So a buddy and I were thinking about selling firewood just to earn some extra cash on weekends. We've got decent chain saws and a gas towable splitter.
We were thinking we could just split a truck load ever weekend or so and put ads on craigslist.
Do you need any kind of licence to sell wood?
Are there any laws about cutting down trees on my own property to sell?
Is it illegal to cut up trees that have already fallen down near the side of the road or on public land.
While there's a bunch of people around here who could give a cr@p there's also alot of tree huggers and I'd hate to get a fine just for trying to make some extra beer/gas money.

 

you will have to contact your local city for the rules on that or hire a business attny to find out for you. I would just go for it and be discreet about getting wood off of the sides of the street. Actually if you look on craigslist you might could find some ppl willing to let you cut the wood for firewood. i see ads like that all the time

 

You shouldn't need a license to sell a few loads of wood. It's like paying sales tax on a garage sale- who's gonna collect it? As far as trees that are already down, I'd say ask the local police to be sure, but at the very least, I think cutting them into smaller sections and taking them somewhere else to split them into cord wood would be a smart thing- out of sight/ out of mind. Besides, what happens when the law comes by and see you cutting up a tree beside the road? Is he going to believe you when you say "But officer, it was already on the ground?"

 

yeah we're not making a business out of it just some extra cash. We both have a decent amount of wooded property so it seems like easy money.

Also if we found a downed tree by the road we'd just cut it into pickup sized lengths and split it elsewhere and we'd only do it if it was obvious it had fallen down.

Just wanted to make sure there wasn't some weird rule I was missing. I know there's all sorts of BS laws concerning the environment.

 

I suppose it depends on where you are. If you are going to hang a shingle then yes you will need at least a resale license, but for a call for delivery thing I would think your OK. Generally you need a firewood permit in a national forest. Sometimes it's easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission. Good Luck and I hope you make a few bucks.

 

Warning: following advice is worth what you're paying for it

Biggest problem might be your neighbors -- they might complain to the local government if you make a big production out of it. Otherwise, it's probably against some licensing laws, but lots of folks do it.

Best thing is to keep kind of a low profile -- don't have big piles and signs in front, don't make a lot of racket late at night -- things like that.

Do you know if others are doing any good selling wood? Be a shame to split up a potful, only to find that you had no business.

My last thought is to be aware of any pest issues. We've had troubles with ash borers around here recently, and they're advising people not to move firewood too far. Local park are restricting campfire wood as well.

 

Not getting into a big operation or anything. Just planning on loading up the trucks with split wood and putting and ad on craigslist saying we'll drop it off at their house. Plan on doing this on weekends when we have extra time. A lot of people burn wood around here and I figure if we're not paying for the trees and we already have the equipment we can just charge a little less than everyone else.

Plus we've got alot of Madrona around here (actually the largest concentration in the world supposably) which I'm told is one of the best and more expensive woods.

 

Well, I suggest you sell it by cords or partial cords because that is Federal law. Plus, it is a law in many states too, that just reflect the Federal law so they can give you a ticket. Some states require you give the buyer a receipt.

 

Here in NY...the Washington state of the east, we have pretty strict regs on selling FW. Especially the harvest of it. Some areas require permits from the local govt as well as EnCon. We can't collect wood on the side of the road without permission.

There are many that ignore it and I've seen many get stung because they ignored the regs.

Better to check and be sure than not and be fined.

 

Instead of being cheap why not sell it at the same price as everyone else? that way you are taking a crap in your own bed. I see the same thing in the landscaping business. Ahhh I just go get an ol mower and cut this guys throat by 5 bucks....to get some business. That's why we can't make a decent wage mowing anymore nor pay our guys what they are worth. Market got flooded, lowballers came out of the woodwork and killed it.
If you sell a decent product and there is a demand for it, there will be no need to play cut throat business. If you do play the game your just going to **** alot of ppl off and ruin your name. Besides why make less money when they are buying it for more?

 

Growing up in Maine and burning wood all of my younger days results in a ton of hard labor even with good saws and a good splitter. We had them all and it still results in back breaking work. IMHO, if your not going to be a big operation, the $$$ is not worth that kind of labor and wear and tear on your personal non-commercial equipment.

I'd be very careful to sell it at the going rate and using an appropriate unit of measurement when making a sale. Such as 1 cord, 1/2 cord, etc. Mix up soft wood and hard wood proportionately. Most importantly, don't give yourself a bad rep.

Tim

 

Hey Colin I have a ?
You said " Are there any laws about cutting down trees on my own property to sell?" Do you plan on storing the wood for at least 1 year to season or are you going to sell green wood?

 

Don't worry about rules! If you have access to wood, cut it and deliver it as a pickup load. Around here, many people have large tracts of woods and are happy to have someone come in and get rid of the dead wood. We did that a few years ago for an elderly couple who burned wood. Every third load we cut we dropped off at their house. We were happy and so were they! We sold the wood by the pickup load, delivered, and had more customers than we could handle. Never bothered with the wood along the road unless it was trees the power companies cut, and then we asked their permission.

 

Good post and great advice

 

My son-in-law sells fire wood...wearing out my two trailers I might add...he buys his seasoned, cut and split about an hour away. Still makes about $ 100.00 a cord delivered. Less the cost of his gas.

He had a chance to cut down a number of dead trees (free wood) where my lake house is and elected not to, due to all the hours involved plus the cost of renting / buying a splitter.