Does anyone know the value of oak for lumber?

[the_dude]

It has been a while since I hung out in the wood shed, but I could use a little help. I am located in SE WI if it matters.

I have a home that is about two years old. It was built on a heavily wooded site. I cleared many trees in order to have somewhat of a yard. I left two very large oaks. I believe they are red oaks, but the leaves look more like Northern pin oak. Unfortunately, neither tree made it. I believe due to the disruption during construction as well as the vast amount of fill that was added, it was just too much for them to bear.

Before I drop them and section them up, I am trying to find out if they would have any value as lumber. Both trees have approx. 20-24" diameters and have very straight trunks up to about 20 - 25'. They are beautiful trees. I would hate to burn them up to find out they would have had more value as lumber. I know nothing about lumber, but I do realize getting someone in to take only two trees isn't real likely.

Thanks for any help!

 

[burntime]

No one that I have found will pay anything for homeowner trees. They are afraid of nails and metal. You may find a private guy with a sawmill that will charge you to cut it up but that is about it.

 

[JustWood]

Burn 'em!

 

[iskiatomic]

Don't over think it. Unless you can process it yourself, burn it! I love oak. I have lots of oak on the interior of my home. I cut a lot of oak. I BURN at lot of OAK. Great wood, not gold.


KC

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

Before you buck them to stove length, are you absolutely, positively sure you don't want to build (Or have built) a piece of furniture for your home? It's always unique to have something in your home that came from your property. My TV cabinet is from walnut My Dad & I cut before his death on our family farm, a walnut harvest table from material my Grandfather & I cut from his farm is here, my large cabinet incubator is from cherry I cut here on this farm, and they all mean a great deal to me. Far more than just the material value of solid wood furniture. But, that's me. If this isn't of interest to you, cut, buck & split them. 2 trees won't even get the attention of buyers in my neck of the woods.

 

[BrotherBart]

Or any neck of the woods.

 

[Duetech]

There are always people advertising trying to buy standing timber in my area and there are probably some in your area too. If they won't touch them then you have an answer of the value. If they do take them though you get the tops so you win in both departments. I have burned black walnut that a local mill found metal in. Had enough logs delivered at a cheap price to supply me with almost three years of heat. Seems like a bummer deal for some and not for others. If you have a metal detector, or acces to one, do a scan up to head high and you might have an answer for board feet value.

 

[quads]

If you personally have some use for oak boards, hire a guy with a portable sawmill to stop by and saw them up. Otherwise, firewood.

 

[jebatty]

No one that I have found will pay anything for homeowner trees. They are afraid of nails and metal. You may find a private guy with a sawmill that will charge you to cut it up

Unfortunately true, in my experience. I have a portable bandsaw mill and the bottom 8' of homeowner trees I will not touch, unless the homeowner really wants me to saw it and then only if the homeowner agrees to pay me $35 for each and every blade that hits metal. Only one agreed to do that and that one told me to stop cutting when I hit the first nail. Above 8' they usually are OK, but still subject to landowner agreement on blades, and even then it usually is too expensive for the landowner to pay me by the hour to move to site, saw and return to base, all for a couple of trees. And once the trees are rough sawn, they need to be stacked and stickered immediately; air drying is usually OK or transport to a kiln and transport back; then when dry (about 6% for interior use) they need to be kept dry (inside storage), then edged and planed, and not all will be good boards. Trees will magically turn into lumber, but it is more complicated than meets the casual eye.

On the other hand, for my own use, I sawed an oak in our front yard (above 8') that come down in a wind storm and made a beautiful dresser from the lumber; also an entertainment center from green ash that has spectacular graining; also a butternut desk and bookcase from friend's tree. It can be done, but is risky.

 

[the_dude]

Thanks guys. This is exactly what I figured. I am not handy enough to build any furniture myself. And quite honestly, I can't afford to have someone else build me something. Into the stove it goes. I just had to check. You know how it is, the second I would buck them someone would pipe up, "ah, man, you shouldn't have done that!"

Thanks again. I forgot how much I liked hanging out in the Wood Shed!

 

[the_dude]

I talked to a local arborist I know through a hunting/fishing website. He told me lumber is worth less than firewood right now. Kind of what I wanted to hear. I won't feel guilty when those two oaks are heating my home the winters of 2011/2012 and 2012/2013. Thankfully, I almost have 2 winters worth of wood up right now. So if I get those oaks down this fall, they should be nice and seasoned by the time I need them.

 

[Chris S]

A guy in my area is advertising .50/ bd ft for rough sawn lumber- indeed less than firewood.
Two years ago I had too much wood on a job. I gave away a lot of logs, but took the big straigh oak logs to my local sawmill, I've known these guys 15+ years. He really didn't want the wood ( for free) afraid of where it came from.

As far as wood from your own property... I have a chainsaw bear from a tree in my front yard. The carver took the rest of the tree, and gave me a discount.

 

[K2Orion]

My neighbor thinks he is Norm Abrams and is always commenting about how he would love some of the red and white oak I have on my property for lumber. This Memorial Day weekend I called his bluff. I borrowed a skid loader from a friend and Norm and I hauled 3 large red oak out of the woods. I ran the loader and he did all the cutting. 1 of the trees he bucked for firewood and the other 2 he took to the mill for lumber. I told him I wanted enough 5/4" boards for him to build me a staircase when I finish my basement and a nice oak fireplace surround. He was more than happy with that deal and now he is trying to figure out where to store all the wood when it gets back from the kiln. And I have 1 1/2 cords of red oak split and stacked. Maybe this year I'll get an insert to burn it in.

 

[the_dude]

A guy in my area is advertising .50/ bd ft for rough sawn lumber- indeed less than firewood.
Two years ago I had too much wood on a job. I gave away a lot of logs, but took the big straigh oak logs to my local sawmill, I've known these guys 15+ years. He really didn't want the wood ( for free) afraid of where it came from.

As far as wood from your own property... I have a chainsaw bear from a tree in my front yard. The carver took the rest of the tree, and gave me a discount.

I have considered the chainsaw art thing. I need to look into that. I wouldn't mind leaving the one right in the ground and having something carved.

 

[Chris S]

So long as it doesn't rot from the bottom up. Mine is from a white pine, and is varnished & sits on a covered porch. one day I'll take the time ot figure out the pictures