Firewood or Project Wood? 3 Ways to Decide

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There are many enjoyable, satisfying aspects of owning and caring for forested acreage. Having a space to call your own, immersing yourself in nature as you work outside, and using your portable bandsaw mill to improve the place you call home are just a few of the intangibles.

UTV Dump Trailer

Among the tangibles, of course, are the natural resources your land provides. Arguably the most significant is the timber growing on your property, since you can use it in such a wide range of applications.

Sometimes, however, it can be tough to decide how to get the most out of the trees growing on your land. New property owners, especially, might wonder whether they’re using the right logs as firewood, or if that wood would’ve been better utilized for an upcoming woodworking project.

To help you avoid that nagging sense of doubt, here’s a guide to three ways of determining whether that log should go on the firewood pile or to your bandsaw mill so you can transform it into something beautiful and practical.

 Identify the Wood Species

Just as you’d always want to use the right piece of forestry equipment as you complete your acreage management work, it’s important to know exactly what type of wood you’re looking at before you decide what to do with it.

If you live in western North America, for example, you probably have more pine than you know what to do with, so it works anywhere. From furniture to firewood, pine can be whatever you need.

Some rarer species with different tones, characters, and densities are likely better for woodworking, especially if their unique features contribute to visual appeal.

Even if you aren’t a woodworker, it could be worth your while to explore options for selling the boards you mill locally. You may be able to undersell the lumber yard while still walking away with a nice chunk of change.

 Determine Your Needs

In addition to deciding purpose based on wood species, you can choose how to use logs based on what tasks you have in front of you.

If it’s mid-September and your firewood piles are looking a little short, you’ll want to hook up your ATV log trailer and start stocking up before overnight temperatures start to plummet.

On the other hand, if you’ll soon need to build log chairs for your cabin, consider setting aside appropriately sized logs so they can adequately dry before you start building.

Of course, a key element of examining your needs is our final topic: timing.

Look at the Calendar

Prioritizing your needs based on your schedule is a crucial element of deciding on the best uses for the timber you harvest from your forested acreage.

Even better than looking at the calendar is comparing it to a map. Is your acreage situated in an area that’s prone to early snow? Does increased precipitation make some of the trails in hilly terrain impassable?

To an extent, we’re all limited by the seasons. But the right gear can make a big difference. For instance, traversing rough terrain to gather logs during or immediately following inclement weather will be much easier with a dependable, versatile UTV dump trailer.

Understanding the geography and climate of your property is key to anticipating when you will and won’t be able to access the timber you need for firewood or woodworking, so do your homework.

That way, you can plan based on the availability of your timber and always have the right wood available for the task at hand, whether it’s warming your house or building furniture.

 About Woodland Mills

 Independent sawyers, landowners, and hobbyist woodworkers alike regularly turn to Woodland Mills for the best-valued forestry products. Founded by childhood friends Neil Bramley and Josh Malcolm, Woodland Mills is recognized globally as an industry leader offering capable, dependable products at justifiable price points. More than a decade since releasing the flagship HM126 portable bandsaw mill, Woodland Mills continues to innovate. New offerings include robust Loglander log arches, the nimble yet sturdy Pathlander ATV trailer, and the forthcoming HM136MAX portable sawmill bandsaw, delivering a 36” cut width. The worldwide community of sawyers who depend on Woodland Mills rave about more than the products—they also love the peerless customer service and fast shipping. Whether you need a bandsaw sawmill for your portable milling operation or a UTV dump trailer for acreage management, you can count on Woodland Mills.

 Get the most out of your forested acreage with Woodland Mills products at https://woodlandmills.com/

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