How Much Does It Cost to Start a Selling Firewood? (2026)
Startup runs $19,750 to $172,300 one time, plus $1,530 to $11,800 a month in listed costs. Selling firewood can be profitable as a lean, local side operation or add-on to a tree-service/landscaping business, but it is a caution as a standalone first…
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Research my version$19.8Kto $172.3K
National range
Listed monthly costs$1.5Kto $11.8K / mo
May not include every expense
6-month runway$28.9Kto $243.1K
Startup plus six months of costs
Net margin10-25%
Typical, once open
National figures. Tap one to research it for your city and your version.
Published estimates, not a quote for your location. Listed monthly costs may not include every operating expense.
Itemized cost breakdown
12 line items, one time and monthly.
| Item | One-time | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Chainsaw, safety gear, and hand tools | $600 to $1,800 | $30 to $150 |
| Hydraulic log splitter (used/new 20-37 ton) | $1,200 to $6,000 | $25 to $120 |
| Optional commercial firewood processor | $9,000 to $65,000 | $150 to $900 |
| Pickup truck and/or dump trailer for delivery | $3,500 to $45,000 | $250 to $1,200 |
| Storage yard, gravel pad, racks, tarps, or drying shed | $1,000 to $12,000 | $150 to $1,500 |
| Initial raw logs or green rounds inventory | $1,500 to $15,000 | $500 to $5,000 |
| Business license, seller permit, weights-and-measures/cord compliance | $100 to $1,500 | $0 to $80 |
| General liability, commercial auto, and inland marine/equipment insurance | $0 to $500 | $150 to $900 |
| Moisture meter, scale/tickets, signage, and basic POS/invoicing | $250 to $1,500 | $20 to $150 |
| Launch marketing: local search, Marketplace ads, yard signs, delivery flyers | $300 to $2,500 | $100 to $800 |
| Fuel, bar oil, chains, splitter hydraulics, tires, and repairs reserve | $300 to $1,500 | $150 to $1,000 |
| Working capital for preseason inventory and winter payroll | $2,000 to $20,000 | None |
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6-month runway
Startup cost plus six months of burn: a rough floor for how much cash to have in hand before you open, since most businesses are not profitable from day one.
$28,930 to $243,100
Check the breakdown before using this figure: if upfront costs already include a working-capital reserve, this formula counts additional runway on top of it. Listed monthly costs may be incomplete.
How to lower these costs
Optional commercial firewood processor
Optional commercial firewood processor is one of the largest one-time costs ($9,000 to $65,000). Look for used or leased equipment, a smaller initial order, or a phased buildout to shrink the upfront check.
Pickup truck and/or dump trailer for delivery
Pickup truck and/or dump trailer for delivery is one of the largest one-time costs ($3,500 to $45,000). Look for used or leased equipment, a smaller initial order, or a phased buildout to shrink the upfront check.
Initial raw logs or green rounds inventory, monthly
Initial raw logs or green rounds inventory runs $500 to $5,000/month. Negotiate the rate up front, shop multiple vendors, or delay this line item until revenue can cover it.
Storage yard, gravel pad, racks, tarps, or drying shed, monthly
Storage yard, gravel pad, racks, tarps, or drying shed runs $150 to $1,500/month. Negotiate the rate up front, shop multiple vendors, or delay this line item until revenue can cover it.
Next steps
Edit line items for your exact plan with the free startup cost calculator.
See margins, demand and competition for a selling firewood.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start a selling firewood business?
Starting a selling firewood business typically costs about $8,000-$35,000 for a lean used-equipment setup with splitter, trailer, saws, yard prep, permits, insurance deposit, and initial logs; a processor-scale setup can run $60,000-$150,000+. The cheapest credible launch is not "free": even using an existing truck, the seller still needs a splitter, chains, PPE, dry storage, legal receipts, and working capital for wood months before winter.
What is the cheapest way to start selling firewood?
The cheapest way to start selling firewood is to use an existing truck, buy a used 20-27 ton splitter, source storm-damaged or tree-service wood locally, sell by preorder pickup before offering delivery, and require deposits. Avoid renting a yard, buying a processor, stocking bundles for gas stations, or promising "seasoned" hardwood that has not measured below roughly 20% moisture on a meter.
Can you finance firewood equipment?
Firewood equipment can be financed through equipment loans, dealer financing for processors, SBA microloans/7(a) for eligible working capital, or business credit cards for small tools, but lenders usually want collateral and revenue history. Because inventory is seasonal and hard to liquidate, debt should be sized so winter sales cover the note; financing a processor before having contracted cord volume is a common overreach.
What ongoing monthly costs does a firewood seller have?
Ongoing firewood costs include insurance, fuel and bar oil, chain/splitter maintenance, yard rent, log purchases, marketing, card/POS fees, phone/software, and repair reserves, often $600-$4,000 per month depending on scale. Hidden recurring costs are shrinkage from wet or stolen wood, re-stacking labor, tire/trailer wear, warranty or refund loads, and higher commercial auto premiums once deliveries become frequent.
What hidden startup costs do new firewood sellers miss?
New firewood sellers most often miss drying infrastructure, legal measurement compliance, delivery fuel/time, and inventory carry: a profitable winter requires wood bought and split months earlier. They also underbudget for replacement chains and hydraulic hoses, gravel or mud control in the yard, customer short-load claims, pest-quarantine limits on where wood can move, and the owner's labor during 10-hour splitting days.
National Census establishment data was not available for this category. Cost and margin figures are informed estimates drawn from public industry sources (trade associations, government labor/business statistics, industry reports) combined with real Google Ads search-demand data. They are directional, not audited — actual costs and margins vary by market and operator. Updated November 2026. Read our methodology
Updated November 9, 2026 · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns and NAICS proxies such as Logging (113310) and Support Activities for Forestry (115310) for adjacent establishment context, USDA APHIS emerald ash borer and state firewood movement/quarantine rules, USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory firewood, drying, and wood fuel publications, U.S. EPA Burn Wise guidance on seasoned wood moisture and clean burning, IBISWorld U.S. industry reports for Logging (11331) and Tree Services/landscaping adjacencies used as market proxies, State weights-and-measures firewood sale/cord labeling rules and attorney general or department of agriculture consumer guidance
Related: Is a selling firewood profitable?
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