Cherry and Maple framing lumber

[catalina]

Folks, I'm in the process preparing to build a raised center isle barn for the Misses horses. Need to have it completed by late fall these year. Where the barn and surrounding drylot are to be located we have a mixture of good straight maple (hard and soft), cherry and a fair amount of Virginia pine that are nearing the end of there productive life, many recently dead and or dying-ones I've cut so far are 40-65 years old. All of these trees are in the 14 to 26 inch DBH range are are growing in tight proximity to each other so trunks are nice and straight with most having good clear trunks with few to no limbs for at least the first 12-16 feet then progressively more limbs nearing the top. There isn't enough pine by itself in this spot, there is significant more scattered through out the whole property that eventually I will take out as it is dying out but with the cherry and maple I am taking out there should be more than enough, many nice and clear for 18 plus feet. I have my own mill EZ boardwalk Jr and sufficient tractor to do the work. Question is, will the cherry and maple make good framing lumber? Can it be used you think? Keep in mind it will be green lumber and the barn will be pole barn style (metal sided and covered), using ground contact treated laminated posts below ground to 2 feet above. I know the cherry and maple are probably monetarily worth more for other uses but it is there and coming down anyways and taking the time to go out and selective cut all the pine I'm gonna need really isn't time feasible right now. Doing this weekends and evenings, while having a house built. Nothing like jumping in with both feet!!  Opinions? what ya think? anyone else done framing mixing green hardwoods and some pine? Thanks folks for the input. Gene

[Ox]

We must never forget that the old timers built this country upon whatever wood was available and the easiest to get.  It all can be used.  Entire structures were built using every kind of wood imaginable.  Using pole barn construction methods, I'm going to say you'll be just fine using whatever you want. 

[bkaimwood]

What ox said... But I'd say the cherry may be tough to get good, straight, useable lumber out of it...the cherry around here likes to move, so I'd be sure I was fastening it green, so it couldn't... Maybe you have better cherry? Neither have decent rot resistance, but who cares, it'll be under roof... Sounds like a great project!!!

[Cazzhrdwd]

Pine of course would be the best. Cherry and Maple I believe would more more than pine and Oak. They may also get large splits in beamery like Poplar but should make good timbers. If you're using them for framing, might be good to let them air dry a bit then run them through a planer.

[Clark]

If you give us a general location some more local experts will be able to chime in.

My initial reaction is to have a timber sale and sell the maple and cherry, have the logger cut and stack the pine for you to cut. If there is any quality to the hardwood and there are markets buying then you will be far ahead selling them instead of using them for a barn. Sure, they will work but you could money far ahead by selling the hardwood.

Clark

[Hackermatack]

If you give us a general location some more local experts will be able to chime in.

My initial reaction is to have a timber sale and sell the maple and cherry, have the logger cut and stack the pine for you to cut. If there is any quality to the hardwood and there are markets buying then you will be far ahead selling them instead of using them for a barn. Sure, they will work but you could money far ahead by selling the hardwood.

Clark

Ditto on that, mill the cherry and maple and sell it to wood workers and buy back lumber for the barn. I have never had a problem selling quality hardwood. You will have to discount it some if you sell it green. I have on occasion advertised the lumber as cut to order that way you don't mill sizes the no one wants. Live edge book match slabs do pretty well for me especially if they have some nice figure.

[jtflynn]

Clark x2....would be way ahead if any quality to the timber...

[WV Sawmiller]

If you give us a general location some more local experts will be able to chime in.

My initial reaction is to have a timber sale and sell the maple and cherry, have the logger cut and stack the pine for you to cut. If there is any quality to the hardwood and there are markets buying then you will be far ahead selling them instead of using them for a barn. Sure, they will work but you could money far ahead by selling the hardwood.

Clark

X3 especially for the cherry. I hate the thought of that going to a pole barn. look for some good mantels out of them too. Seal the ends good because cherry checks bad and quickly. Good luck.

[sealark37]

If you frame with cherry and maple, you will cringe for years every time you sell either species for good money. With a barn full of horses, you will need the money.  Please don't  ask how I know this!   Regards, Clark

[catalina]

