What are Current Timber Prices & What Factors Influence Timber Prices?

Are you motivated to find a logging company to harvest trees on your property? Perhaps you are interested in the income it will generate. Or maybe you want to clear trails and improve the overall health of your woods. If you hunt, the latter is especially appealing because selective harvesting creates a great environment for deer and game birds.

Whatever your primary motivation, it’s to be expected that you won’t sign any contract until you research current timber prices. You’ll want to get a fair price for your trees and sell them to a timber buyer that will give you a good offer.

We wrote this article to aid you in your research process. You’ll get an idea of current timber prices and what to expect from the timber market. You’ll also learn about some of the main factors that influence timber prices. We hope that after reading, you’ll have the confidence to find the best possible deal.

What are Current Timber Prices?

Let’s start by looking at current timber prices for some of the most desirable trees in our service area in central Illinois. Black walnut is one of the most in-demand trees we harvest. At the time of writing this article in 2022, the average price per black walnut tree is anywhere from $300 to $1,000. To learn more about the price of black walnut, read our article.

Another popular tree species in our area is white oak. The current timber prices for white oak are $100 to $500 per tree.

There are, of course, outliers on either end of the spectrum. Some exceptional trees will sell for well above the average price, while others that are less impressive will sell for a below-average price. Keep market fluctuation in mind and know that swings of up to 15% higher or lower have been known to occur.

Factors That Influence Timber Prices

Multiple factors influence timber prices and result in them being higher or lower than average. Below is a summary of some of the biggest.

Supply & Demand

It’s Economics 101. When demand is high for a particular species of tree, the value of that tree will go up. When demand goes down, so too will the price.

The Trees

As previously mentioned, timber prices depend on the species of tree. The size and quality of the tree matter as well. Trees that have little or no blemishes like knots, scratches or other damage will sell for a higher price than those with numerous defects. The ideal tree is large and as close to blemish-free as possible.

The Property

Costs related to harvesting trees need to be considered. If the property is easy to navigate and the trees are easy to access, you can expect to get a higher return. However, if labor and fuel costs are higher for the logger as a result of the property being difficult to navigate and causing the harvest to take longer than expected, you probably won’t receive as much.

Additionally, it’s a bonus for the logging company if your property is close to a mill or shipping facility. You can potentially get more for your trees if your logger can save on shipping the timber to the processing outlet.

The Extra Costs

Other “extra costs” for your timber company may impact what you get for your trees. This can include local or regional regulations that increase operating costs.

Get Great Timber Prices from MK Timber

To learn more or to start the discussion about selling your timber, contact us today.