Price of European Oak?

[Doug71]

Had a delivery from Lavers yesterday and among it was a length of European Oak. I haven't had any Oak for a while and got a shock at the price, about £4,200 a cubic metre.

It was just a 3m length of about 105mm X 63mm, with VAT it's about £127, is this the going rate or should I be giving them a call?

 

[Argus]

If a price is based per M/cube, it really only applies to a cubic meter of wood on a wagon.

That seems a bit steep, but if it was only one piece of Oak........they'll charge what they can get away with.

Did you agree a price per ft beforehand?

 

[Hornbeam]

That works out at £180 a cuft which is about double what I pay for 2 square edge rough sawn.

 

[HOJ]

That does seem high, I would probably pay £90.00 for a board that size (SE) delivered.

 

[Ollie78]

Try Hewins for Oak, I bought a bunch from there a few months ago and it was nice timber and definitely not as much as £4k a m3.

Ollie

 

[pgrbff]

It is more than twice what I pay in Italy

 

[johnnyb]

it depends a bit on what it is. prime oak quarter sawn and thick can be even more expensive try venables brothers. that's all they do. the grade they make t and g from is considerably cheaper but not as consistent with a few defects often different shades as well.

 

[Otto]

N R Burnett have prices for everything online to give you an idea
nrburnett.co.uk

 

[mwinfrance]

Depends how you are calculating the price.
Example..I have under shelter, air drying about 4 cubic metres of French oak, as "logs" average diameter is 30cm, length 100-150cm
I have another 1 cubic metre ( approx ) of 20cm diametre French oak logs; length 100-150cm
I have another assortment of French oak logs ( approx 5 cubic metres ) of varying diametres 40cm to 100cm and varying lengths 100cm to 150cm. Similar quantities of each other wood types..Maple, Merisier, Red Cedar etc.
These are from a load of mixed timber types which I bought in April 2023, some of the timber was from trees which had been felled, some I felled. None were diseased in any way, they had to be removed from a private cliff top garden 10 kms from me in order for the owner to be able to install a large septic tank and drainage / filter system prior to extending his villa.
I paid €50.oo per cubic metre and one tree was "free" as the landowner asked me to fell it as a favour.
The French average rate for "standing oak" ( sur pied ) depends on the diametre, the larger it is, the more potential it has because one can do more with it.Thus the more valuable it is. Straightness also comes into play, the straighter it is, the more valuable.
I would think that the same applies to standing oak ( or any other woods ) in any country.
Standing wood is an investment vehicle, the price is usually rising. Stocked drying wood is the same , but obviously more expensive. It is going up in value just standing or lying there ( providing it isn't laying on the ground, although spalting can offset some drops in value for wood that has been "just laying where it fell" .

Anyway, the standing wood price for French Oak as of 06.06.2023 in France is. Varies daily

Circ 81 à 110 cm......Diam 26 à 35 cm...Vmu 0,75 à 1 m³ = 40 à 80€ per metre cube
Circ 111 à 140 cm....Diam 36 à 45 cm...Vmu 1 à 1,45 m³ = 120 à 150€ per metre cube
Circ 145 à 170 cm....Diam 46 à 55 cm...Vmu 1,50 à 1,80 m³ = 150 à 200€ per metre cube
Circ 175 à 200 cm....Diam 56 à 65 cm...Vmu 2 à 2,45 m³ = 200 à 300€ per metre cube
Circ 205 à 250 cm....Diam 66 à 80 cm...Vmu 2,50 à 3,50 m³ = 250 à 350€ per metre cube
Circ 250 cm et +.......Diam 81 cm et +....Vmu + 3,50 m³ = 300 à 400€ per metre cube

You can see why I prefer to cut it myself and dry / store it..

Sawmill sawn oak, but not machine planed, public price depends on where you are in the country.
From 1500€ per cubic metre to 2500 per cubic metre.
My mate with a sawmill would be cheaper, mates prices.
Same would apply to my mate the tree surgeon..
DIY stores ( LeroyMerlin ) in my region an Oak "cube" 24 cm x 24 cm x 45 cm PSE ( split to always ) chamfered top corners, sold as a sort of low "stool" last time I looked at one ( for a laugh ) was around 85.oo €
https://www.leroymerlin.fr/produits...-l24-x-h45cm-chanfreine-70464464.html?src=clk...which makes their price for a small bit of oak work out to just over 3275.oo€ per metre cube.
kinell.

Then again this year they are doing firewood on pallet ( mixed wood about 25% oak in it ) at 126.00€ per cubic metre. Price falls a bit in summer, will go back up in the autumn and more so winter. Was higher over last winter.
SuperU nearer to me is about double that per cubic metre for the same wood from the same wholesaler.
French Forestry commission equivalent in this area does firewood "retail" ( mixed hard woods inc about 50% oak ) at around 40.oo - 50.oo€ per cubic metre in 2 metre logs about 25cm average diametre. But you have to go and get it( about 25kms from me minimum ) Delivered "wholesale" ( at 15 - 20€ m³ plus transport ) is possible but only by the artic load and they can't get down our lane, ( turning circle to get in the entrance to it is impossible for an artic , even shunting about for an afternoon ) nor get near enough to do a crane drop like Adam W gets his wood delivered. :-(

When you know the standing oak ( or any wood ) price..and then you look at "retail" ..Yes they ( retailers and some woodyards ) are really taking the yellow stuff. Especially if there are only a couple or so of "middle men" between the standing wood cutter and the wood you are buying.Even allowing for stockage and handling.

Ps..I was at a local sawmill 3 days ago ( not my mates place, much nearer to me about 3kms, he, the mate, is about 20kms from me ).They , local sawmill, said they normally only handle pine and oak..oak they quoted me French Oak ( local trees , fresh cut green..like my own "not under cover yet stock" ) at 1500.oo€ per cubic metre as a "log" at around 50cm diametre..cash..and chestnut at 400.oo€ per cubic metre..again cash..I was looking for lime , ( told they never do it ) but asked about the oak and chestnut from curiosity. Chestnut I can get for around 50.oo€ per cubic metre ..cash ..or 100.oo€ absolute max per cubic metre at that diametre. Last lot ( pre covid ) I paid 30.oo€ per cubic metre..I won't be buying from the local guy. "Coastal prices"..

 

[mwinfrance]

@Doug71 I just had a look at prices here for your plank dimensions at one of the largest regional sawmills here ( about 200km from me )..
Yours works out that you are paying at 486€ per square metre at that thickness. inc delivery
Here It would cost you about 147€ per square metre at that thickness plus delivery.
or
The plank would cost you around £38.oo inc VAT .. ( rough sawn unplaned ). They don't deliver , but using a transporter would cost around an additional £40.oo or so for just the one plank to where I am.
does European oak mean continental , or do they sell English oak as European ? I'd have expected English oak to be sold at a premium just because.

 

[johnnyb]

venables oak is english at least that's what the guys told me who loaded me. I suspect that oak prices are dependant on who your buying off. the actual origin and quality and thickness is just a vehicle to pull your pants down as much as they can. avoid big corporate places like the plague small suppliers are always the way to go if you have no bulk leverage.

 

[Sean33]

Had a delivery from Lavers yesterday and among it was a length of European Oak. I haven't had any Oak for a while and got a shock at the price, about £4,200 a cubic metre.

It was just a 3m length of about 105mm X 63mm, with VAT it's about £127, is this the going rate or should I be giving them a call?

not same dimensions but just paid £24 plus vat for 2.4m 140*16 PAR from EO Burton if it helps