Gibbons

About Us

Gibbons Logging and Firewood is owned and operated by David Gibbons and family in Frankville, Ontario. We have been in business since 1994 supplying high quality firewood and logging services throughout eastern Ontario.

Our firewood mainly comes from timber harvesting projects in local, privately owned woodlots. The mature or lower quality timber (that will not make good logs for wood products) are cut for firewood. The healthier and younger trees are left to flourish. Older “wildlife” trees and “seed” trees are also left standing. We also occasionally have wood from Crown land stand improvement harvests or wood from clearing sites when land is cleared for agriculture.

David has extensive logging experience gained from more than 30 years of harvesting pine, hardwood and pulpwood on all different types of terrain in many different locations. He has worked on large Crown land sustainable timber harvesting in locations such as Algonquin Park and selective harvests in privately owned woodlots.

We are proud to be a part of Ontario’s long established forestry industry, responsibly harvesting a renewable resource and providing our customers with a high quality product that is local and affordable.

Firewood Sales

We supply sustainably sourced, high quality firewood.

Why choose Gibbons Firewood?

Good hardwood species – typically a mix of maple, oak, hickory, ash, beech and birch
Screened to remove loose bark, dirt, wood chips
Uniform lengths because we use a wood processor
Prompt delivery with friendly service
Harvested by a reputable logger using good forestry practices

Timber Harvesting Service

Did you know that selectively harvesting your woodlot can be good for the stand, establish some trails for your use and pay you a healthy profit? Call us for more information or to arrange a walk through your woodlot. We do logging in the Ottawa and Kingston areas and elsewhere throughout eastern Ontario.

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Firewood Basics

Purchasing

When you are phoning around to compare firewood and prices, make sure you are comparing apples to apples! Firewood quality varies widely because of species, how it is cut, split, handled, stored and measured before it gets delivered to you. Look for:

A good hardwood mix – no softwood, poplar or weedy species such as Manitoba maple
Seasoned or at least partly seasoned – buying wood in the spring or summer will allow you time to further season the wood at home for best results
Uniform lengths and well split
Screened so you are not paying for a lot of bark, wood chips and dirt

Measuring

facecord In Canada, a cord is a legal unit of measurement defined by the Weights and Measures Regulations as 128 cubic feet. This is a stack of wood 4 feet x 8 feet x 4 feet. Locally, this is often called a “cubic cord” or “bush cord”.

However, most cut / split firewood businesses sell wood by the face cord. This is because usually firewood is cut in 16 inch lengths for use in wood stoves, fireplaces and indoor furnaces. If you make a pile of 16 inch lengths that is 4 feet high and 8 feet long you will have a face cord.

Seasoning and Storing

There is nothing more frustrating than wood that won’t light or does not burn well. You get tons of smoke and no heat. Your firewood needs to be dry or “seasoned” for you to be happy with it. We season our wood by exposing it to sun and wind and protecting it from ground moisture. When it gets to your house, you need to store it properly for best results. Here are some storing tips:

Choose a location that gets plenty of air circulation, is protected from the rain and is easily accessible during the winter so you can easily bring the wood from your storage to your wood burning appliance – an open shed, shelter or porch is best.
Stack the wood. Make sure it is not too high or unstable for safety reasons and position stacks close enough together so that children or pets cannot climb between them or around them.
Leave a space between the wall and stacks of wood to increase the air flow.
Reduce exposure to ground moisture by putting something between the ground and the wood such as a tarp, wooden pallet or drainable gravel or rock
If your wood is stored outdoors, bring some wood inside ahead of time to “thaw”. It is much easier to light wood that is at room temperature.

Safe Burning

There is nothing like a cozy wood fire on a cold winter night. However, like every heating source, there are precautions that must be taken with firewood to keep your family safe:

Only burn seasoned firewood to prevent excessive build up of creosote in your chimney. Creosote can cause chimney fires.
Burn firewood and only firewood. Construction scraps, painted wood or other treated wood release dangerous chemicals that impact your indoor air quality and are terrible for the environment.
Burn the fire hot. Keep the damper open completely when you are starting the fire and then turn it down when the fire gets going well. Once hot coals are established, you can turn it right down to conserve wood but it will still burn hot. A hot fire prevents creosote from developing in your chimney which can cause chimney fires. It also creates fewer emissions which is better for the environment.
Get your chimney cleaned and your appliance checked regularly by a professional to ensure safety and efficiency.
Install carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors and ensure they are in working order

Forests Forever

At Gibbons Logging and Firewood we care about Ontario’s forests and the forestry industry. That’s why we wanted to have some information about these topics and how you can help!

