Recent hardwood prices?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I was given a test/challenge and needed to buy some wood to pursue it. Yesterday when I went to my usual hardwood supplier about 30 miles north of here, I found 4/4 red oak at $6.69/BF. This is a greatly increased price over what I've paid there in the past. Is anyone else seeing dramatically price increases in hardwoods?

[Sebastien La Madeleine]

I purchased some 8/4 maple in december at 3.59/bdft, went back last Friday 5.51/bdft now. This qualifies as a major increase to me!

[Ron Citerone]

Here in PA, it seems the dealers are very high, but there are some deals on Craigslist if you are patient. I have noticed even CL prices are getting higher.

Not sure why, but I remember years ago, Cherry and Walnut being comparable and the highest. Now it seems there are better deals on Cherry compared to the Oaks. Also, I seem to remember White Oak being the cheaper of the two, but now it is higher than Red Oak when I look at price lists at the dealers. If I ever work through my stash, I will be going with the Cherry which has always been my favorite anywho.

My 2 cents.

[Jim Becker]

Some of the species are higher...it fluctuates with "design demand". I've not priced any oak since I don't generally use it, but the maple I bought not long ago was quite reasonable. I suspect ash is pretty economical right now due to the massive death of the species because of the emerald ash borer. (I have quite a few trees down on my property...enough to actually justify getting someone in to mill it, but that's a digression from the topic of retail pricing)

[kent wardecke]

Has it been unusually wet? Or some other reason loggers can't get into the woods?
that does seem expensive
Google "CRMuterspaw lumber" he's local to me and I've bought from him. Always good quality and service. He has 4/4 red oak craft packs $4.55 /bdft shipped

[William Chain]

I’m in southeastern Pa and the local folks post their prices online. Looking at my go-to’s of Groff & Groff and Hearnes Hardwoods, both January 2019 lists look almost identical to January 2018 to me.

[Steven Wayne]

Ken, I've noticed pricing a good bit higher at my usual haunts in Spokane. I have found some good deals from guys that advertise on craigslist.

[Gary Ragatz]

I was given a test/challenge and needed to buy some wood to pursue it. Yesterday when I went to my usual hardwood supplier about 30 miles north of here, I found 4/4 red oak at $6.69/BF. This is a greatly increased price over what I've paid there in the past. Is anyone else seeing dramatically price increases in hardwoods?

There have been some increases around here (mid-Michigan), but nothing major. Plainsawn 4/4 red oak is about $3/bf around here, if you're buying 100 bf or more. Quartersawn is about $4.

[Darcy Warner]

Maple, cherry, poplar and walnut all up.

China has been buying standing timber.

[Patrick Walsh]

We buy piles of soft maple. About five months ago I noticed the bf price went up at least a $1 regardless of vendor regardless of BF...

[Steve Eure]

Down here in SW Georgia, Hurricane Michael did a number on us with the pines and hardwoods. Most red oaks I've seen have been blown over, root balls and all. Pines generally snapped about mid way up. I asked a sawyer why they aren't milling lumber out of the trees and he told me there is too much fiber damage to the trees from the wind whipping them around that all they are good for is chipping and pulp. Prices are up in this area for wood because of that.

[Art Mann]

My premium domestic hardwood supplier has raised his prices rather dramatically. People started catching on that his product is a cut above most others. It is simple supply and demand. Unfortunately, I am going to have to find another supplier. I have moved further away from him and that just makes it no longer worth it.

[Jeff Heath]

Find and support your local sawmill. Many are set up with kilns for drying wood, and often, a small proprietor is going to take better care and have pride in the product he/she delivers. I know several around the country that have recently installed vacuum kilns, as a newer company is building kilns to support smaller mills with a entry price point 1/3 the cost of previously available systems. I'm looking into one for my own operation, and it can dry 12/4 slabs in 2 weeks or less with almost zero degrade. 4/4 and 6/4 lumber is dry in less than a week. Support your local sawyer, and you will also find a lot of different species of timber not normally found at the typical retail suppliers, too. Just a thought.

[Jeff Bartley]

Jeff,
Can you tell us the name of the vendor selling those vacuum kilns?
I'd be interested in learning a little more about those! Thanks, Jeff

[kent wardecke]

It looks like the price spikes from May/June 2018 have worked there way through the supply chain and are now affecting retail prices. Ash, red oak, maple and cherry are in increased demand that is somewhat offset by decreased demand from China .Labor shortages in the logging and milling industries will continue to impact prices

https://contactind.com/2018/06/12/hardwood-lumber-demand-prices-rise/

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Find and support your local sawmill. Many are set up with kilns for drying wood, and often, a small proprietor is going to take better care and have pride in the product he/she delivers. I know several around the country that have recently installed vacuum kilns, as a newer company is building kilns to support smaller mills with a entry price point 1/3 the cost of previously available systems. I'm looking into one for my own operation, and it can dry 12/4 slabs in 2 weeks or less with almost zero degrade. 4/4 and 6/4 lumber is dry in less than a week. Support your local sawyer, and you will also find a lot of different species of timber not normally found at the typical retail suppliers, too. Just a thought.

It's rare to find hardwoods in my neck of the woods.

[Jeff Heath]

Jeff,
Can you tell us the name of the vendor selling those vacuum kilns?
I'd be interested in learning a little more about those! Thanks, Jeff

Here you go. Keep in mind, they are selling the kilns, not offering a wood drying service. You need to find a local kiln operator, but at the rate I see these systems selling, it's not going to be very long before they are available all over North America. I was considering a vacuum kiln 2 years ago, but the $140K selling price gave me serious pause. At the current entry price point of $50K, the ability to recover the initial investment is fairly quick and relatively painless for anyone operating a sawmill with a lot of lumber to dry. The turn around times for drying 12/4 slabs go from many months, in a typical dehumidification kiln, to less than a couple weeks. Not a commercial, although I may sound like one. I have no ties, but am serious about buying one.

https://idrywood.com/

[Jeff Heath]

It's rare to find hardwoods in my neck of the woods.

Ken

I have a good friend who lives in Post Falls, Idaho who frequently gets together with other local woodworkers, and they split the cost of shipping in a decent order of hardwoods for use. My point is, if you want something in North America, anything can be delivered. 20 years ago, before I bought my first sawmill, I used to have hardwoods delivered from Pennsylvania to my area (northern Illinois) because I think the local retail hardwood dealers are absolute crooks, and the quality of the lumber was always suspect, with a lot of poorly dried, warped and twisted lumber included.

Another friend, who lived in Montana as a custom furniture builder, for a long time, ordered in all his hardwoods.

Probably not very practical for 50 board feet, but planning ahead for the future makes shipping very doable.

[Yonak Hawkins]

I have quite a few trees down on my property...

Ash is really bad about getting buggy if on the ground for long. If you want to mill it you better hurry.

[Jim Becker]

Ash is really bad about getting buggy if on the ground for long. If you want to mill it you better hurry.
The ones I'm most interested in milling fortunately are still standing.

[Jeff Heath]

I have had excellent success milling a lot of ash. It's very well behaved while drying, and the EAB only eats the cambium layer. I've been using a lot of it lately. I think it's a nice species that's been overlooked for furniture and cabinetry for a long time.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jeff,

Earlier this month I joined a local woodworking club that I didn't know existed until a couple months ago. The club members gave me some leads on two local sources that I didn't know about. Several members said they often get together and drive to Portland to purchase hardwoods and bring back.

[Darrell Bade]

In November I bought 150 bf of plainsawn red oak for $2.29 a board foot and 150 bf of quartersawn red oak for $3.29 a board foot. That is about what it has been for a long time.