Identify tree via bark?

[Richard]

Though this is another 'tree' question, it's totally different than the one about the (presumed Oak) standing tree I had other day (which by the way, I was NOT anticipating taking down, unless it might be dying)

Yesterday's storm dropped maybe 10 trees in the woods. These are BIG, tall trees. I'm guessing (via leaves in general on the ground) that these are red-oak. I am pretty sure one of them (not sure if it made this picture) is a Poplar tree as one of the branches ripped open and I can see the greenish tinge in the wood.

These fell much like dominos. High up on hill.... one/two fell... landed on neighbor and was enough to push it over....landed on neighbor...

My question is via bark (no tree had any leaves left in the canopy)

Presuming these to be primarily red oak.... AND....that the wife wants to build a detached garage AND a 'greenhouse', this has me wondering. Rather than have these cut up for firewood.... would this type lumber be a good lumber to use for a garage. Or, maybe a cross beam in a greenhouse. I saw them after they fell and the storm passed.... I immediatly thought 'gee... I see a lot of 1x? boards in there so I can make some oak boxes or something... then I realize where on earth are we going to store 10 trees worth of lumber! Which got me thinking, instead of buying lumber for garage.... maybe have this cut into two inch by four inch (verses 1 3/4 x 3 3/4 boards) and now for the cost of milling, the garage can be framed in (again, what I presume to be) red oak.

Question is.... is that a worthwhile way to look at it or are there pitfalls using oak that I'm not thinking about? I might add they are very straight as you can see.

 

[Richard]

The top picture has five trees, next to each other. Those are what I'm wondering what type of tree are they?

I don't know tree bark.

 

[Eagle1]

Building with dry oak is different, be prepared to pre-drill for nails or screws. It will last a long time. Those trees could be on the ground for 10+ years and be good for firewood.

I would say I see red and white oak there and one either Ash or Elm but I'm wrong all the time and picture alone are not easy to identify for me.

 

[thclimer]

I'm certainly no tree expert, but the one closest in your first picture looks almost like a ash as the bark is woven like a hamock. the others sure do look like red oak. If you cut a 3-4" branch off I think you'll be able to tell for sure about if they are red oak.

No matter if its oak, popular or ash it will make good lumber, the oak will be the hardest and most rot resistant and you certaintly do have a buch in thoes down trees.

Do you know anyone with a portable sawmil?

 

[Egon]

Cannot help on identification but you should have lots of lumber after it’s milled. It can be stickered, stacked and covered with a tarp and left outside. You must allow for air circulation.

If you know what is going to be built the sawyer should be able to come close to the dimensional lumber required.

 

[2manyrocks]

https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/documents/pb1756.pdf

Tree identification based on bark begins at page 26.

 

[Forky]

Nice quality lumber trees and the oaks are suited for veneer logs and valuable. I would contact a forester, not a logger, they are two different strokes. The forester can tell you if they can be sold for lumber. They will remove the trees and deliver them to the best mills. Take the money and go buy the lumber needed and not deal with curing the boards etc.... won't cost anything to check it out.
The forester is honest and looks out for the land owner. Your DNR might be able to help you out and send you in the right direction.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Where I live there are very limited application where we can uses rough lumber for construction it need to be graded and stamp... you might want to check that out before starting this project... I don't see any problem for the green house its only a green house but the garages could be a issue.

With a sawmill (roughs lumber) you can't get to exact uniforms dimensions there will always be variations. Constructing a structure with half rough lumber and half process lumber is very challenging. So unless you have a table saw, a planner and a jointer and processes every single piece I would say doing a garage is less then ideal. But I don't see any problem with a green house.

 

[ruffdog]

The second pic sure looks like a red oak.

 

[DieselnHooters]

1st picture poplar-basswood-ash

keep in mind I am not familiar with the kind of trees growing in your area

2nd picture is definitely northern red oak, no doubt about this one

 

[jyoutz]

Nice quality lumber trees and the oaks are suited for veneer logs and valuable. I would contact a forester, not a logger, they are two different strokes. The forester can tell you if they can be sold for lumber. They will remove the trees and deliver them to the best mills. Take the money and go buy the lumber needed and not deal with curing the boards etc.... won't cost anything to check it out.
The forester is honest and looks out for the land owner. Your DNR might be able to help you out and send you in the right direction.

