6 Ways to Find Free Firewood
Gathering firewood can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience, especially if you can find it for free. Here are six ways to score some free firewood:
1. Look in Your Local Area
Online marketplaces like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and Freecycle are great places to find people who are giving away firewood. You can also post an ad yourself or keep an eye out for print ads in your local grocery store, post office, or community center.
2. Clean up After a Storm
Heavy storms can often bring down branches or even entire trees, providing you with an opportunity to gather free firewood. Be sure to get out there quickly after the storm has passed, as most towns begin their cleanup efforts rather quickly. You can also visit designated drop-off points for tree branches to see if there are any extras you can use.
3. Hit up a Construction Site
Construction sites are another great place to find free firewood. When new homes or businesses are being built, trees often need to be cleared away. You can offer to haul away the debris in exchange for the firewood. Just be sure to get permission from the construction company or individual first.
4. Offer Tree Trimming Services
If you have the expertise and equipment to prune tree limbs or branches, you can offer your services in exchange for firewood. Many people are happy to have their trees trimmed back, especially if they can get free firewood in return. You can also contact local tree trimmers to see if they have any extra wood they are willing to sell or give away.
5. Visit a Sawmill
Sawmills produce lumber from tree logs, but they typically don’t use 100% of the tree. You can ask the sawmill if they have any scraps or extras that you can take away for firewood. Sawmills often have to pay to dispose of this waste wood, so they may be happy to give it to you for free.
6. Use Wooden Pallets for Firewood
Wooden pallets can be a good source of firewood in a pinch. However, it’s important to make sure that the pallets you use are safe to burn. Avoid pallets that have an abundance of nails, screws, or staples. Also, steer clear of pallets that have visible stains or that have been marked with “MB,” which denotes the presence of a dangerous treatment known as methyl bromide. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and only burn pallets deemed “safe” outdoors.
Additional Tips
- Not all trees are good for firewood. Some burn hotter, others slower, some clean, and some smoky. Oak is generally considered to be the best firewood because it burns long and slow.
- A cord of wood is a stack of firewood that is 4 by 4 by 8 feet (128 cubic feet). The average price for a cord of wood is $300, but you can find prices between $120 and $900 depending on the wood type, source, and if it is dry or seasoned.
- You should cover a stack of dry firewood with a tarp to protect it from the elements, but make sure that the sides of the stack remain open to allow for air circulation. This will help prevent mold and rot.