “face cord,” “rack,” “pile,” or “truckload. "
You will need to pay federal and state self-employment taxes. If you make below a certain amount, you may not own business tax, but the income will still be taxable. This amount can vary from state to state.
You may also notice that sudden drops in temperature during an already cold season will increase your sales further, especially if the temperatures are supposed to stay low for several days.
Another take on this principle is to set up a roadside stand. Park your truck or trailer along the street with a load of firewood and a “for sale” sign on it.
You can also let your own friends, relatives, coworkers, and acquaintances know about your business. Consider printing up business cards. Include a business card with each delivery and pass them around to potentially interested parties.
Set up a website or blog that allows customers to make purchases online. Make a page for your firewood business on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or other social media websites. Post an ad on Craigslist or another online classifieds website.
Make sure that you have enough time to make the delivery and provide estimates that will give you plenty of extra time. For instance, if you think you can deliver the firewood the next day, you should still say that delivery could take three or four days. Receiving something early never bothers someone as much as receiving something late does.
This receipt should include information about both the seller and the buyer, including names, addresses, and phone numbers. The kind and amount of wood purchase should be noted, as well as the price paid. Also include the date of delivery or date of shipment.
Call these customers up early the following cold season, before temperatures drop too severely, and ask them to consider purchasing from you again this year. Note, however, that a customer who asks to be removed from your list should be removed.