Where I live there are very limited application where we can uses rough lumber for construction it need to be graded and stamp... you might want to check that out before starting this project... I don't see any problem for the green house its only a green house but the garages could be a issue.

With a sawmill (roughs lumber) you can't get to exact uniforms dimensions there will always be variations. Constructing a structure with half rough lumber and half process lumber is very challenging. So unless you have a table saw, a planner and a jointer and processes every single piece I would say doing a garage is less then ideal. But I don't see any problem with a green house.

The hardwood species being discussed have far more value than framing lumber. Cabinets, furniture, and other high value projects come to mind. Buy kiln dried and planed dimensional softwood lumber for framing and save the hardwoods for a better use.

 

[Eagle1]

That is if they are usable trees most of the oak that blow down around here have bad spots inside and are good for firewood. About half of what the local loggers drop sits right where they cut down to rot. Both red and white oak is affect here, more ref than white.

 

[Oaktree]

The hardwood species being discussed have far more value than framing lumber. Cabinets, furniture, and other high value projects come to mind. Buy kiln dried and planed dimensional softwood lumber for framing and save the hardwoods for a better use.

Yeah. As noted upthread, oak is very hard and you'd need to pre-drill holes for any nails. Not really suited for framing lumber (and kind of a waste too).

That is if they are usable trees most of the oak that blow down around here have bad spots inside and are good for firewood. About half of what the local loggers drop sits right where they cut down to rot. Both red and white oak is affect here, more ref than white.

I had my previous property logged off in the 90s. Given the number of oaks (mostly red) I figured I'd do pretty well financially but most of them were hollow, or at least had some heartwood rot. Well, I got a lot of firewood out of it...

Nice thing with oak is it smells so nice when you cut it!!

 

[2manyrocks]

I built a tractor shed using oak from the local sawmill. The oak was still green so I could shoot framing nails with my nailer. It was cut to a true 2x4 dimension but didn't shrink much and didn't warp either because the framing help hold it all straight. It was heavy material and tough on my saw to cut.

Once oak seasons, it becomes so hard that you might have to predrill holes to nail or screw it together.

If there is any poplar to be cut, poplar was the millwork wood of choice for decades because it has a good grain, holds paint well and is easy to mill. But it got expensive relative to the match stick wood they sell today that has to be finger jointed together to make a long enough piece of material to actually be useful.

Compared to what you'd pay a box store, there could be a lot of good useable lumber if you can find someone with a portable sawmill to saw it for you. I doubt you could afford to buy that much oak or poplar at the store.

But you want to get it milled before it goes bad and then you need to store it by stickering it so air can flow around the pieces.

 

[cqaigy2]

https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/documents/pb1756.pdf

Tree identification based on bark begins at page 26.

Pretty good document. Not sure i could identify, but from the publication, id say Ash.

 

[3gunr]

My buddy next door just had his 160 acres logged the white oak is at an all time high because of wine and whisky barrel staves, The red oak was not worth cutting, Even though they charge a fortune for ared oak board in the stores.

 

[Hoot Owl]

I would check with a local saw mill and ask what he would give you for them. Then find a portable saw mill and price it that way. When I had lumber cut years ago I wanted it for the lumber. If I was thinking of building now I would sell the log's and buy the lumber I wanted.
Offer to drag them out so you don't have a mess in your woods.

 

[jyoutz]

As a forester who has worked my entire career in western conifer forests, I could certainly be wrong, but I’m going to say that the first photo is an oak or hickory species, and the last photo is a poplar species.

 

[Richard]

I had not thought of asking a forrester. Looked up our local guy and the listing says there is one here in town. So if he actually lives in town (verses his office being located there) he's roughly 10 miles away. I'm going to try to call him tomorrow.

 

[2manyrocks]

Staff Directory - Tennessee Division of Forestry

Staff Directory - Tennessee Division of Forestry

www.tn.gov