Thread: timber prices per square metre

Rough prices eh...
$1600 - $3200 for Pine/Hardwoods
$2400 - $4000 for Cabinet species
Some exotics are more expensive
Burl/figure/quarter sawn expect a 'premium' price
Small quantities will also attract a higher price
Unseasoned product cheaper again
Hope this give you an insight of worth
Remember it takes a lot of log to produce a sawn m3
This is reflected in the price
Mr Fiddleback

I doubt anyone can give you a straight answer to that question other than refer you to various commercial sellers and their their price-lists. Wood is probably one of the best examples of free-market forces you could find. The prices will vary greatly depending on the species, its availability, its perceived desirability, whether or not it has good figure, whether it's 'dry' & ready to go, etc. Specialty grades like instrument quality woods will fetch much higher prices than construction grade material. If you stick with reputable sellers, you can be reasonably satisfied the prices you pay will be somewhere close to "the going rate", & as close as you'll get to a 'fair' price.

Even "free" wood involves a good deal of cost for the necessary equipment to harvest it (you'll buy a lot of wood for the price if a decent chainsaw!). Then you have the hassle of storing it 'til it's ready to use & accepting that up to 50% of your harvest may degrade in the drying process, especially when you are new to the game.

The cost of this piece of ringed gidgee would've been well in excess of $10,000 a cube if you calculated it's price/volume. 8.jpg

I can't remember exactly what the piece cost me, but every time I use that plane I'm pleased I paid whatever it was.

Just my perspective....

Cheers,

I notice the OPs username is guitarist, is so I assume the timber is for guitars? ie quartersawn stuff soI'd expect to pay extra premium ie $6-$10 k or maybe even more for exotics.

Here is an example like IanW, probably my most expensive $/m^3 buy, a small piece of curly Jarrah that cost me $20
It was originally 0.2 x 0.1 x 0.0125 m = 0.00025 m^3
20/0.00025 = $80k/m^3

whole.jpg

Price is normally by the cube rather than by the square meter, unless you're talking veneers or for a certain thickness, some are even by the kg. The price will also vary depending on the timber, grain/figure, rarity and a whole lot of other factors.

No offence, but your question is like, how long is a piece of string.

Also if your into musical instruments, you'd normally like highly figured and stable thin boards, so be prepared for up to 4x normal prices

Here's an example of 'premium' grade Acacia
Figured and quarter sawn
Superb for electric guitars caps
All about the quality old mate
Mr Fiddleback