SPLIT FIREWOOD DELIVERY

If your home or business needs a reliable and prompt firewood delivery service, call Colonial Excavating. Our locally owned business has served the Capital Region with expertise for years. Customers from Albany to Latham to Saratoga Springs count on us to provide expert excavation, sewer and water line services, and firewood delivery services — hire us, and you’ll be glad you did!

Buy Seasoned Firewood for Delivery at Fair Prices

Your wood-burning fireplace provides your home with a cozier ambiance and also an important heating source. Properly seasoned and stored firewood makes a significant difference in the beauty of a fire and its ability to heat your home. Whether your home features a traditional masonry fireplace, a wood-burning stove or an outdoor fire pit – or all three – Colonial Excavating’s firewood services assure you’ll have the high-quality wood you need to achieve your goals.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT ORDERING FIREWOOD

Nothing is more frustrating than moist wood that won’t burn when you’re ready to relax in front of the fire — and if you rely on firewood to heat your home, bad wood can cause considerable discomfort. Whether you’re getting prepared for another upstate New York winter or you’re readying your backyard fire pit for relaxed evenings roasting s’mores, Colonial Excavating is ready to help. We’ll deliver seasoned firewood to your home or business- clean firewood that’s free from pests and mold, and thoroughly dried for efficient burning. Order half-cords, face cord, half face cords, a third face cords, full- cords or more, and take care of your firewood needs all year long!

If you aren’t sure how much firewood to order, ask yourself how you plan to use your firewood. If you have a traditional masonry fireplace or a fire pit and you won’t use firewood as your primary heat source, you’ll probably use less firewood than someone with a wood-burning stove or fireplace insert – even if your stove or insert is designed for maximum efficiency.

If you plan to build a fire in your fire pit or masonry fireplace every weekend, for example, you can anticipate needing to get a cord of wood delivered every winter. If you plan to use firewood to heat your entire home, you should consider purchasing up to five cords of wood. In general, the more space your insert or stove heats, the more wood you’ll need. Because seasoned firewood burns more efficiently and effectively than green firewood, you’ll want to make sure your firewood is of high quality.

All green firewood – firewood that’s freshly chopped and hasn’t had time to season properly – contains mostly water. Not only is green firewood tough to ignite, it also wastes wood because it rarely burns down to ashes. It also releases more creosote into your chimney. Creosote is a leading cause of chimney fires. Seasoned firewood from Colonial Excavating dries after cutting and splitting for at least six months. You can identify properly seasoned firewood by its color, texture and weight. Compare comparably sized pieces of green firewood to seasoned firewood, and you’ll notice seasoned firewood looks grayer, shows cracking and is lighter.

Also, certain types of firewood burn hotter and last longer. Hardwood trees such as maple and oak produce the highest-quality firewood. You can expect to pay more for hardwood firewood, but it will also last longer. Softwood trees such as pine and spruce don’t burn as efficiently as hardwoods, but are still safe for fireplace use, assuming they are properly seasoned.

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The fall season is in the air, and the temperature is changing around the country. For many, the crisp autumn air will soon be changing to freezing cold temperatures. It is time to start thinking about getting the best firewood for your home or business. There is nothing quite like a warm fire in the winter during the holiday season. But getting the best firewood to burn for fireplaces is not as simple as just going into the woods and finding wood.

There is a variety of firewood to choose from. While they will all generally work, some work better than others. Some wood burns longer, and some burns faster. The type of wood available to you will also vary by location. Some woods you will only find in northern states, while others can be found practically anywhere. Whether you are getting wood for your home, business or even camping, it is important to find the right wood for the setting.

What Is the Best Type of Firewood?

Before you go off to the store or the woods, let’s take a look at some of the different wood types.2-oak

  • Oak: This is a very common tree that can be found just about anywhere. It is a dense wood, so it will burn for a very long time. The only hard part is getting the fire started. Because it is so dense, it requires continuous high heat. However, once you get the fire going, it will last for quite some time.
  • Hickory: This is a tree that is very similar to oak. Like oak, the density of this wood allows it to burn for quite a while. This wood can be hard to split to your own, but once it is split hickory makes great firewood.
  • Maple: This is a wood that is hard to split. Like oak, it is also hard to start. Once you get it started, though, it will last for a long time. It also produces very little smoke, which can be great for outside parties.
  • Cherry: Cherry is a hardwood tree that also produces very little smoke. It has a sweet smell and is arguably one of the best-smelling woods. This wood tends to only burn at medium heat.
  • Birch: These trees actually come in different varieties within the same family. Thanks to the soft wood, birch is a great fire starter since it burns very quickly. This is also one of the best woods to use for cooking.
  • Pine: This is another soft wood that is great for starting a quick fire. This tree has high sap and is best used outdoors. Because of the sap, it burns quickly, so it’s a good idea to use other wood along with this to last longer.
  • Elm: This is a dense hardwood that is very hard to split. Because the wood is so dry, it can produce great firewood.
  • Chestnut: This is arguably one of the worst woods to use for fires. It produces a small flame and low heat. On the plus side, it is easy to split and burns easily.

