Red Oak????

[William Fourness]

I have a chance to pick up some nice three year old northern Pennsylvania ruff sawn Red Oak lumber would be worth a board foot like this? Most seem to be in great shape and free of knots and defects. Thanks for the input and happy holidays to all.

Bill

[Quinn McCarthy]

Bill

You should be able to get the current lumber prices by species from your local extension agent/forester or online. Most state DNR's have current prices broken down by species and grade. You will have to determine if the wood is all one grade or mill run which means you will get a bit of everything. Remember that this wood is only air dried and if you are going to use it for furniture and cabinets you should get it kiln dried. That usually runs 150.00-250.00/1000 bd. ft.

Hope that helps.

Quinn

[Lars Thomas]

About $2.50-3.00 would be my guess.

[Jim DeLaney]

I paid $2.05 for the last that I bought - about a month ago.

Mine was kiln dried. If yours has been stacked and stickered for three years, then it's plenty dry enough to use, as is. Probably has less than 10% moisture, maybe as low as 7 or 8%.

[Jim Becker]

Remember that this wood is only air dried and if you are going to use it for furniture and cabinets you should get it kiln dried.

Most of the material I use for furniture is air-dried...and that's not unusual. Air dried lumber and kiln dried lumber eventually end up at about the same MC once they are hanging around your shop, assuming the former is dried correctly. In some species, like black walnut, it actually preferred by many makers.

William, I agree with the $2-3 a bd ft for your oak if it's FAS.

[Ron Blaise]

Red Oak is abundant and should be inexpensive, in fact 2 bucks a foot is (in my opinion) about .50 to .75 a foot too much. Last I payed for it was .75 a foot (Tennessee). It runs in the neighborhood of 1.00 to 1.25/foot where I live now (Alabama). Howsomever, everything seems to cost more in the frozen north :D

[scott spencer]

I can get good quality RO for ~ $2.50 bf rough sawn here in WNY. Prices vary depending on region, quality, size, quantity, and supplier.