We have always spread our own mulch for the past 24 years. This was our first time with the Mulch Mound - things I liked: they have online ordering and provide a digital receipt which means you can remember how much you ordered (I always forget for the next year!), they were o...
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How Much Firewood Do I Need?
For a typical Pittsburgh household burning a few times a week, 2 to 3 cords usually covers the season, while daily wood heat users should budget for 4 to 5 cords.
What is a Cord?
A full cord is a stacked pile of split firewood measuring 4 feet high by 4 feet deep by 8 feet long, about 128 cubic feet. Smaller sizes are the same stack at a quarter, half, or three quarters of that volume.
We have always spread our own mulch for the past 24 years. This was our first time with the Mulch Mound - things I liked: they have online ordering and provide a digital receipt which means you can remember how much you ordered (I always forget for the next year!), they were o...
How Much Firewood Do I Need?
For a typical Pittsburgh household burning a few times a week, 2 to 3 cords usually covers the season, while daily wood heat users should budget for 4 to 5 cords.
What is a Cord?
A full cord is a stacked pile of split firewood measuring 4 feet high by 4 feet deep by 8 feet long, about 128 cubic feet. Smaller sizes are the same stack at a quarter, half, or three quarters of that volume.
We have always spread our own mulch for the past 24 years. This was our first time with the Mulch Mound - things I liked: they have online ordering...
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We have always spread our own mulch for the past 24 years. This was our first time with the Mulch Mound - things I liked: they have online ordering and provide a digital receipt which means you can remember how much you ordered (I always forget for the next year!), they were on time, they were able to deliver in 48 hours, they were generous with the portion (we got 9 yards and it felt like a FULL nine yards!), the driver was polite! We have ordered from reputable places, and there is always a little trash in the mulch. The mulch we recv'd from Mulch Mound had barely any... we were pleasant surprised!!! Color was great! Not to mention - the price was competitive and LOWER than other mulch places around. We will use again !! Highly recommend! Thanks Mulch Mound!
If you are prepping your property for winter, pair your firewood delivery with a load of mulch or landscape stone to protect garden beds against Pittsburgh's freeze and thaw cycles before the ground locks up.
Stack your wood off the ground on pallets or rails to keep it away from Pittsburgh's damp soil, and cover just the top of the pile with a tarp while leaving the sides open for airflow. Full coverage traps moisture underneath, especially during our humid summers and snowy winters, which can undo months of seasoning. A stack against a south facing wall gets extra sun exposure and dries fastest between deliveries.
Mulch Mound Pro Tip
Oak and hickory burn longer and hotter, making them ideal for overnight coals, while hard maple lights faster and works well for building your initial fire. Mixing species in one load lets you start fires easily with maple and bank the fire overnight with oak, giving you steady heat through Pittsburgh's coldest nights without constant reloading.
Mulch Mound Pro Tip
Order your firewood in late summer or early fall, well before the October 10 first frost hits Pittsburgh. Waiting until the first cold snap often means longer delivery windows as everyone scrambles at once, and getting your wood early gives you time to organize storage before winter weather makes driveway access harder.
Wood Heat in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh winters run long, with a heating season stretching from the first frost around October 10 well past the last frost on May 10, so households burning wood need a fuel that lights easily and burns hot through many cold months. Seasoned hardwood is essential here because our regional humidity slows natural drying, meaning wood cut and split just weeks ago is still too wet to burn clean or efficiently. Local species like oak, hickory, and hard maple, common throughout the hills and valleys around Pittsburgh, need six months to a year of proper seasoning to drop their moisture content low enough for a hot, steady burn. Burning green or under seasoned wood in our damp climate leads to smoky fires, creosote buildup, and wasted heat, which matters when you are relying on a woodstove or fireplace through a long Allegheny County winter. Sourcing wood seasoned specifically for our local humidity and temperature swings means it is ready when the cold settles in and stays that way.
Local Hardwood Species
Expect dense regional hardwoods like oak, hickory, maple, and ash. These species burn longer and hotter than softwoods, which is what you want when a cold snap settles in and the stove runs all day.
Seasoning and Moisture
Firewood needs 6 to 12 months of drying before it burns well. Properly seasoned wood lights faster, throws more heat, and keeps creosote out of your chimney, which matters most in the coldest weeks of the year.
Buy Local, Burn Local
Firewood that travels long distances spreads invasive pests like the emerald ash borer. Our wood is cut and seasoned close to where it is delivered, which protects local trees and means fresher wood for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click a question to see the answer
Answer
How much firewood do I actually need to get through a Pittsburgh winter?
Most households burning a few nights a week as supplemental heat use around 2 to 3 cords for the season, while those relying on wood as a primary heat source through our long October to May stretch often go through 4 to 5 cords. Your exact need depends on your stove efficiency, home size, and how many nights you burn.
Answer
What does seasoned firewood mean and why does it matter here?
Seasoned means the wood has dried for at least six months to a year, dropping its moisture content well below freshly cut wood. In Pittsburgh's humid climate, unseasoned wood struggles to dry on its own and burns smoky and inefficient, so buying already seasoned wood saves you a season of waiting and gives you a cleaner, hotter fire right away.
Answer
What kind of wood will I actually be getting?
Our firewood is sourced locally near Pittsburgh, so expect a mix of regional hardwoods like oak, hickory, and hard maple, all known for dense, long burning heat that suits the demands of a full local heating season.
Answer
Is the firewood really cut nearby, and does that matter?
Yes, we source all our wood locally around the Pittsburgh area rather than trucking it in from other regions. This matters because moving firewood long distances is one of the main ways invasive pests like the emerald ash borer spread, so keeping wood local protects the trees in our own neighborhoods.
Answer
How does delivery actually work?
You choose your cord size, we schedule a delivery date, and the wood is dropped loose in your driveway. Stacking is not included, so plan for some space and a bit of time to move it into your storage area.
Answer
What is the difference between a quarter cord, half cord, and full cord?
A full cord measures 128 cubic feet, stacked 4 feet high by 4 feet deep by 8 feet long. A quarter cord, half cord, and three quarter cord are simply fractions of that measurement, so a half cord is roughly 64 cubic feet stacked. If you have heard the term rick or face cord used elsewhere, those usually describe a stack one log length deep, which is close to a third of a full cord, but we sell strictly by the cord fractions listed here for clarity.
Answer
Are there any local rules about burning wood in Pittsburgh?
Allegheny County occasionally issues air quality action days, especially in winter temperature inversions, when residents are asked to limit unnecessary outdoor burning. It is worth checking local air quality alerts on high pollution days, but seasoned hardwood burns cleaner overall and produces less smoke than green wood.