Ontario’s Forests

Did you know that Ontario’s forests cover a land area equivalent to the size of Germany, Italy and the Netherlands combined? We have over 70 million hectares of forest about 90% are Crown land which means they are owned by all of us. The remaining 10% or 7 million hectares are privately owned (mainly in southern Ontario). Woodlot owners can manage this resource for both ecological and economic benefit.

Manage Your Woodlot for Future Generations!

Ontario’s Forest Industry

In Ontario we protect our provincial parks, conservation reserves, significant wetlands, woodlands, ravines, shorelines, species at risk, and wildlife habitat on both private and public lands through legislation. We also manage forests for the forest industry which employs over 200,000 people. These people are not only loggers but also wood product manufacturers and craftspeople who use Ontario wood to produce many different products from lumber to log homes to furniture, kitchen cabinets and musical instruments. Wood fibre is still used for paper and in many other consumer products (even food!). Now waste wood is being used for green energy solutions.

When you choose Ontario Wood, you’re not just making the best choice for building a deck, installing a new floor, or renovating your kitchen; you’re making the best choice for all of us. That’s because our forest industry provides thousands of jobs and sustains hundreds of communities across our province. On top of that, Ontario wood products are high-quality and cost-competitive and have an excellent reputation around the world.

Choose Ontario Wood! For more information and to find where Ontario wood products are sold, visit: https://www.ontario.ca/business-and-economy/ontario-wood

Green Energy Grows Here in Ontario

Firewood – Cut and Split

We deliver firewood throughout the Smiths Falls, Perth, Carleton Place, Merrickville, Kemptville, Brockville and Mallorytown areas. Firewood deliveries start each year on May 1st. We encourage people to order early to ensure supply. Our minimum order is 6 face cords. Please call for a price and to arrange a delivery date and time.

Sorry – for safety and liability reasons, we cannot offer “pick up your own” firewood.

Timber Harvesting

Selective harvesting can be good for your woodlot, establish some trails for your use and pay you a profit. Call David for more information or to arrange a walk through your woodlot.

Many local farmers and other woodlot owners have entrusted us with harvesting their woodlots. Harvesting the mature timber before it becomes over mature gets the best value for the trees and lets the young trees flourish. But the best part is a satisfied landowner who has received some revenue from their land and still has a woodlot they can be proud of.

How do I know if my woodlot is ready to harvest?

For your woodlot to be ready to harvest (and for it to be viable for a commercial logger) typically it should be:

Minimum 10 acres
Have mature trees (12 inches diameter and larger)
Accessible (not land locked, surrounded by water or very remote)

How do I arrange a successful timber harvest?

Hire a reputable logger who will provide references
Have a contract that protects your interests. Work out the details up front so that there is an understanding of how the logging work will proceed, how much and when you will be paid and any other important details or instructions you may have
Communicate regularly with the logger during the harvesting operation, especially if you are not happy with any aspect so that your concerns can be addressed immediately

Why should I choose Gibbons?

30 years of experience
Many satisfied customers (references can be provided)
Regard for the ecology of the forest – we leave plenty of wildlife trees, seed trees and are careful near watercourses and other special features
Good logging practices – we take measures to protect standing trees from logging damage, the understory from excessive disturbance and the ground from rutting. We also leave the landing and trails clean.
Respect for landowners wishes – we will take your wishes (such as no cut areas) into account when planning the logging job
Top prices – we will use our extensive contacts with log buyers and mills to get the best price for veneer and saw logs. We will use the lower quality timber in our firewood business and pay you the best price we can.
Excellent safety record
Written contract, prompt payment

*We also do land clearing for house lots and for agriculture.

Wood Heat ...

Renewable

Local

Affordable