Rough sawn lumber prices

[robedwards58]

Hey there everyone. I have a question on the value of rough sawn lumber. I've tried Google to find how much it is worth but it appears that different wood has a different value from state to state. I live in central Illinois and I can't find any chart or information for this area. Is there a universal price guide for wood or does anyone know of a price guide specific to each state? Any help on this would be much appreciated.

[Magicman]

I don't sell but Welcome to the Forestry Forum, robedwards58. 

[dutchman]

Your looking for Timber Market Report.
This list in PA. is about 2 months behind current price.
Most states have a list of some kind, usually from State College, or
Dept. of Agriculture.
In PA.
http://www.sfr.psu.edu/TMR/TMR.htm

[drobertson]

It varies by species, location, grade, time of year, special requirements, and maybe even the lengths of lumber.
I don't think there is any universal base line. 

[thecfarm]

robedwards58,welcome to the forum. It depends. Grade has ALOT to do with it. If there are a few knots in a board that will be less than a board with no knots. Species too will govern the price.

[justallan1]

Welcome to the forum, Rob.
What I've done is call a few of the ads on craigslist and after finding out what I want to know let them know I also have a mill and keep their number handy. Around here there is more need than supply so it works out good because the few mills that there are here are hundreds of miles apart. These guys have invited me to their mills and are perfectly willing to pass on what they know and are very fair on their prices, so it's pretty easy to send customers their way.

Allan

[dboyt]

I base my price on what the local flooring mill pays for green lumber.  I sell most of my lumber "mill run", so don't worry about grading.  Also, I don't follow fluctuations closely.  Customers want to have consistent prices for what they get.  If you can provide straight, consistent boards, pull out the trash, and deliver on time, your customers will pay more.  I sell mill run lumber for what the flooring mill pays for FAS and never had a complaint.

[beenthere]

Hey there everyone. I have a question on the value of rough sawn lumber. I've tried Google to find how much it is worth but it appears that different wood has a different value from state to state. I live in central Illinois and I can't find any chart or information for this area. Is there a universal price guide for wood or does anyone know of a price guide specific to each state? Any help on this would be much appreciated.

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.
Are you buying or selling?

[robedwards58]

Your looking for Timber Market Report.
This list in PA. is about 2 months behind current price.
Most states have a list of some kind, usually from State College, or
Dept. of Agriculture.
In PA.
http://www.sfr.psu.edu/TMR/TMR.htm

First of all thanks to everyone for the welcome to the forum and for all the responses. I'm sure I'll have many other questions down the road and hopefully I can learn enough to offer advice as well as you all have.

I found a Timber market report for Illinois. It's updated to August of 2013 but it in M bd ft. For black Walnut it showed 1340. Does this mean it is $1.34 per board ft? That seems awful cheap. Or am I reading this incorrectly?

[robedwards58]

Hey there everyone. I have a question on the value of rough sawn lumber. I've tried Google to find how much it is worth but it appears that different wood has a different value from state to state. I live in central Illinois and I can't find any chart or information for this area. Is there a universal price guide for wood or does anyone know of a price guide specific to each state? Any help on this would be much appreciated.

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.
Are you buying or selling?

I am looking at selling. I bought an EZ Board Walk JR last fall and I love it. My intention was to mill dry and use my own milled lumber but after seeign what some people are getting for rough sawn lumber I could spare some to help pay for the mill. (This will make the wife a little happier! ;)) I have 6 slabs of black walnut that are 10.5" wide, 1" thick and 11 feet long. I just don't know how to price it. Also, I just cut it last weekend so it clearly isn't dried. Would the price be different if it is dried or not?

[beenthere]

I found a Timber market report for Illinois. It's updated to August of 2013 but it in M bd ft. For black Walnut it showed 1340. Does this mean it is $1.34 per board ft? That seems awful cheap. Or am I reading this incorrectly?

Yes, reading correctly. But realize that there are different grades of lumber that will affect the price, as well as different price for dry/green, thickness, and figure.

Hopefully the green walnut lumber you have is stickered for drying. Might take some pics and place an ad in your CL with a price on it that you would be satisfied with (as $1.34 would be about $10).
Show some of the pics of those boards here and ask for some comments from others who price their lumber for sale.   

Thanks for some more detail. 

[woodmills1]

I sell lots of green lumber here in southern NH. 
examples:  pine 50 cents bd ft up to a dollar if they are picky
oak 1 to 3 bucks depends on who when and how cut, the 3 is for true quartered
hemlock, spruce, poplar   85 cents
cherry, spalted maple, walnut and cedar 1 to 3 bucks, again who when and how
turning and carving blocks are free but it cost a dollar a minute for me to rip cross cut and load