Where to Find Firewood in Upstate NY

Now that you have a basic understanding of the types of wood, let’s take a look at where you can find them. This all depends on your needs, but you can use this list to find the best firewood to burn for heat or fireplaces. Going out to get firewood is a bit of an old-fashioned approach, as most modern houses contain gas fireplaces. However, nothing quite beats the smell, crackling and pleasure of a real fire.

Getting your wood can be as easy as driving to the woods, just picking up a stack and heading back home. However, that may not be the case for everyone. Before you head out, look online first to see what is out there. You can start on places like Craigslist or eBay. Craigslist often has free wood, while eBay may offer a wood that is not in your area.

You can look through your neighborhood for tree removals or leftover wood that was kicked to the curb. Another place to find the best firewood is at local farms. Depending on the farm, the wood may be free or sold at a relatively cheap price. Sometimes farms will give you a discount if you buy in bulk. One area that is easy to forget is gas stations. In the winter months, some gas stations carry wood for a cheap price.

What if you don’t have the time to look around your neighborhood or even online? With work and school, some people just don’t have the time to dedicate to finding perfect firewood. You can try to leave that task to friends or family members. However, they are probably just as busy and know even less about the types of wood to get.

If you are not sure what the best type of firewood is and don’t have the time to research it, maybe it’s time to bring in the professionals. Colonial Excavating is one company that can meet all of your firewood needs. We have years of expertise to help your home or business find the best firewood to burn. Not only will we give you guidance on what to pick, but we will deliver it to you as well.

For the busy professional or just someone who doesn’t know firewood, Colonial Excavating is a one-stop shop for all your needs. No longer will you have to spend time searching for wood or getting upset because your fire burns out too quickly. No longer will you have to head to the woods on a freezing cold night to chop some wood to bring home. Colonial Excavating has a well-trained staff that is there for all of your needs.

Having wood delivered saves you time and money. The wood we deliver is already selected and cut and ready to burn — all y3-wood-deliveryou have to do is start the fire. We give you a number of options to choose from, whether you are someone who burns wood frequently or someone who burns wood once or twice a month. Colonial Excavating will work with you to make sure you are taken care of.

 

Before you call us at Colonial Excavating, it helps if you know the type of wood you are looking for. Even if you don’t know the name, knowing the basics helps. For example, if you know you want a wood that has a nice smell or burns fast or is easy to light, let your professional know, and they can find the right wood for you. If you are brand new to wood and have no idea what to select, they can walk you through the process as well.

Keeping Firewood

Once you have your firewood cut, stacked and delivered, you’ll probably have more questions. One important question you should ask is: How long can you keep the firewood? This will depend on a number of factors. Things to keep in mind are the type of wood, storage, location, cut or uncut and so on. While some customers may just get wood as they need it, some like to stock up for the future.

The most important part in preserving wood a long time is to keep it dry. No matter what kind of wood you have, if you leave it outside to get wet, it will not last. When wood gets wet for an extended period of time, it can deteriorate. In doing so, it will expire and return to dust. Rotten wood will also be full of bugs, termites and decay. Some may argue that wet wood is great for fires, but it is not great to store long term.

One way to keep wood dry is to cut the wood relatively soon after the tree has fallen. This will help it dry out. After you cut it, you’ll want to stack the wood several inches off the ground to help dry it out. If you keep it outside, you’ll want to shelter it from rain. You also want try and stack it where the sun can shine on it to make the wood dry faster. Sunlight and airflow are the best techniques for keeping wood dry and helping with mold and bug issues. In some cases, it may be best to let the wood dry for six months or longer.

The amount of time you store your wood depends on your climate. If you live in a damp maritime climate, wood will take a while to dry. For example, if you cut and stack your wood in early spring, it should be ready by October. If you treat your wet wood properly and preserve it with those steps, you can get at least three to four years of out of the wood.

Measuring Wood

Firewood uses a cord as the unit of measurement. This dates back to the 1600s when wood was sold in bundles that were tied with cord. A full cord of wood should have these dimensions: four feet high by four feet wide by eight feet long. A cord of wood has a volume of 128 cubic feet, although the actual volume of the wood is closer to 90 c4-a-cord-of-woodubic feet because of the air between the wood.

While you can take any number of measurements, a cord of wood can weigh anywhere from 2,500 pounds of softwood to 5,000 pounds of hardwood. It is important to measure properly when you pick up your wood. You need to measure to see if it will fit in your vehicle or storage or if you have a place for it outside.

 

Some other terms you might hear are rack, truckload, stove cord and face cord. These terms are additional ways to measure wood. What you need to know is the overall volume of wood. That is the width x height x length, and it should equal 128 cubic feet. Anytime you buy wood, make sure you ask what the overall cubic footage is.

Firewood Costs

Proper measuring of wood factors into your overall cost. These cost also include: the type of wood, where you live, time of year and market conditions. For example, hardwood is more expensive than softwood. If you pick the wood up yourself, you can save some money. However, most people don’t have the proper vehicle to carry a supply of wood, so you will have to factor in delivery cost as well.

