Oak log prices anyone?

[Stoke Wood Project]

Hi. I have been offered £5/ft3 for a piece of oak, 12ft long, 41'' circ.

 

It seems too low. It's felled and by the ride, so easy to pick up.

 

Anyone got an idea of prices at the moment?

Cheers.

[ballibeg]

Save my brain. Have you been offered £50?

 

Dave

[agg221]

£5/cu.ft or Hoppus ft?

 

41" circ. so just over 1ft dia - is that top end, bottom end or middle?

 

How wide is the sapwood band?

 

Assuming an inch or so of sapwood, and 1ft dia top, I would say that's a generous offer. It depends a bit on where you are, but £3-5/cu.ft, or £4-6/Hoppus ft would be normal for something that's not exceptional.

 

Small diameter produces less yield if it's being milled or turned into a beam or post, and the sapwood isn't durable for outdoor use, so will normally only make the bottom end of the price range.

 

You have to take into account the effort of conversion, which applies whether you're making firewood or milling. Assuming milling, consider you would end up with an 8" square post x 12ft long, which would be about 5.3 cu.ft, so £107 at £20/cu.ft. Milling would take an hour or so for a portable sawmill (e.g. Alaskan) including set-up time, then add travel costs. You're looking at £50 (couple of hours all in) for milling. If the sawlog is costing £50 then nobody is making any profit on any end product.

 

Of course if there are favours/not costing time or transport costs/slipping it through the local sawmill for £20 or whatever then it becomes more favourable, but the above example should give an idea of how costs break down.

 

Alec

[Rhob the Log]

For 13" diameter sawlog? £50? Yes please,sir, queue right up. A trailer load of 8.5 foot lengths will cost you £60 - 70...maybe not of Oak though...

[Stoke Wood Project]

Well, he offered me £50-£55 for it as it is. I worked out its 8.4 hoppus ft, which means that he has offered nearly £6/hoppus ft. It has a gentle sweeping curve, which is what he needed for a cruck.

 

Thanks for the advice. Reckon I should have shook on it there and then, but you are always learning. Will post if he buys it.

[Stoke Wood Project]

Yes! £50.

[Acg128]

Charging him £55 lovely

[openspaceman]

Hi. I have been offered £5/ft3 for a piece of oak, 12ft long, 41'' circ.

 

It seems too low. It's felled and by the ride, so easy to pick up.

 

Anyone got an idea of prices at the moment?

Cheers.

 

What are current prices for oak at roadside:

 

Fencing

Scantling

Planking

 

I have a parcel of about 500hft all cut to <24' and varying from 14 thru to 28QG.

 

18 years ago it would have been worth £3/Hft thru but now??

[brownoak]

give us a call

[DM TREES]

Nice looking foden