If you’re ready to graduate from picking up the expensive per-use bundles of firewood from the local convenience store and have a load of firewood delivered, keep in mind some tips on purchasing firewood in bulk. Firewood comes in two versions, soft or hardwood. The most common hardwoods for burning are elm, hickory, maple and oak. Popular softwoods available are pine and popular. Hardwood is a more efficient heat source and burns at a slower rate than softwoods.

Your first question before committing to any firewood is,” is it seasoned?” Wood should have been cut and stacked for at least one year. This period allows the moisture content to diminish by air-drying. Newly cut wood is heavy and features a sappy appearance on the ends. As wood dries, the bark begins to separate from the core of the tree, look for loose bark, indicating seasoned wood. Green wood with high moisture content can mean trouble for your fireplace chimney. Green wood when burned emits heavy amounts of creosote, which can accumulate in fireplace flues and chimneys, creating a fire hazard.

Fireplace wood should be cut in the standard length of sixteen inches. Firewood is sold in a variety of amounts and delivery methods. Typically you’l1 be quoted prices for full or face cords, and stacked or dumped. Full cords measure four-by-four-by-eight feet, are stacked but un-split. Face cords refer only to the face of a four-by-eight foot stack, only one log or sixteen inches deep. You’ll pay extra for firewood that is split and stacked. Splitting and stacking wood requires considerable time and energy.

As a long-term fireplace fan, I recommend buying only as much wood as you need for one season. After a couple of years, firewood can begin to decay and begin to absorb moisture again. Spend the money on a firewood rack to keep your wood off the ground and allow for air circulation. Nothing beats the glow of a real fire.