Question about Cedar Value.

[tech141]

I cut down a large, cedar tree this weekend. It had lost it top sometime in the past and looked gnarly, and not in a good way. I cut it down and trimmed the branches from the trunk and this is what is left...

The straight part of the trunk is approx. two feet across at the bottom, tapering to approx. 18 inches before it gets to the gnarled part about 12 feet up.
Is this trunk worth anything besides the firewood value? I would hate to chop it up and then find out I missed an opportunity.

 

[ncnurseryman]

That is beautiful wood. They make excellent fence post.

 

[dave1949]

Cedar is good for clothes closet lining/paneling, and cedar chests for bedding/clothing storage.

You could post the curvy trunk part on craig's list, maybe a wood carver/artiste would buy it.

 

[Barry 1]

The log might be worth $40-50 at a cedar mill,if you have one close by,but one log won't pay for the gas. Save the log,the red heartwood lasts about forever,you can square it up with a chainsaw,and make a post.

 

[SPIKER]

You might try here

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=unreadee if there is a Sawyer in your area. Might have one close.

Mark

 

[dmccarty]

Tree prices vary by the local market.

I have seen a few logging trucks carrying nothing but cedar but I don't see those loads very often. When we timbered, I asked about Cedar trees since we have a bunch of them, but the Timber agent said there was not real market for them in my area.

I have stacks of Cedar trees here and there on our place. Not sure what to do with them but I won't used them for fence posts. They rot out and I can see plenty of pole barns and fence lines that have used them and are now falling down.

Your best bet would be to find an Arteest that would do something with that tree. Not sure it would be worth the time though. Kinda sad not to do something useful with a tree that sized.

Later,
Dan

 

[texasjohn]

A cedar tree that s?e is rare. The red heart will last 100 + years. Don't burn it...much better uses. Beautiful mantle for fireplace. Cut in half, add legs from the branches...bench will last outside forever. Set it aside and wait for inspiration...it'll be just as good in 10 years as now.

 

[ncnurseryman]

Rot out? Really? I have used them for years and have found old fence lines on our farm decades old and the post is still solid.

 

[jerrybob]

Up here......we'd sell it to a local shake mill.:thumbsup:

 

[CliffordK]

Do you know what type of cedar that is?
The morphology looks somewhat like incense cedar.
But the bark looks more like the Western Red.

Anyway, not all cedars have the same rot resistance & etc.

Throw it up on Craigslist, a fairly low price, and see if you can get someone wanting to come and resaw it.

You could also see if you could "trade" it for firewood.

 

[clemsonfor]

It is southern red cedar. The RED heart wood is rot resistant. They wont rot enough to do anything in your lifetime. The problem Dan was that they used young cedar from around the farm for those fences or when clearing land for pasture. Those trees had a large percentage of sapwood or that white around the red. That stuff rots about as fast as oak or hickory would, maybe a bit faster, so once that rots you post is loose in the hole, which on a shed with 6 posts or so will cause that famouse lean, that most of those sheds have had for 40 years yet still standing. Those folks used what the had. The ones you went the extra mile and sawed they sapwood off and left heart on there and used large trees had more success.


As to the worth, nothing. You may be lucky if someone picked it up and gave you $20. There is just so much of these one time trees that are removed a hobby guy can get it free just by asking around. Even by the truck load it is not worth much. Many of the cedar mills around the area have shut down, i guess they sawed lumber and made posts. I saw one a few weeks ago near an area we have timber sales all the time and never had a load of it go up to it??? Never knew it existed. Many loggers if they know a place will take the trees and haul them on thier own dollar, but not pay a landowner, but also tell them this. Its just a lot of work and they dont weigh much when on the truck (think how small most are and how you would get the weight on a truck).

Me i would put it on CL and see what you get, try to get some cash or see if the guy would trade a piece of his handy woodwork for it?

 

[MotorSeven]

Love the stuff, built my house out of it. If that center rot does not run all the way up that will make some beautiful wide planks or slabs for tables/chairs/mantles, and yes fence posts. If you have a mill nearby you might see what the charge would be to slab it up for you if you want to use it yourself. Other then that it's not of much value to sell. I bought 6x6x8' milled logs for $20 ea.

 

[dmccarty]

Rot out? Really? I have used them for years and have found old fence lines on our farm decades old and the post is still solid.

A neighbor has a pole barn that is falling over. Posts are cedar almost certainly cut from my land before I owned the place. Fence line down the road is in the same condition.

Later,
Dan

 

[Pete Judd]

Jerrybob, that is way different cedar than what we have up here. If it wasn't that far away, I would give 500 bucks for it. Sliced up would make a couple of nice cedar chests.

 

[J F]

It's too far away for me too, but I would give $1,000.

 

[clemsonfor]

WOW $500-1000!!! Yall must not have much of this stuff!! Every old home place around here seems to have a few of these monsters hanging around it. Many times when the land is cut they are left and just hang around all knarly looking sometimes there cut and let lay just to get out of the way. Unless you have a small mill or know someone there is little to no value in these in this area.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I just logged off 20 AC. Had 3 truck loads of cedar 2'-3' dia. They were worth twice as much as fir. Bu,t mills will not take cedar with hollow centers, too much waste. Up here the chain saw artists are looking for snarly old pieces like yours. Best way to get some $. Firewood, no one wants it.

Ron