4 Best Firewood Business ideas You Can Start Today

Do you want to start a firewood related business but you want to go niche? If YES, here are 4 best profitable firewood business ideas.

Firewood is increasingly becoming a sought-after fuel source for home heating. More than ever before, wood burning stoves are now making their way into family rooms of energy consumers. A good number of firewood consumers source their wood from a firewood provider.

The typical delivery unit is a “cord” – a 4’x4’x8’ stack of wood. Pricing for a full cord falls in the $125-$200 range, but many providers also offer half cords (or “face” cords) as well as other delivery units.

Note that majority of firewood entrepreneurs are experienced woodsmen who have firsthand experience in cutting firewood for their personal use. Depending on your situation, you may already have the necessary equipment for a firewood business start-up: A pickup truck, several chain saws, and a log splitter, wedge axes, etc.

So as your transition into a firewood business, note that your biggest challenge will be securing a steady supply of timber. In some areas, state game lands may be available for firewood providers. Howbeit, a less restrictive strategy is to find a privately owned forested area where you can harvest firewood at low- or no-cost.

Before you get started, you have to research your competition and find out what your target customers are looking for. It is imperative to know everything that is going on locally, whether it is your neighbors selling firewood on the side of the road or big timber companies selling it in bulk.

If you reside in the woods, the chances are that the traffic going past your place isn’t going to be very high, and also all of your neighbors will be living in a similar situation to you and won’t need any firewood. A good number of your customers, therefore, are going to be suburban people or people that have moved out to the country so you will have to plan accordingly for how to attract these customers.

With the right ingredients, your business plan will keep your new venture on course and help you avoid the pitfalls that plague other start-up entrepreneurs.

Best Firewood Businesses

1. Firewood Processing Business

If you want to really make money, you can start a firewood processing business. This will help you sell wood for money on an ongoing basis, taking advantage of the fact that you can quickly provide bundles of firewood in the exact format customers and resellers want.

Note that to start as a firewood processor, you will need the right equipment. This equipment can be extremely pricey but once you have it, you will be able to insert logs and have them cut in the size you need. In addition to the purchase of the processor, you will need a tow vehicle to pull it to the woods.

2. Firewood Delivery Business

With this type of business, you can choose to own a firewood store if you have the financial capacity to or you can choose to operate without a store.

The bottom line is that you should know how to source for firewood and how to get them delivered to your customers. Note that starting a firewood delivery business is profitable because people need firewood to warm up their houses especially during winter.

3. Sell Firewood Bundles

Before you put your firewood up for sale, you will need to pay close attention to customer demand. Note that most consumers buy firewood for fire pits or fireplaces, which means they expect to purchase it in a specific size and bundle. Firewood is retailed in sections called a cord, which measures 128 cubic feet in total.

You don’t necessarily have to reach out to bulk firewood buyers with truckloads of wood, but many consumers want to buy a bundle big enough to stock their fireplace for at least a week or two. If you can shrink wrap them, you may be able to appeal to local stores and campgrounds, which are always on the lookout for firewood that they can resale to their own customers.

4. Firewood Franchise

Acquiring firewood businesses is usually better than starting them up on your own, at least during the initial few years. When you buy an established firewood business, you gain access to a functional business operation with a customer base and a steady revenue stream.

So, prior to starting a firewood business, you should determine whether there are good franchise opportunities available that might alleviate your start-up process.