Hardwood prices?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

What are you folks paying for red oak?

I bought 30. 6 bf of 5/4 rough sawn red oak yesterday at $5.41 a bf. With taxes it was $175 and some change.

[John A langley]

wholesale prices 2.65 bf for 5/4. 2.30 bf 4/4

[Keith Hankins]

Up in my neck of the woods 5/4 FAS is 3.75 (PA) 4/4 is 3.50, and common is 2.20

[Scott Brader]

It's $3.72/BF at the hardwood source I use in Southeast Wisconsin.

Scott

[Earl McLain]

South Bend, IN--Johnson's Workbench--red oak retail is $4.13 Select & Better for 5/4, $3.17 at 100+ BF (mix & match). Local sawyers, air dried--probably closer to $2.00-$2.50 but would more likely grade at #1 common. Plus...you have to know who to call, sometimes that seems harder to get out of folks than where they hunt mushrooms!!
earl

[Ken Fitzgerald]

sometimes that seems harder to get out of folks than where they hunt mushrooms!!
earl

Decades ago, I had uncles and cousins who had sawmills in southern Indiana. Nobody I know except very close friends and relatives share where they are finding mushrooms. LOL! Here in Idaho it's "up in the mountains southwest of Craigmont". Hardwoods suppliers here are hard to find and never cheap. I found what I thought was a big, good, reasonable hardwood supplier in Spokane some years ago, now it isn't maintaining much in stock. 4 weeks ago when I was there, all they had was shorts and rejects in stock for red oak and they wanted about the same price I paid yesterday. I may have a lead on another supplier 110 miles west of me.

[Walter Plummer]

Hi Ken. In northern Virginia it is $4.69 a board foot in the rough for 5/4. $5.29 a bd.ft. for 8/4.

[Martin Wasner]

wholesale prices 2.65 bf for 5/4. 2.30 bf 4/4

That's about what I'm paying.

[Jeff Duncan]

What are you folks paying for red oak?

I bought 30. 6 bf of 5/4 rough sawn red oak yesterday at $5.41 a bf. With taxes it was $175 and some change.

Ouch! I can't say as though I've ever had a use for or bought red oak in the years I've been in business, but that seems pretty high. I pay much less for cherry, Euro beech, and hard maple for example. I know it's not as easy when you can't buy wholesale, but maybe find a friendly local cabinet shop that'll sell to you? I know I wouldn't mind adding a little extra to an order if someone asked and seemed like a decent person.

good luck,
JeffD

[Justin Ludwig]

$3.82 BF for 8/4 from my distributor in Ft. Smith, AR.

Haven't received a quote for 5/4 or 6/4.

[Dave Cav]

If you're willing to make the drive and you need a decent amount of lumber you might try Hardwood Industries in Bend, Oregon. They are mostly a wholesaler but since I'm a shop teacher I was able to develop a relationship with them and bought walnut and cherry in relatively small (60-100 bf) quantities for pretty good pricing. They also ship nationwide.

[Van Huskey]

It is getting to the point I think most hardwood, even domestics, should some in cream and green Systainers, when quality tools start costing less than your raw material it seems weird to me...

[Keith Hankins]

Hi Ken. In northern Virginia it is $4.69 a board foot in the rough for 5/4. $5.29 a bd.ft. for 8/4.

Dang, maybe I should buy some and make a run to Nova :)

[Jesse Busenitz]

Ouch! I can't say as though I've ever had a use for or bought red oak in the years I've been in business, but that seems pretty high. I pay much less for cherry, Euro beech, and hard maple for example. I know it's not as easy when you can't buy wholesale, but maybe find a friendly local cabinet shop that'll sell to you? I know I wouldn't mind adding a little extra to an order if someone asked and seemed like a decent person.

good luck,
JeffD

Yeah, if you can find someone to buy it wholesale through it will get a lot cheaper..... I'm paying 2.40 for 4/4 red oak, but I'm also buying several hundred bf at a shot.

[Jared Sankovich]

Hi Ken. In northern Virginia it is $4.69 a board foot in the rough for 5/4. $5.29 a bd.ft. for 8/4.

Out of curiosity who has those prices, they are high?

Cp has 5/4 for $3.55 and 8/4 for 4.60

Eco had green 4/4 for $1.00

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I live in Idaho where hardwoods are rare thus what we get is shipped into the area. Shipping adds significantly to the cost.

[Jared Sankovich]

I live in Idaho where hardwoods are rare thus what we get is shipped into the area. Shipping adds significantly to the cost.

Sorry Ken, I assume this was in response to my previous post.

I was actually commenting on the prices Walter posted (quoted text), since we are in the same general location.

[Mark Blatter]

Years ago Ken, when I lived in Helena, MT I would pay $5 or more for just about any domestic. There was only one place you could shop, but they had a decent selection. Then I moved to southern UT and got involved with a cabinet shop and found out what wholesale and volume pricing can do. I was paying about $2.10 bf for the same red oak, and under $3 for clear hard maple. By 2009, I was paying $1.75 for FAS alder and just over $2 for #1 cherry. I just bought some FAS walnut and paid $5.85 for it. Still buying wholesale, but little volume and it shows. Still my price for oak is in the $3 range.

There has to be other guys buying it where you live. Perhaps get together and form a buyer's club so you can go in once a month and buy larger volumes.