wood / heating / confirm my understanding

[oemodm]

Hi everyone,

I would like to confirm my understanding of of wood for heating. I believe wood bought out of season is cheaper than wood which has been seasoned.

If yes, how much is wood out of season?

Also, where is the typical place you can buy wood out of season? (I'm in 23).

I ask because if it is much cheaper I would like to invest in a out of (out of season) wood.

many thanks / simon

[sid]

I find that there is no variation in price whatever the time of year. Certainly my local supplier would not sell me wood that is not ready to burn. Unseasoned wood does not burn well and leaves dangerous (fire hazard) tar deposits in the chimney lining.  I have never asked for wood to store myself for drying, and to be honest I wouldn't want to.

The cost is basically a raw material and transportation price per cubic metre (stère) of 1 metre lengths, plus any further cost of cutting it into shorter lengths to fit your woodburner.  

Last year I paid 45€ per stère, and the charge for extra cuts was 5€, so wood cut to 50cms was 50€ per stère, or cut to 33cms was 55€ per stère.

 

[oemodm]

This is the heart of my curiosity.

If you asked for wood which has not been dried, would it be cheaper than bought seasoned. Appreciate you don't know this, but perhaps someone else knows...

[Quillan]

The simple answer to your question is no.

What some people do is buy wood in one or two metre legths (some buy the whole tree) then cut and split it themselves. Normally the longer the length the cheaper it is. You also need to remember that once cut to the length you desire it will need to be kept for two to three years to reach the minimum amount of moisture. Round here were we get really warm in summer you can 'cycle' over two years. So all the wood I have burnt this year will be replaced in the next month and used in two years time.

[Rob Roy]

I would think that the cost is related to the work involved in buying and cutting the wood (tree) in the first place and not in the storage for several years. Finding unseasoned wood might be difficult anyway, as I would guess that those that make their money from selling firewood already know where to source the trees available long before 'joe public' would.

We pay 50€ per stere for seasoned oak delivered in 1 metre lengths; it would be 45€ if we collected it.

[John Brown]

I'm told by my French friends that the people who sell firewood for a living, around here, are "not allowed" to sell wood thats not been seasoned for three years but that fact might be being lost in translation. We are also in 23

We pay 145 Euro for a Cord of Oak cut into 1 metre lengths, delivered. 185 Euro for half Metre.  240 Euro in thirds

I choose to take it in 1 metre and cut into 2 X 400 with the extra chopped and used for starting the fire

The Stove maker says it takes 500 length but I've found its easier and safer to load shorter lengths.

It seems to be common practice around here to share the wood 50/50  if you help fell a tree for your neighbour

 

[HoneySuckleDreams]

ask at your marie to see if they have they sell wood to the commune. Once a year we have a tirage where you "buy" a number of trees. It's up to you to get the stuff out. We pay 13€ a stere.