Firewood Frequently Asked Questions
Wood & Quality
What types of firewood do you offer?
We specialize in premium hardwoods — primarily Red Oak, White Oak, and Hickory, with Cherry available as well. These are the densest, hottest-burning species available and what we recommend for most customers.
Here's a quick guide by use:
- Wood stove or insert: Dense oak mix, shorter cut (14–16") for easier loading
- Indoor fireplace: Premium hardwood mix — our most popular, 16–18" length
- Fire pit or outdoor fireplace: Any of our hardwoods work great; lighter species burn a bit faster
- Cooking, smoking, or pizza oven: Oak and Cherry are the gold standard — we do custom cuts for length AND diameter
Not sure what you need? Use the contact form — after 2,775+ customers and 10+ years, we've probably answered your exact question before.
Is your firewood seasoned?
Yes — and we take this seriously. All of our firewood is naturally seasoned for a minimum of 8–12 months before delivery. We use moisture meters to check inventory before it goes on the truck. Our target is under 20% moisture content — the same standard as kiln-dried wood.
Here's the difference between our approach and kiln-drying: a kiln reaches that moisture level in 2–3 days using industrial heat. We get there the right way — stacked, split, and air-dried over a full season. Same result, significantly lower cost to you (kilns are expensive to operate, and someone pays for that).
Want the absolute best burn experience? Order in spring or early summer. The wood arrives already well-seasoned, and a few more months stored at your place — off the ground, covered on top — brings it to peak condition for fall and winter.
What's the difference between kiln-dried and naturally seasoned wood?
Both methods aim for the same result: wood with moisture content under 20%, which burns cleanly, efficiently, and produces maximum heat. The difference is how you get there:
- Kiln-dried: Industrial ovens force the moisture out in 2–3 days. Fast, but expensive to produce — and that cost gets passed to you.
- Naturally seasoned: We stack, split, and air-dry our wood for 8–12 months. Same moisture target, no industrial energy cost. That's why our prices are lower.
We use moisture meters to verify every batch before delivery. If it's not ready, it doesn't ship.
Sizing & Pricing
How much wood is in a "cord"? How do I know how much to order?
"Cord" is one of the most misunderstood terms in the firewood business, so let's clear it up.
A full cord is 128 cubic feet of stacked wood — but here's the catch: log length changes the actual volume dramatically. An 8×4 stack of 24" logs contains roughly twice the wood of an 8×4 stack of 12" logs, even though they look identical from the front.
How we sell: We sell by the single stacked row, 4 feet high. The price is the same regardless of log length you choose. You pick the length that fits your fireplace or stove — we don't charge more for it.
Our available sizes:
4×4 stack (~¼ cord equivalent): minimum delivery size, good for 10–15 fires per season
- 6×4 stack: a step up for moderate burners
- 8×4 stack (face cord / ~½ cord): our most popular size
- 12×4 stack: great for regular burners who want a season's supply
- 16×4 double face cord: best volume value; most new customers say it's more than the cord they usually buy
Not sure which size is right? Use the contact form and we'll figure it out together.
What log lengths do you offer?
We cut our wood to three standard length ranges — you pick the one that fits your fireplace, stove, or fire pit at no extra charge:
- 14–16" — great for smaller fireboxes and wood stoves
- 16–18" — our most popular; fits most standard indoor fireplaces
- 18–22" — for larger fireplaces and outdoor fire pits
For cooking, smoking, or pizza oven wood, we do fully custom cuts — both length and diameter. Use the contact form to discuss your specific equipment.
Do you offer volume or repeat-customer pricing?
Yes. Heavy burners and repeat customers get discounted pricing on reloads throughout the season. Once you're an established customer, ask about our reload rate — it's a meaningful discount off the standard price.
We also work with restaurants, breweries, event venues, and other commercial customers who need regular supply. Volume pricing and priority scheduling available — use the contact form or call our business line to set something up.
Delivery & Stacking
Do you deliver, and what areas do you serve?
Delivery is what we do — nearly 100% of our orders are delivered directly to your home or business, with delivery always included in the price.
Our primary service area is Montgomery County, MD, where we have 2,000+ regular customers:
Germantown · Gaithersburg · Rockville · North Potomac · Potomac · Bethesda · Chevy Chase · Kensington · Silver Spring · Wheaton · Olney · Damascus · Clarksburg · Montgomery Village
We also regularly deliver to parts of Frederick County and Howard County and can accommodate select deliveries in close-in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC.
Not sure if you're in our range? Use the contact form with your zip code and we'll give you a straight answer.
Do you stack the firewood, or just drop it off?
We always stack — that's a core part of how we operate, and it's included in every delivery price.
The crew measures your wood by stacking it. That's the only way to ensure you get exactly what you paid for. A dumped pile can't be accurately measured, which is why we don't offer a dump-only option.
Stacking a face cord yourself is 45–60 minutes of hard physical labor. We do it for you, neatly, wherever you want it — alongside the house, in a garage, a carport, a shed, on a rack, wherever works. When you compare our price to a competitor's "cheaper" delivery, the first question to ask is: does that include stacking?
How far in advance should I order?
Our typical lead time is 2–5 business days for most of Montgomery County. During peak season (October through January) or after a major storm, lead times can stretch to 1–2 weeks as demand surges.
Strong recommendation: don't wait until you're out of wood. Order in spring or early summer — the wood gets a few extra weeks to finish seasoning at your place, and you beat the fall rush entirely. We've had customers place standing orders every spring for years.
