Value of lumber

[Jeff]

Tim Writes:

I have a question that you can't give an answer to, I know that there are a lot of factors that go into the price of raw lumber (trees).  Where can I find out these prices?  Or can you give me a rough estimate for the value of 1000 board feet of lumber.  Even if the number whould be inacurate and on the low end I would like to have a number or an approximation to work with.

Thank you

Tim

[Ron Wenrich]

Not enough information.  Need to know what species  you are talking about, location, and size of timber before you can guesstimate the price.

Same information would be needed for lumber.  

Lumber value is equal to the log value plus the cost of production and profit.  Log value is equal to the timber value plus the cost of production and profit.  Those that can minimize production costs will maximize their profit within any given market.

[timberbeast]

Or you could go down to your local lumber yard,  find the species and grade you plan to sell,  figure in what it would cost you to cut the stuff per thousand,  and put an ad in the paper or spread the word by mouth.  If it doesn't sell,  your price is too high.  And sell the waney,  warped stuff cheap or throw some in for free when a guy buys some nice stuff.  People remember that.  They'll come back.  Same with logs.  If you provide straight,  solid stuff on a regular basis,  they'll usually scale you high,  and might take an occasional load of junky stuff as a favor.  If you try to sneak junk in,  they'll catch it and won't like it.  May not buy from you again.

[Don P]

I can't seem to find it but there is a website in PA that posts stumpage and sawlog prices based on surveys of loggers and mill operators. Are there other such sites?
The only help I can give on partitioning a hard drive involves a very sharp saw.

[Ron Wenrich]

Try this link:

http:www.cas.psu.edu/docs/CASDEPT/FOREST/TMR/TMR.htm

That should take you over to a price value for standing timber and delivered log prices for 4 regions of PA.  It is set up and run by Penn State forestry dept.  I graduated with the guy who is running this.  (Maybe I need a Penn State logo).

The only problem is I don't think there is a great deal of reporters and so I think the values tend to be skewed.  The main reporters are for state timber, and they tend to be lower in value, since they aren't high graded.

The nice thing is you can look at how timber prices are trending, and how much they are increasing in value.