Is milling your own lumber worth it?

Milling your own lumber can produce quality material for a fraction of the price of a lumber dealer. In fact, if you purchase your own mill, like I have, you can actually make a profit off of it by selling lumber to other woodworkers and by offering to mill other people's logs.

Is it cheaper to have your own lumber milled?

Generally, it costs 5-10% more to have your lumber milled on-site. It is also cheaper to by 2 x 4's from a big box store than it is to have them milled. So if you are more concerned with quantity over quality, saw milling may not be for you.

Do you save money milling your own lumber?

Unlike large, stationary sawmills, portable sawmills don't require you to transport entire trees prior to milling. Milling your lumber on site instead provides several benefits: Saves you the time you would spend preparing the tree for transport. Saves you the money you would spend moving the tree.

How much does it cost to mill lumber?

The lumber you will mill the customer would only get about 16 to 20 cents a foot for, so if you charge 30 cents a foot to mill it, he now has 46 to 50 cents in each foot, plus 7 to 10 cents a foot logging, if he paid someone. So, total cost of 53 to 60 cents a foot.

Is having your own sawmill worth it?

A portable sawmill can be worth the investment. It can provide a source of wood for your own projects and give you a side business. For a source of lumber, as well as a profitable business, a portable sawmill can be a key piece of equipment on your farm.

Milling Your Own Lumber - Part 1: Why Own a Sawmill

How much does it cost to start a sawmill?

11,00,000 depending on your needs and specifications. A simple chainsaw machine will cost a mere Rs. 6000 while the advanced commercial ones will cost around Rs. 2,00,000.

Who is making money on lumber?

The five major companies are Georgia-Pacific, Sierra Pacific Industries, Interfor, Weyerhaeuser and West Fraser. West Fraser bought mills across the regions of the U.S., and that company is now valued at $13 billion and its share price has jumped 250 per cent in the past year.

How long should a log dry before milling?

Depending on the thickness of the lumber and where you live, weather and time of the year, it will take anywhere from 6 weeks to 4 months. Most lumber is in the 1” to 2” thickness and the time above applies to thicknesses. Drying cants, timbers, posts will take considerably longer.

How long does it take to mill a log?

The time/cost to saw the logs depends mostly on the log's size and species. As a very rough estimate, a 12" diameter 8 foot long log will take around 25 minutes; an 18" diameter 8' long log will take around 40 minutes to saw; 24" diameter will be at least 1 hour.

Can you build with freshly milled lumber?

With green timber, you can begin building right away without having to wait for the wood to dry, or having the added cost for kiln drying, which uses environmentally damaging fossil fuels during the drying process. However, fresh timber will shrink as it dries.

How long can oak logs sit before milling?

As a rule of thumb, there will be a measurable loss in four to six weeks of warm (over 50 F) weather. It is just a rule of thumb.

Can you use your own milled lumber to build a house?

Yes, as an alternate material and method according to Section 105 of the 2018 Administrative Code. Ungraded, unstamped lumber may be used for the construction of a house or accessory building on the owner's land if: 1. The timber is cut from the owner's land.

How do you price rough cut lumber?

For example: if you want to know how many BF are in a 4 x 6 x 10 you multiple that together: 4 x 6 x 10 = 240 and then divide that by 12, 240 / 12 = 20 BF. To determine the price, you multiple the BF by the price/BF, so in this case a 4 x 6 x 10 is $. 80/BF, so the price per piece is $16.00.

Is it cheaper to buy wood from a sawmill?

Though it may not appear bad, the cost of lumber in big box stores is VERY expensive. You don't realize it because you don't have anything to compare it to. Buying your lumber directly from a sawmill can be significantly less, though there may be additional preparation needed before it can be used as we will see below.

How do you get the most lumber out of a log?

Financially, grade sawing is the best sawing method for medium and high-quality logs, even though it may be difficult to turn a log on some mills and daily production volume may be lower. There are several reasons to consider quarter sawing because the grain patterns in some hardwoods are in great demand.

Why do sawmills keep logs wet?

When logs must be stored for long periods at temperatures above freezing, it is best to keep logs soaking wet. Storing logs under sprinklers or in a log pond helps prevent end checking and slows deterioration caused by insects, fungal stain, and decay. However, chemical staining can occur under wet conditions.

Is it better to mill logs green or dry?

Summary: Logs should be milled for drying as soon as possible, and the ends should be sealed as soon as they are felled. A bandsaw mill will create less waste than a chainsaw mill.

Is it better to cut wood wet or dry?

Wet Wood Vs Dry Wood

But wet wood is actually much easier to cut than dry wood. With dry wood lacking moisture content, more friction is created as the chainsaw chain comes into contact with the wood fibers. This friction results in the chain slowing down.

Can a dead tree be used for lumber?

Dead and dying trees can be milled for lumber, but it has to be done within about two years before they rot or become infested with insects.

How long does fresh lumber take to dry?

Depending on the species and your climate, it can take from 2 to 12 months to bring 4/4 lumber from green to air-dry (12- to 20-percent moisture content, depending on your location). Air-dry isn't dry enough for indoor use.

How long do you cut logs for sawmill?

Care should be taken to cut the felled tree into lengths of highest possible value. Standard sawlog lengths usually run from 8 to 16 feet, with intermediate cuts at two-foot intervals.

Why is wood prices still so high?

After steadily rising through the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, lumber prices skyrocketed up to an all-time high in May, driven by historic levels of demand and mounting supply chain issues. Relief came in the summer as the cost of wood gradually began to return to historically average levels.

What is the real reason lumber prices are so high?

Wood is fairly abundant, in North America, especially in the southern forests. Modern mills are very efficient at turning logs into 2x4s and sheets of plywood. Lumber and plywood prices are so high now because of the short-run dynamics of demand and supply. Wood demand shot up in the summer of pandemic.

Is the price of lumber back to normal?

Then, in summer 2021, prices fell back to 2019 pre-pandemic levels. Now, lumber prices, like most commodities, are rising again. They are now about 15% lower than that peak in May 2021, but still about three times their average pre-pandemic price, according to Random Lengths, an industry website.