Is it worth it. Log it, saw it, mill it or buy it

[Sedgehammer]

This is for my facia on the barn. 2x6 screwed to rafter tails and a 2x4 over that

Can buy western cedar for $4.44 a bf 2 hours away. 2x4 & 2x6, 20' long. 16' for a little less. Need about 1,000 bf

Can buy erc for about a $1 bf and have a mill that will mill it for half a $1 bf. Will need to drive about 90 minutes to each location

Can cut erc for $.40 a bf. Good, clean. No branches till 12-15'. 2.5 hours away. Will require a hotel stay. 2 rooms. Labor for 1 or 2 guys, plus me. Mill 90 minutes away

Can buy 10 logs 20' & 10 logs 16' 10" minimum on small ends, 20-22" large ends @ $100 per

If i have it milled, I get the smaller stuff, as I need a lot for my 1x4 fur out/nail strips

[firefighter ontheside]

ERC for sure.  Which option is hard to say.  Seems like it comes down to your available time to do things.  If you don't have extra time with all the other work you're doing, buy the cedar for $1 and put it up.  You're saving all the WRC money and making progress on the build.  If I had had a mill or known about one when I built this house, there were would be lots of ERC on this house instead of WRC.

[stavebuyer]

Buy the ERC logs and have them sawn. Moving yourself, your equipment, hotel and meals is going to add up to more than any savings from buying stumpage.

I once worked in procurement for one of the largest hardwood mills in the mid-south. The founder of that concern told me "the cheapest logs are the ones delivered to the gate" and "some of the best timber deals are the ones that you don't make".


If you needed many thousands of board feet and the trees were local, it would change the math.

[Ron Wenrich]

About 10 yrs ago, my county had a reassessment done on all the land.  They hadn't done one since 1968.  During that, they broke down how the appraisal was done.  It pertained to the buildings and the land use. 

It might be worthwhile to go to the county tax bureau and see how your land is assessed.  It should give the designated use and whether there is an assessed building lot.

[Stephen1]

Why use 2" thick material? Would not 1" work just as good?

[Sedgehammer]

@Stephen1 looks better imo and removes any wave, plus I have one building done that way

@stavebuyer I am going to need a few thousand bf later this spring also