15' 7/4 Maple locker room benches

[PAUL A DALEN]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/813746319278413/?referralSurface=messenger_lightspeed_banner&referralCode=messenger_banner

So...I bought these. I gave $450 for the three. It came out to 60 board feet of maple, so $7.50 per board foot. It's not a screamin' good deal, but not bad, especially considering the lengths. I have to cut them in 8' and 7' sections to transport. I should be able to resaw half to make a couple new sofa tables and a tv stand, and use half as a new bench top.

Thoughts?

[roger wiegand]

Nice 8/4 hard maple is $5.95/bf in 9-14 ft lengths at my local retailer. 10% less if you buy 100 bf. I'd have offered 20% below the new retail price. It only takes one stray nail or screw to spoil your day with used lumber.

If you live someplace with much higher local prices the calculation is, of course, different.

[PAUL A DALEN]

I discovered those prices this afternoon. I may have to back out of this deal. I was going to pay him tomorrow. I'll do the 20% under retail and see what happens.

[Dave Sabo]

Unless you’re specifically looking for worn / used / patinia’d maple - this isn’t really a good price.

[Jebediah Eckert]

Not sure what part of the country you live in but……it would be a hard pass for me. There has to be easier, and cheaper ways to get material then that? Unless they were being repurposed, or you wanted the “patina,” I don’t think I would pay anything for them. But like they say, stuff is worth what somebody is willing to pay.

[Matt Day]

Not a good buy, especially since it has finish and dirt and grime on it. And who knows how much gum underneath. Gross all around.

[Phillip Mitchell]

The bases are still bolted to the boards...which means that there are bolt holes in the boards, who knows how much damage from decades of wear and tear, nasty old finish, and they are too long and heavy to move easily.

Why on earth would you pay money for something like this if what you want is furniture grade lumber when you can go to a lumberyard and buy new, high quality lumber for cheaper than this?

I would consider taking them away if they paid me $250/ bench, but even then I don’t know if it’s worth the hassle.

[Jim Becker]

Phillip, there can be a lot of good with repurposing material like that and I believe that the OP is aware that there will be defects like fastener holes. The issue here for me isn't the material...it's the cost. If the OP could get it for less or at least equal money to new material, then it's worth considering for the merit of reuse/recycle. But unless it was remarkable/rare wood, paying a premium wouldn't sit with me.

[PAUL A DALEN]

Phillip, there can be a lot of good with repurposing material like that and I believe that the OP is aware that there will be defects like fastener holes. The issue here for me isn't the material...it's the cost. If the OP could get it for less or at least equal money to new material, then it's worth considering for the merit of reuse/recycle. But unless it was remarkable/rare wood, paying a premium wouldn't sit with me.

And it doesn't with me. I messaged the guy and told him why I was backing out unless he went to 50% of asking.

[johnny means]

You should see what's selling for slabs at slab prices around here. Leave a little bark on a stick and the sky is the limit.

[PAUL A DALEN]

Yeah, now that I found a good source in San Antonio it's obvious that lumber selling on FB is ridiculously over-priced.

[Tom Bender]

Welcome to the forum, glad we could help.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

If you intend to use as a bench, it's actually not a bad price as the bases aren't cheap. For lumber salvage though, see all the above feedback.