Lumber prices - any idea when they will go down?

[EssexFells]

Worth a shot to see if there’s someone with a portable sawmill – but since you’re probably not the only farm with lots of trees down, will be hard to get on anyone’s schedule.

Speaking from personal experience, don’t be tempted by ads for chainsaw mills. They’re a bear to use, takes forever, and very hard work at awkward angles. And you need special chains for ripping along the grain, vs cutting logs across the grain. IMO, it’s not worth it.

In the end, even at $$$ prices, new lumber will be cheaper than trying to find a mill that will process a few trees for you. You just can’t match the cost savings that comes with the massive scale and efficient operations for retail lumber.

Can you cut into logs and stack somewhere out of the weather, for future firewood? Given the projected high prices for heating gas this winter, maybe now’s the time to get that wood stove.

[B_and_B]

Total agreement on the chainsaw mills! We have one, it is only used for ripping down a tree that can’t fit into the 30" throat of our portable sawmill. In other words, not often. It really beats up the chainsaw as well as your back.
People with portable sawmills are out there. Is the lumber cheaper? Generally not, since we tend to peg our prices to the bigger stores. The benefit is that the lumber can be much better quality and specialty cut. For example, we’ve got a standing order for trailer decking lumber, which is best made of quality oak. We also have a stack of hemlock drying out that will turn into 6"x6" 16 feet long for a barn rebuild happening next year. Most readily available lumber is plantation grown, i.e. fast grown, and tends to fairly flimsy in comparison. We are just so used to it that it is a shock to see anything else.
One note of warning, depending on the state, structural lumber may have to be professionally graded to meet building codes. That adds a level of complexity, because lumber grading is a specialized and rare job.

[SusanO]

I have found some people out here with portable sawmills but haven’t gotten them out here. I would LOVE to make some of those tall skinny pines into 8 foot cavaletti poles. They don’t have to be perfect. And the cedar trees down - I have seen really nice tables made out of this. The huge oak trees - I hate to turn them into firewood. I don’t need much firewood. I am in the South and with global warming our winters are getting warmer and warmer. Maybe 3 really cold days last winter. now if you could run AC on it…

[SusanO]

I would never try to mill it myself. I know my limits!

[awaywego]

We are replacing an oversized 3 car garage this summer that would make an awesome large run-in shed if someone was industrius enough to want to take down and put back up. I wish I had that kind of time and skill! This thread has me thinking that I should try to find a taker for it somehow instead of just having it demo’d.

[clanter]

@awaywego

This thread has me thinking that I should try to find a taker for it somehow instead of just having it demo’d

get them provide a bond to ensure the work is completed, often they will take what’s good and easy then disappear

[awaywego]

@clanter

get them provide a bond to ensure the work is completed, often they will take what’s good and easy then disappear

That kind of thing - plus the potential liability of having some amateurs trying to take it apart - are what have stopped this line of thinking a few times already. It just seems like a terrible waste of a (mostly) good building and precious lumber! If I didn’t have so many other major projects myself right now, I would definitely be taking it down myself with the intent to rebuild it in a pasture in the fall.

[PaddockWood]

More good news

Lumber Wipes Out 2021 Gain With Demand Ebbing After Record Boom

[foggybok]

@EssexFells

Worth a shot to see if there’s someone with a portable sawmill – but since you’re probably not the only farm with lots of trees down, will be hard to get on anyone’s schedule.

Speaking from personal experience, don’t be tempted by ads for chainsaw mills. They’re a bear to use, takes forever, and very hard work at awkward angles. And you need special chains for ripping along the grain, vs cutting logs across the grain. IMO, it’s not worth it.

In the end, even at $$$ prices, new lumber will be cheaper than trying to find a mill that will process a few trees for you. You just can’t match the cost savings that comes with the massive scale and efficient operations for retail lumber.

Can you cut into logs and stack somewhere out of the weather, for future firewood? Given the projected high prices for heating gas this winter, maybe now’s the time to get that wood stove.

We hired a guy with a portable mill to take care of 4 giant Western Red Cedars and a few stray Douglas Firs that fell our first winter at the farm. Price was very reasonable and we ended up with great lumber for refencing property and building some small outbuildings. Much cheaper than anything we could buy and lumber was cheap at that time.

[lenapesadie]

That’s encouraging. I have toyed with this idea as I have several mature pines and oaks that need to go, I hate to just burn the wood.

[SusanO]

That sounds good. I hate to burn anything and not just because of the air pollution. Since the fence repair person has never gotten back to me I guess I can start this project.

[PaddockWood]

Just saw this and thought ya’ll might want to see:

[OTTBs]

Anyone seeing any price drops? I think the price of the lumber I was waiting to buy went UP from last month. (Deck boards from Home Depot)

[cutter99]

They have gone down here in TN. We bought boards last week to line the interior walls of a hay barn. My husband checked with a local building supply company first- their prices were still outrageous. He then checked Lowe’s and Home Depot- their prices were better. He then checked with a bigger contractor’s supply company, in the county next to us, and they had great prices.

[Mosey_2003]

They went down here in IL then have seemed to come back up a bit again. 2x4s aren’t too too bad but 2x2s are.

[OTTBs]

I’m in IL too.

Interesting, Menards has similar boards (as Home Depot) for 2/3 the price after the 11% rebate. Of course HD is the one that will bring the boards out to me, vs me squeezing the horse trailer in Menards’ cramped yard.

[Mosey_2003]

The employees at Home Depot also don’t run from you when you look like you need help

[endlessclimb]

My menards will deliver if it’s a big project.

[PaddockWood]

Just thought of this thread when I read this:

33%

The spike in lumber prices since the end of August . Lumber hit its peak in May at $1,515 per thousand board feet, so $516 as of Friday feels like a bargain. Prices are expected to increase even more, so now might be the time to lumber up if you’ve been eyeing a [DIY home project]