Folks, where the activity is located is on northern WV/SW PA border-we just bought the property this past July to build the next chapter of our life on. Ox, that was kinda what I was thinking. The cut and dry issue is I need framing lumber, and need it ASAP as the horses are currently located almost 3 hrs away and being taken care of by her aging parents. Besides the risk of her parents being injured, running there every two weeks to get set up to take care of the horses over the next two week period is getting really old and is as Clark already knows, REALLY EXPENSIVE, lol.   Our new place is a "bare" 35 acres, wood lot is only about 10 acres total, 3-4 of which is regeneration that really most of the good stuff (Cherry, Maple, Poplar) is'nt ready to harvest yet-probably 10-15 years away minimum to make professionally worth while-Maybe. The remaining wood lot is predominately oak and could be logged out in entirety but I really don't want to do that as I honestly think I will get a ton of enjoyment out of trying to selective cut in there as needed to keep it healthy, productive and maintained as an oak stand. In the acreage that has the Cherry, Maple and a few Poplar, There is the dying pine within that that I am cleaning up but the single acre that is being cleared completely is just a hodge podge that happens to have a few good straight, decent sized maple and cherry trees in it. I have been sawing and milling as a hobby for the last 6 years and at our current home I have a little over 8000 bd ft of air dried/drying cherry and couple thousand bd ft in total of air dried walnut, quartersawn sycamore, apple and other odd & special stuff that I will eventually use to finish the basement, build some stuff and have been selling some to local wood workers. Within the next year, realistically the only time I'm gonna have for sawing and milling is for the framing lumber for the barn. Thus is it worth the time you think to go look for someone to sell the 6-8 cherry and 8-12 maple whole logs to that gotta come down now anyways and go cut there replacements in pine or use them for green framing? If structurally integrity is an issue then its a no brainer for me and I wouldn't use them. Monetarily with that few is it worth it you think given the entire situation? Gene   

[Hackermatack]

Rock Maple has more than double the strength of pine, red maple a little less so if strength is all you are worried about go for it. I know of a post & beam cape style house framed competly out of cherry, it is beautiful and has stood New England snow loads for over 20 years. I still think you would be better off selling the sawed hardwood lumber and buying back sawed softwood framing lumber. Dry quality cherry brings over $3.00/bd. ft. (seen it as high as $6) around here. Dry framing lumber is way south of a $1.00/bd.ft.

[WV Sawmiller]

Gene,

   Sounds like you must be a little east of and between Wheeling and Wierton area over in western PA.

   If you are short on time, as it sounds, how long would it take to just buck and stage the cherry and possibly maple logs up off the ground and paint the ends and then go cut enough pine to build your barn project and come back later and cut or sell the hardwood logs?

   If you don't have enough pine or other logs on the place to do your project that is another issue.

[catalina]

Hackermatack and Howard, In the past I've been getting around $2 to $2.50 bd ft for good air dried cherry. Howard, the property is in a little town called Clifton Mills, (part of Bruceton Mills). Yeah I can buck and stage them for later, might get a chance to slice them up at the end of a day, a few at a time.  True I do have enough pine that should be used before they go bad. Thanks guys for your input!   

[jimparamedic]

As it was said before homestead were built wit what was avalible. so use what you have if it's inside and will stay semi dry then use what ever you want for framing. you may consider saving some of the nicer and clear lumber. My aunts house is built out of walnut even the rough sheething.

[sandsawmill14]

if time is  an issue cutting pine would be best if you are gonna dry it any before you build 30 days on sticks is all you will need for the pine and the others would take 3 times that to make any difference

[catalina]

Thanks all!

[catalina]

Just a little update! 92- tree length logs, smallest diameter is 8 inch on the small end. Primarily Pine, Cherry, Maple and Ash. Picture doesn't show it well but for reference the stack in the background the shortest log is 18 feet. Hopefully some decent framing lumber.

[Hiway40frank]

You could sell the boards, buy a load of pine logs and still have money in your pocket. Here you could get a good load of pine 200-300$ 1mbf and kiln dryd cherry sells for 5-8bf here.

[Hackermatack]

Just a little update! 92- tree length logs, smallest diameter is 8 inch on the small end. Primarily Pine, Cherry, Maple and Ash. Picture doesn't show it well but for reference the stack in the background the shortest log is 18 feet. Hopefully some decent framing lumber.

Looks like a fun project. You have the easy part done now the works starts. I love to run my mill I just wish the slabs & lumber would take care of themselves  :D

[sandsawmill14]

good luck

[catalina]

Thanks guys. Yeah, my helper (the misses) isn't real thrilled about the upcoming work, lol.

[Hackermatack]

Thanks guys. Yeah, my helper (the misses) isn't real thrilled about the upcoming work, lol.

Really your going to make her help! After 42 years I know better. My advice find a woodworker and trade him some of those cherry and maple side boards that you probably won't use anyway.

[catalina]

Hackermatack, good sound advise. Problem is if she doesn't help she finds more stuff for me to do because she is bored, lol. Honestly though when she helps she is really, really good help and she gets to see "Why" I need some new toys, I mean tools to make the job easier.