I have some beech trees and i was wondering how much i can expect to pay to have milled. i was wondering if they make good flooring and what else they would be good for. i.e bookselfs cabinets just curious. or would i be better off using oak (red).
$.20/bf seems to be a typical rate, but I'm sure it varies from place to place. Beech should make very nice floors, but like any flooring, it should be kiln dried.
how much for kiln drying. i'm glad you mentioned that because i ment to ask. also how many board feet for about 500 square feet.
David_p, Have some of your beech quartered sawed. The ray flecks give it a nice visual effect. Brian...
(https://forestryforum.com/images/04_01_03/QSBeech%20on%20mill%20o.jpg)
Kiln drying can vary by region. Local guy has a Nyle DH kiln and charges $.16 a bf. It has to be air dried though. I have seen it as high a $.50 a bf with minimum quantities.
As for flooring, it depends on if you want random width rustic flooring or a fixed width flooring. With random width you can get the most out of the log by making 2, 3, 4, and 5 inch wide flooring. Also log quality and size has a factor in this as well. Beech also likes to warp bad so sticker every 16" and pile lots of weight on the stack.
I would say at least 625 bf of material to cover 500 square feet or 25% over. You don't want to run short..... With beech 25% might be cutting it too close.
Jason
Thanks Brian i'll keep that in mind what have you made from beech.
i have several really nice trees havent measured but about 12-15" diameter. clean first 16' or so with no branches or scars some of the beech look real nasty with some kind of disease or scars dont really know what it is.
David_p, I just started to use beech. This spring I was sawing some survey stakes out of beech and was intrigued with the ray fleck that I was seeing. So I got some logs and QS'd them. Took the lumber out of the kiln about a month ago. Haven't had time to do much with it, but I have a few projects in mind for this winter. I did use some of the QS Beech for the rails in a frame saw I just made to do some neanderthal resawing :D !
Here's a pic of the saw resawing some Butternut.
(https://forestryforum.com/images/04_01_03/100_0286ao1.jpg)
Close up of QS Beech rails. The ray fleck are the lite spots in the wood and are quite striking when seen as a whole.
(https://forestryforum.com/images/04_01_03/100_0289bo.jpg)
gotta say Brian you have me intriqued i was just thinking about the beech because i rememberd seeing somthing on the forum in my wonderings and then when i was out yesterday doing some of my clearing i noticed the beech looked nice i kinda thought i'd put it to you guys see what you thought. originally i was going tro leave all big & healthy beech for deer & other critters because everything else but the hemlocks will be coming down. i have about 5 acers and what to open up. surounded by woods not much open space around here.