Firewood Prices in New York (NY)

Buying Firewood in New York: What to Know

A cord is the measure that matters

A full cord is a stacked pile 4 feet high by 4 feet deep by 8 feet long: 128 cubic feet of stacked wood, and it is the unit that makes prices comparable. New York does not require the full cord: every ad and sale must give the three dimensions of the stacked wood in feet and inches, and a word like "face cord", "rack", or "truckload" may be used only next to them. A face cord (4 by 8 feet, as deep as the logs are long) is well under 128 cubic feet. If a dealer quotes any other unit, ask how it converts to a full cord.

Seasoned, green, or kiln-dried

Moisture is what you are really paying for. Green wood is freshly cut, holds a lot of water, and is usually the cheapest, but it needs months of drying before it burns well. Seasoned wood has been split and air-dried, typically six months or more, and burns hotter and cleaner. Kiln-dried wood has the lowest moisture, lights easily, and costs the most. Burning wet wood wastes heat and builds creosote in your chimney, so ask every dealer when the wood was cut and split.

Delivery and stacking change the real price

Two quotes for the same price are not the same deal. Ask whether delivery to your town is included or billed by distance, whether there is a minimum order, and whether the load is dumped or stacked. Stacking is usually a separate charge when it is offered at all. The delivered, in-your-driveway cost is the number to compare.

Why so many dealers say "call for pricing"

Of the 51 New York dealers listed here, only 10 give a price up front. Prices move with species, moisture, distance, and season, so many dealers prefer the phone. That opacity makes comparison shopping hard, which is the reason this site exists: we gather every price we can with its source, and one quote request reaches dealers who serve your area. Getting two or three quotes is the single most effective way to avoid overpaying.

How New York prices compare

The median published full-cord price in New York is $395, against $385 across all 8 states we cover (10 New York prices and 92 overall, each checked in the last 45 days). Wood type and whether delivery and stacking are included move a quote more than the state does, so compare what each price includes.

New York firewood rules

• When firewood is advertised, offered, or sold at retail, the seller must state all three dimensions of the stacked wood in feet and inches. A word like cord, face cord, rack, or truckload may be added, but only next to those dimensions. This does not apply to unpackaged wood you looked at before you bought it. (New York regulation 1 NYCRR 221.13(13), wood for fuel)
• A cord is 128 cubic feet of wood, stacked in a tight row with the pieces touching and parallel. A face cord is the 4 foot by 8 foot front of a cord, and its depth is the length of the cut pieces. The seller must give the dimensions whenever the term face cord is used. (New York regulation 1 NYCRR 221.13(13), wood for fuel)
• When unpackaged firewood is sold, the seller must give you a delivery ticket, invoice, or receipt. It must show the seller's name and address, the date of sale, the quantity or dimensions of the wood, and the price. If wood is sold as seasoned, the seller must say how long and how it was seasoned. (New York regulation 1 NYCRR 221.13(13), wood for fuel)
• Untreated firewood grown in New York may not be moved more than 50 miles from its source, unless it was heat treated to 160 F for 75 minutes. Untreated firewood may not be brought into New York from another state or country. Purchased untreated firewood you transport must have a receipt or label that shows where it came from. (NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Protect Our Trees by Using Local Firewood)
• Short-measure complaints go to your local weights and measures office. New York has 60 county and city weights and measures departments, and the state Department of Agriculture and Markets lists them. (NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, Weights and Measures)

For face-cord conversions, how to measure a delivery, and how to tell seasoned wood from green, see the full firewood buying guide.