Firewood in western WA (Olympia, Enumclaw: for sale, home, live)

[KidBlue]

Does anyone know how available firewood is around Olympia and the current cost of a cord of cut firewood?

[StealthRabbit]

this year ~$200/cord westside cascades for 'mixed' (usually 1/3 maple, 1/3 fir, 1/3 Alder) not a bad mix, but westside wood is relatively 'soft' (even maple or cherry) and needs to be seasoned (cured) 2 years AFTER cut and split. (usually first yr it lays in the rain, but it really needs to be covered for a year.

Be careful of 'semi-seasoned', as it is sometimes only seasoned on the Semi-truck, while driving out of the forest...

When you hit it with the maul and it squirts you in the eye with retained water, it isn't gonna give much heat.

There should be plenty of wood available in 2 years from the 'blow-down' this year, and a lot of 'green-wood' for sale next season (beware).

Off season prices often drop below $120/cord (remember "cut, split and tightly stacked" to measure a cord._)

This has been a tough heating year, I will have used ~ 6 cords

You can often find 'u-cut' or log loads delivered for $75

[Moreta]

Originally Posted by KidBlue

Does anyone know how available firewood is around Olympia and the current cost of a cord of cut firewood?

I'd check Yelm, Morton, Chehalis (though that is a bit far), Also, while I have a wood stove, I've gone from cut and split, to a combination of Home brand compressed logs, (like the ones you get in safeway or other grocers) they are supper compressed, made from sawdust/wood fibre. I get mine from Del's farm and feed, i think there is one down there. lb for lb I actually like them better over all. Because of how hard they are compressed, I keep other wood for getting a base going. Think the last cord I looked at in Enumclaw was running 250-275 a cord (4x4x8) The pallets of the compressed were running like 239 a pallet. Depending on if that is your own heat source or not.. figure 6-7 cords of wood.
The compressed burn hotter, and stay around longer. (depending on the wood and aging) I'd put them akin to burning Cedar. The nice thing about them, is low ash, (if you burn them right) And I've left for 24 hours had the stove shut down, and still had a bit of hot coal/ember in it. So was easy to restart with a bit of kindling. (btw if you need kindling, check any of the shake mills for scraps or find some old cedar fence post and fro them off.)
Another option you might want to look into. Planer ends. You will need a spot to keep them dry at, but the wood that they come from is usually kiln dried, and the pieces I've gotten are from 1/2 x 2, to 12x4.

One other option is pellets. There is a rack, Prometheus I think is the name, it lets you burn standard pellets in a regular woodstove. The burn from it is from 2-14 hours. Just load it up and let it go. And yes I have used pellets in my woodstove. Usually as starter. Again Del's brand seems to be the best, dryest and most consistent in moisture and size.

[xsfstewart]

Well looking on Craigslist firewood seems to run between $150 and $225.