If you are getting your wood delivered, that will be another fee. This fee will depend on how close you live to the seller. Some sellers won’t charge if you live within a certain distance from their location. Another cost that could be added on is whether you want your wood stacked or dumped when it gets delivered to your home.

Having your wood stacked means it will be in a neat pile. Dumped means the wood will be delivered to your property and you will have to stack it. It will require some time to stack wood by yourself. However, if you are looking to save money, that is one option. If you do decide to stack it yourself, make sure you have it dumped near the location you will keep the wood. Otherwise, it will take you additional time to go back and forth collecting and stacking the wood.

One way to save money on firewood is to buy it as far in advance as you can. If you wait until it gets cold and it’s peak seaso5-buy-wood-earlyn, the price of wood will go up. Not only do the prices go up, but there is also a chance you won’t find what you are looking for. Firewood can sell out. It’s always good to be precise when ordering your wood. This way you won’t waste any money.

You can also cut your own firewood by getting a woodcutting permit. There is a fee you’ll have to pay, but as long as you have the proper tools and are comfortable using them, this is a great way to save money. Not only that, but you’ll get to be outside in nature.

One tool you will need to cut your own wood is a proper vehicle to put all the wood in. If you drive a little smart car, that probably won’t work to haul all your wood. You can, however, rent trucks from places like Home Depot by the hour for an affordable price.

 

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FIREWOOD

Colonial Excavating offers split firewood delivery to customers in and around New York’s Capital District. As a locally owned and operated business, we’re committed to providing competitive rates on efficient wood delivery to our community.

There’s a lot to know to ensure you buy high-quality wood. Here are our answers to a few frequently asked questions about firewood.

HOW LONG SHOULD FIREWOOD DRY BEFORE BURNING?

Firewood should dry for six months before burning. Whether you’re burning in a fireplace, wood stove, outdoor fire pit or all of the above, well-seasoned wood burns the best. Without enough time to dry, wood will take too much heat to ignite, or it won’t ignite at all.

Once it’s burning, unseasoned wood is less likely to burn the whole way through. Well-seasoned wood — which is generally lightweight, slightly gray and shows signs of cracking — burns down to ashes and gets you the most for your money.

At Colonial Excavating, we season our wood for a full nine to twelve months after cutting. Order delivery in any quantity you need to fill your woodpile all year long.

WHICH FIREWOOD BURNS THE LONGEST?

Oak burns the longest out of the most common type of wood. It’s a dense wood that can be difficult to split, but it will burn for a long time with enough heat. Harder woods burn longer than softer evergreens.

Other dense woods known for a long burn include maple, hickory and locust. Like oak, maple wood is tough to split and burns for a long time, but it’s known for producing a light amount of smoke, making it an excellent choice for parties.

Softwoods like pine and birch are easy to slit, but they burn quickly. Still, they have their uses — birch is one of the best for cooking. Use evergreens alongside other hardwoods for a longer fire.

CAN FIREWOOD BE TOO OLD?

As long as firewood is kept dry, it can never really be too old. With more time in a controlled space away from moisture, wood will be easier to ignite and keep burning. Keep wood off the ground, covered and in a dry atmosphere for the best longevity.

Without careful, controlled storage, wood can go bad over time. Moisture leads to increased resistance to ignition and various other problems that make it difficult to ignite and burn the whole way through.

WHAT WOOD SHOULD YOU NOT BURN?

Don’t burn damp, moldy or rotting wood. Attempting to burn unseasoned wood that has retained moisture is counterproductive to your fire, and it wastes the good wood you may be burning alongside the bad. Wet wood is difficult to ignite, and it produces a low amount of heat, so it’s not worth crossing with your good wood.

You should also never burn pressure-treated wood. Pressure-treated wood contains preservative chemicals that are harmful to inhale, so never burn it in your fireplace, wood stove or any other fire source with people around.  

For the best fires, it’s also good to avoid burning softwoods like pine, birch and chestnut. They may be easier to split, but they burn at a lower heat, meaning they won’t last as long as hardwoods.

CONTACT COLONIAL EXCAVATING

To learn more about our firewood delivery services or inquire about rates, contact us today!

Firewood Services at Colonial Excavating

Contact Colonial Excavating for your complete fireplace needs. Colonial Excavating offers:

  • Full Cord firewood delivery — A full cord equals 4' x 4' x 8". Choose a full cord if you have a fire most weekend evenings over the winter.
  • Face Cord (Fireplace Cord) — We will deliver a half-cord of firewood to 4' x 8' X 16" size. If you burn firewood every once in a while — for example, you have a fire in your fireplace once or twice a month over the winter — choose the Fireplace Cord.
  • Multiple cords delivery — Do you heat your home with a wood-burning stove, build fires in your fireplace most days of the week and make ample use of a backyard fire pit? Save on delivery costs and order multiple cords for delivery from Colonial Excavating.
Whether you prefer to stack your firewood yourself or you want us to do it for you, just let us know. If you're not sure how much to order, call us — our experts are happy to help you decide. We can also stack your firewood for an additional charge. Browse our photo gallery for before and after pictures, and see for yourself why Colonial Excavating is the premier excavating and landscaping company in the Capital Region.