If you need wood urgently, call our business line — we'll tell you exactly where things stand and do our best to work with your timeline.
Can I choose a delivery date and time?
Yes. When you order, we'll work with you to find a delivery window that fits your schedule. We run routes throughout Montgomery County during the week and are generally flexible.
What if I'm not home during delivery?
Not a problem at all — this is actually one of our most popular arrangements. Just leave us instructions for where to stack the wood, and we'll take care of everything while you're at work or running errands.
We text you a photo when the delivery is complete so you can see exactly how it looks and confirm you're happy. You don't pay until you're 100% satisfied — you can Venmo, Zelle, or pay by card after you check it out when you get home.
This setup works so smoothly that many of our regular customers never need to be home for a delivery.
Payment & Policies
What payment methods do you accept?
We keep it simple and accept whatever works for you:
- Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, Cash App
- Cash or personal check
- Credit or debit card
And here's the policy new customers always appreciate: you don't pay until you're 100% happy with your delivery. If you're not home, just check the wood when you get there and pay whenever you're ready. No pressure, no invoices chasing you down.
Do you accept tips, and how do I tip if I wasn't home?
Tips are always appreciated and go directly to the crew doing the heavy lifting. We run a young team — these guys work hard in all weather, and a tip goes a long way toward keeping great people on the truck. The standard for firewood delivery is 10–20%, though obviously it's entirely up to you.
If you weren't home during delivery, the easiest way to tip is via Venmo (which has a tip prompt after you type in the amount owed.) If you pay by credit card, there's also tip option on the card portal.
What is your satisfaction / return policy?
Simple: you don't pay until you're 100% happy. That's not a marketing line — it's genuinely how we operate.
If something isn't right with your delivery, tell us and we'll make it right. No forms, no 24-hour windows, no runaround. We've been doing this since 2015 and Connor and Dominic built this business one delivery at a time — their reputation is everything to them.
In 10+ years and thousands of deliveries, we've never had a customer we couldn't take care of.
Storage & Safety
How should I store my firewood?
Two rules cover almost everything:
- Off the ground: Moisture wicks up from soil and concrete. Use a wood rack, pallets, or even a few 2x4s.
- Covered on top: A tarp or roof overhang keeps rain and snow off. Keep the sides open for airflow — don't seal it up.
A well-stored stack will continue to season and improve all the way through the fall. Wood that arrives in July and gets stored properly is often even better by December than wood ordered in October.
Is your firewood safe for indoor fireplaces and wood stoves?
Yes. Our properly seasoned hardwood is safe and ideal for indoor fireplaces, wood stoves, and inserts. Well-seasoned wood (under 20% moisture) burns cleaner, produces more heat, creates less smoke, and leaves less creosote buildup in your chimney than wet or green wood.
One tip: if you're using an EPA-certified insert or wood stove, properly seasoned wood isn't just recommended — it's required to keep the appliance operating efficiently and your warranty intact.
Accessories & Special Orders
Do you sell kindling, fire starters, or wood racks?
Yes — we carry accessories that can be added to any delivery order, so you get everything in one trip:
- Kindling bags: Oversized bags to get your fire started fast
- Fire starters: Premium starters for easy, reliable ignition
- Woodhaven wood racks: The gold standard in firewood storage — delivered and set up right alongside your wood
The goal is one truck, one trip: wood + rack + kindling + starters. Ask about current availability when you order.
Do you offer cooking wood for smokers, grills, or pizza ovens?
Yes, and this is a specialty of ours. We cut cooking wood to your specs — both length and diameter — for smokers, charcoal grills, wood-fired pizza ovens, and fire pits.
Oak and Cherry are our go-to species for cooking. We also offer oversized kindling bundles (~15 lbs) for smaller cooking needs.
Cooking wood orders are consultative — the right cut depends on your specific equipment. Use the contact form or call our business line and we'll figure out exactly what you need. You'll pay far less than Amazon or big box stores for the same quality.
Can I set up a recurring delivery or seasonal pre-order?
Absolutely. Many of our long-term customers place a standing spring order every year — they get the best-seasoned wood of the season and never scramble in October when everyone else is calling at once.
We're building out a more formal pre-order and subscription model, but in the meantime — just use the contact form or call our business line and we'll set up whatever recurring schedule works for you.
About Thompson Brothers Firewood
Who is Thompson Brothers Firewood?
Thompson Brothers Firewood is owned and operated by Connor and Dominic Thompson, two brothers from Germantown, MD who started the business before they could drive — their dad (Marc) drove the truck while they split and stacked.
Since 2015, they've grown from a neighborhood side hustle into Montgomery County's most-reviewed firewood service, with 2,775+ customers and 6,000+ deliveries on record. The boys have been working their way through college running this operation.
Marc manages the inbox, scheduling, and new customer screening — which is why when you reach out, you're talking to the dad, not a call center.
How do I place an order or get a quote?
Easiest way is to use the Request a Delivery form on this page — we'll get back to you quickly. You can also call our business line directly.
Once we confirm your address is in our delivery range, we'll get you scheduled within a few days. No prepayment required — you don't pay until you're 100% satisfied with your delivery.
Have a question not covered here?
We're here to help—reach out through our contact form.
Thompson Brothers Firewood
Est. 2015
Premium Firewood · Delivered & Stacked · Montgomery County, MD