Free tool
Firewood calculator
Stack measurements and price in, cost per cubic metre out.
Firewood is the last thing many people buy without a unit. A trailer load, a ute load and a six by four are not measurements, and comparing two sellers who use them is guesswork. Stack it, measure it, and you have a number that means something.
The sum
Stacked volume is length times height times depth. A stack 2.4 metres long, 1.2 high and half a metre deep is 1.44 cubic metres. At $380 that is about $264 a cubic metre, and that is the figure to compare sellers on.
Stacked and loose are different volumes
The same wood tipped in a heap measures roughly a third more than it does stacked, because you are measuring the air between the pieces. A seller quoting loose cubic metres and a seller quoting stacked cubic metres are not quoting the same thing, and the gap is large enough to reverse which one is cheaper.
If you are quoted a volume, ask whether it is stacked or loose. If wood is tipped in your driveway, stack it before you judge it.
Seasoning matters more than species
Wet wood is the most expensive firewood there is. Water in the timber has to be boiled off before the wood will burn properly, and that energy comes out of your heating rather than going into the room. Green or unseasoned wood also builds creosote in the flue, which is a chimney fire risk rather than an inconvenience.
Seasoned wood is lighter than it looks, has checking cracks across the end grain, and knocks together with a sharp sound instead of a dull one. If it hisses at the ends when it burns, it was not ready.
Your rights
In both New South Wales and Victoria, firewood is sold by volume and a seller should be able to tell you the quantity you are getting and give you a receipt showing it. If a seller cannot or will not state a volume, that is the answer to whether to buy from them.
There are also rules about where firewood may be taken from. Commercial firewood must come from authorised sources, and collecting from roadsides, reserves and public land is restricted in both states. Ask where it came from.
Buy in summer
Firewood is cheapest and driest at the end of summer and dearest in the middle of a cold snap when everyone has run out at once. A season ahead is the cheapest firewood you will ever burn, and it will be properly dry by the time you need it.
Common questions
How do I know if a firewood load is good value?
Stack it, measure length by height by depth for the volume in cubic metres, and divide the price by that. Cost per stacked cubic metre is the only figure that lets you compare two sellers. A trailer load or a ute load is not a unit of measurement.
What is the difference between stacked and loose cubic metres?
The same wood tipped in a heap measures roughly a third more than it does stacked, because you are also measuring the air between the pieces. Always ask which one a quote refers to, because the difference is big enough to change which seller is actually cheaper.
How can I tell whether firewood is properly seasoned?
Seasoned wood is noticeably lighter than it looks, shows checking cracks across the end grain, and knocks together with a sharp rather than a dull sound. Wood that hisses at the cut ends while burning still holds water, which wastes heat and builds creosote in the flue.
Does a firewood seller have to tell me the volume?
In both New South Wales and Victoria firewood is sold by volume, and a seller should be able to state the quantity and provide a receipt showing it. A seller who will not give you a volume has answered the question of whether to buy from them. There are also rules on where commercial firewood may be sourced, so it is fair to ask.