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lumber prices

Started by Tim Lea, April 23, 2012, 02:14:39 PM

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Tim Lea

Hello everyone. Can anyone tell me where i can get the current market prices for my lumber?

beenthere

Tim   Welcome to the Forum

Not sure what you are expecting, but what is the lumber that you have to sell?  or going to buy?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Welcome to the FORESTRY FORUM Tim.

Your question has a lot of board feet in it.

I sell White Oak at $1.25 a board foot but others on the Forum in other states get $3.25. Some sawyers to the South of me sale for 60 cents a board foot.

This is just one example, so to be honest "is there a current price?"

Some of the members from Alabama will chime in and let you know what they buy and sell logs/lumber for.

Keep checking back.....help is on the way!  :)
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Chuck White

Welcome to the Forestry Forum Tim!

You'll find that prices will vary, depending on where you are located.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Tim Lea

I'm just getting started my Dad and I have been sawing lumber for our own use and have a lot oak red and white. I'm just looking to find where to keep up with the market price so I don't do someone wrong, or myself..

Tim Lea

Right now I have about 100 BD Ft of Quater sawen white. The guy that is wanting it offered me 90 cent Bd Ft that sounds way low to me..

bugdust

Hey Tim,
Welcome to the FF. The info so far will be pretty much consistant across the country. Prices can vary greatly, depending where you are located. The last oak prices I used were; Red Oak @ $1.00/bdft, White Oak @ $1.50/bdft. Hemlock, White Pine, and Poplar was selling for $.50/bdft. You will find that at times prices will fluctuate. The housing market down-turn has hurt some sawyers (usually larger mills), and others it helped. Be careful that you cover your personal expenses: fuel, blades, resharping, maintenance, and other factors involved in your business.

Take time to stop by the local Lowe's or Home Depot and check their prices for comparison. It doesn't make sense to sell your product when they can by cheaper else where. But keep in mine you can provide something they can't.
Since I retired I really like work: It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.

woodmills1

if it was quartered by you and marketed that way 90 cents way too short



if it is stuff on hand that you got for free and just happens to be quartererd?
how many other partners do you have to keep happy?


James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

lyle niemi

Quote from: Tim Lea on April 23, 2012, 02:14:39 PM
Hello everyone. Can anyone tell me where i can get the current market prices for my lumber?
just sold 77 2x6x8 for 625/thousandbdf.

WDH

I would not sell any hardwood for less than $1.00/BF, period.  On top of that, the QS white oak is worth way more than $.90.  On-line it goes from $3.50 and up.  I would not sell it for less than $3.00/BF.  I sell mine for $4.00/BF, but it is clear, wide, with very good figure.  That is hard to get.

Don't sell yourself short.  I bet that in your part of Alabama, hardwood lumber in small quantities will be very hard to get.  So, create your own market and set prices that are fair to you.  There is a Hardwood Market Report that lists the wholesale price of truckload quantities of hardwood lumber, but you have to buy a subscription.  It does not matter anyway because that is not the market you are serving, so that would only set the absolute minimum floor. 

I sell red oak for $1.50/BF for #2 grade, $2.00/BF for #1 grade, and $2.50/BF for select grade.  Your alternative here in small quantities is to go to Lowes or HD and pay $6.00/BF.  So, I think those prices are fair.  If you drive 125 miles to Atlanta to the hardwood retail store, you are going to pay about the same price anyway.

There is a guy that is located between you and I that opened a small hardwood lumber retail store, and he will ship lumber.  I will send you a personal message with the link to his website and you can check out his published prices.  I find them to be a good guide in establishing value for small quantity sales to woodworkers. 

The guys that sell tractor trailer loads are in the wholesale market, and that is another game entirely  :).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

smanning

hi Tim, no help on pricing but, I'm in ne Alabama too. You anywhere around Fort Payne? Steve M

Tim Lea

Thanks everyone for the info. Thanks WDH for the links this very helpful. And SMANNING I'm close to Fort Payne I'm in Ider just north..

wdncno

In pricing any lumber I sell I try to get the total of what the logs cost me -say white pine- $400-$500/thousand bd ft.delivered; add your rate for running the mill by hour or bd ft, and a mark up of 30% to cover the time you spend on the customers (both those who buy, and those who don't), the time you spend finding good logs, and  the time you spend on book keeping and collecting and remitting taxes.  For me that comes to $1.10 a board foot for good white pine, and I never seem to have enough of it.  Other prices for other species.  Don't undersell your product.  Do a real thorough job of figuring out what it actually costs to run your operation.  I was shocked to find out that based on a 60 hour  work week of BILLABLE HOURS it costs us $27.50 per hour to keep our doors open, before I get paid. Don't be afraid to ask for enough.  It will take some couurage, but we work hard and deserve to be compensated for it.

Overlength

Overall avg market truck load quantity sawmill pricing is kiln dried Sel&Btr grade $2.80 bf,  1com $2.00 bf,  2com $1.30 bf.
Woodmizer LT30, Solar Kiln 400 bf

Overlength

The above is for 4/4 qtr sawn W Oak. Don't know why I was thinking of that.
Woodmizer LT30, Solar Kiln 400 bf

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