Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Part One: Preparing the Firewood
• Method 2 of 3: Part Two: Taking Care of Legal Issues
• Method 3 of 3: Part Three: Selling Wood

Selling firewood may not make you rich, but if you know how to do it, it can give you little to moderate additional income that will be stable during the cold season. Prepare the wood and brush up on government regulations regarding the sale of firewood. Once you have mastered all the details, you can start selling your product.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Part One: Preparing the Firewood

1. 1 Use the right tools. You need tools that will allow you to saw and transport firewood.
   • Chainsaws are the best wood cutting tool, but you may also need a bow saw, a Swedish saw, and a razor sharp ax. If you need to drive a wedge, use a sledgehammer and mallet.
   • It is very convenient to have a mechanized log splitter as it can save a lot of time and energy.
   • For small businesses, you can use a firewood truck, but if you want to expand your business, you will need a low loader trawl.
2. 2 Find a good source of firewood. You cannot cut down any tree that you see.You must harvest firewood for sale in a legally permitted location.
   • Firewood on your land can usually be harvested if there are no laws prohibiting the harvesting of firewood in this area.
   • It is usually possible to collect marked trees in the national forests.
   • Thin, dead and dying trees in private forests, uncultivated areas near fences, and building plots can generally be used as well.
   • Buy excess wood that is usually thrown away at sawmills.
   • Offer to cut down and remove unnecessary trees that fell after the storm.
3. 3 Remove the bark. While not required, handling your firewood will generally make it legally easier to supply firewood to a larger population of customers or buyers. One of the easiest ways to handle wood is to simply remove the outer layer.
   • If you choose this option, you will have to remove the bark and the one and a half centimeter layer of wood underneath, called cambium.
4. 4 Alternatively, use a drying oven. Another easy way to process firewood for shipment from the county or state is through a drying oven, which dries the wood and kills various worms or larvae.
   • The maximum permissible tree thickness is usually about 8 centimeters
   • Use steam, hot water, or ovens to heat the wood to at least 70 degrees Celsius. Maintain this temperature for at least 75 minutes.
5. 5 Store wood in dry conditions. Store cooked firewood in neat bundles and keep them dry.
   • Ideally, the wood should be raised off the ground so that moisture cannot be absorbed through the soil.
   • If you need to store the wood outdoors, cover it with tarpaulins or similar covering on the piles to limit the amount of moisture coming into contact with the wood.

Method 2 of 3: Part Two: Taking Care of Legal Issues

1. 1 Get state approval. Each state's procedure requires you to complete an application for permission to sell firewood.
   • Receive the form, complete, sign, and submit it to the state forestry office for approval.
   • Once approved, you will be given stamps or tickets that you can use to mark the bundles. Your name will also be added to the list of government approved suppliers.
   • You will need a separate permit for each county where you harvest wood and for each type of firewood.
2. 2 Update the resolution every year. Since firewood sources and other details may change annually, you will need to re-approve as a supplier every year.
   • Make sure you renew your permit in time. As a rule, the renewal period is in the beginning - mid-autumn.
3. 3 Only sell firewood in the state. Some states will allow you to ship firewood across state lines under strict conditions, most states do not approve of this, so it is easier and safer to only sell firewood locally.
   • Firewood easily tolerates aggressive insects. Selling firewood from one state to another can spread problems. Moreover, since the insects will not be native to this area, there will be no natural predators to reduce their population.
4. 4 Pack firewood in cord-based units. Most states only allow firewood to be sold in full or partial cords. Kord is a stack of firewood of 39 cubic meters. Therefore, half a cord is 19.5 cubic meters and a quarter cord is 9.8 cubic meters.
   • The dimensions of the package do not need to be exact as long as the total volume is equal to the correct quantity. For example, a package can be 1.2m wide, 1.2m high and 2.4m long, but it can also be 0.61m wide, 1.2m high and 4.9m long. ...
   • You are not allowed to sell firewood using terms such as "butt end", "block", "heap", or "truck".
5. 5 Pay your taxes. No matter how much firewood you sell, once you decide to become a firewood supplier and apply for a permit, you become a small business. Thus, you will have to pay taxes for small businesses.
   • You will have to pay federal and state self-employment taxes.
   • If you earn below a certain amount, you may not pay taxes on your own business, but income will still be taxed. This amount can vary from state to state.

Method 3 of 3: Part Three: Selling Wood

1. 1 Concentrate your efforts at the right time of the year. People are obviously more interested in buying firewood in late fall, winter and early spring. You can sell wood at other times of the year, but you will be most profitable when the weather is cold and demand is increasing.
   • You may also notice that temperature swings during the colder months of the year will further increase your sales, especially if temperatures are expected to stay low for several days.
2. 2 Post a pointer. This is the most traditional way to sell firewood, and in some ways it may be the most beneficial. Find the nearest busy road and put up a sign "Firewood for sale". Include a telephone number in the sign so that passers-by know how to contact you.
   • Another hike is to create a roadside stand. Leave your truck or trailer on the street with the sign "Firewood for sale".
3. 3 Advertise in the newspaper. Since you will be selling most of the firewood in the local market, placing a small ad in the local newspaper will usually have an effect. Place an inexpensive ad with the words "Firewood for Sale" and include your phone number.
4. 4 Spread rumors. Rumor is usually one of the best small business marketing resources. If you make your customers happy, encourage them to spread the word to their friends.
   • You can also tell your friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances so that they know about your business.
   • Print business cards. Include a business card with every shipment and pass the cards to potential stakeholders.
5. 5 Sell ​​online. Even if you only intend to sell firewood locally, online sales can be a good idea.
   • Open a website or blog that allows customers to shop online.
   • Make a page for your business on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or other social media sites.
   • Advertise on Craigslist or other internet classifieds website.
6. 6 Offer delivery services. If you sell firewood from home, most buyers will call and ask you to deliver the firewood they are buying. Since most firewood is purchased during particularly cold days, customers tend to want fast delivery.
   • Make sure you have enough time to make the delivery and leave yourself enough time for that. For example, if you think that you can deliver firewood the next day, you still have to say that delivery can take three to four days. Receiving earlier usually doesn't bother anyone, but being late is annoying.
7. 7 Provide the buyer with an invoice. By law in most states, you are required to provide each customer with a receipt when the purchase is made and delivered.
   • This receipt must contain information about the seller and the buyer, including names, addresses, and telephone numbers.
   • Note the type and quantity of timber, as well as the price paid.
   • In addition, please indicate the delivery date or shipment date.
8. 8 Keep a list of clients. List every customer who has bought firewood from you, including their name, number and address.
   • Call these customers at the start of the next heating season before the temperature drops too much and ask them to consider purchasing firewood from you this year as well.
   • Please note, however, that the customer who asks to be removed from your list must be removed.