Buying firewood in Ontario should be straightforward, but the inconsistent terminology, variable quality, and wide price range make it one of those purchases where a little knowledge goes a long way. Whether you're heating your home with a wood stove, feeding a fireplace insert, or stocking up for backyard fires, this guide covers everything you need to buy smart and burn well.
Understanding Firewood Measurements
The single biggest source of confusion in firewood is how it's measured. Here are the three terms you'll encounter: Full cord (bush cord): This is the only legally defined measurement in Canada. A full cord is a neatly stacked pile measuring 4 feet wide by 4 feet high by 8 feet long — a total volume of 128 cubic feet. This is the standard unit of measure and the only one that provides a reliable apples-to-apples comparison between sellers.When comparing prices, always convert to the same unit. If one seller quotes $200 per face cord and another quotes $450 per full cord, the second seller is actually cheaper — you're getting three face cords' worth for $450 versus $600 (three face cords at $200 each).
Best Wood Types for Heat Output
Not all firewood is created equal. The species of wood determines how much heat it produces per cord, how long it burns, and how much creosote it deposits in your chimney. Here's a ranking of common Simcoe County species from highest to lowest heat output: Ironwood (hop hornbeam): The gold standard — incredibly dense, long-burning, and high in BTUs. Difficult to split but worth the effort. Not always available in quantity. Sugar maple: The workhorse of Ontario firewood. Excellent heat output, splits well, produces good coals, and is widely available. This is what most experienced wood burners stock. Red oak: Comparable heat to sugar maple with an even longer burn time. Needs a full two years of seasoning to burn cleanly — oak that's only seasoned one year will smoke and creosote heavily. White ash: Burns hot and clean with relatively short seasoning time. Splits easily. Unfortunately, the emerald ash borer has killed most ash trees in Simcoe County, so supply is declining. Yellow birch: Good heat output and a pleasant aroma. Burns faster than maple or oak. The bark is an excellent fire starter. White birch: Lower heat output than yellow birch but still decent. Burns relatively fast. Best mixed with denser species.Species to avoid for primary heating: <strong>Pine, spruce, and cedar</strong> burn fast, produce less heat per cord, and generate significantly more creosote than hardwoods. They're fine for kindling, campfires, and shoulder-season use, but they're not efficient or safe as a primary heat source in a wood stove.
How to Tell If Firewood Is Properly Seasoned
Seasoned firewood has a moisture content below 20 percent — ideally 15 to 18 percent. Burning green (unseasoned) wood wastes energy because the fire has to boil off the water before the wood can burn. It also produces heavy smoke and rapid creosote buildup in your chimney, which is a fire hazard. Here's how to check: Colour: Seasoned wood is grey or faded compared to the bright, fresh colour of green wood. Weight: Pick up a piece. Seasoned hardwood is noticeably lighter than green wood of the same species. Cracks: Check the end grain — seasoned wood shows radial cracks (checking) from the drying process. Sound: Knock two pieces together. Seasoned wood produces a hollow, resonant sound. Green wood sounds dull and heavy. Bark: On seasoned wood, bark is loose or falling off. Tight bark usually means the wood is still green. Moisture meter: For certainty, a pin-type moisture meter costs $20 to $40 and gives you an instant reading.Storage Tips for Ontario Winters
Proper storage is essential to maintain (or achieve) low moisture content. Elevate the stack: Never stack firewood directly on the ground. Use pallets, landscape timbers, or a gravel pad to keep the bottom row off the soil and away from moisture. Cover the top only: Cover the top of the stack with a tarp, metal roofing, or a purpose-built firewood cover — but leave the sides open. Airflow through the sides is what dries the wood; wrapping it completely traps moisture. Face the open end into prevailing wind: In Simcoe County, prevailing winds come from the west and northwest. Orient your stack so the open face catches the breeze. Keep it away from the house: Stack firewood at least 5 metres from your home. Firewood attracts insects — particularly carpenter ants and wood-boring beetles — that you don't want migrating to your house. Buy early: The best firewood is bought in spring or early summer and stacked to season through the warm months. By October, supply tightens, prices increase, and the best-quality seasoned wood sells out first.At Axe & Wedge Tree Works, we offer <a href="/services/firewood-delivery">firewood delivery</a> across Simcoe County — seasoned hardwood, cut and split, delivered and stacked. All of our firewood comes from trees we've removed locally, so you know exactly where it's from and how it's been processed. Call 705-540-0760 or order online.
