Tree Removal vs Selling for Timber

[Jon Dorsey]

Has anyone instead of removing trees, sold their trees for timber?

I've got over 50 trees that I'm looking to remove and instead of paying someone to cut them down I figure there's got to be a way to make money off them or at least break even.

[Justin Hammerle]

@Jon Dorsey - I've tried this on a few occasions, my experience was that the mills around here are very specific on the size and straightness of the raw lumber.  I would reach out to a few lumber mills in the area and if there is any money to be made I'm sure they would take them down at no cost or even pay you.

[Allen Martin]

I had the same mindset but found out quickly that nobody cared either there weren't enough trees or the type of tree were not what they wanted. 

[Henry Clark]

What are the sizes and types of trees?  Can you attach pictures?

[Jay Hinrichs]

Quote from @Henry Clark:

What are the sizes and types of trees?  Can you attach pictures?

unless its old growth redwood or doug fir there is not enough volume in 50 trees to make logging economical in 95% of the US..  a lot goes into log quality like folks are telling you..

And depends if its hardwood for furniture or trim. or dimensional lumber for building.  

[Jay Hinrichs]

Quote from @Jay Hinrichs:

Quote from @Henry Clark:

What are the sizes and types of trees?  Can you attach pictures?

unless its old growth redwood or doug fir there is not enough volume in 50 trees to make logging economical in 95% of the US..  a lot goes into log quality like folks are telling you..

And depends if its hardwood for furniture or trim. or dimensional lumber for building.  

One thing I did on our 700 acre tree farm is we had a couple nice stands of Oak and I traded the saw log oak to a local hardwood mill in exhange for Oak flooring and had the flooring custom made very HIGH quality stuff and put it in my home in California and a few of my neighbors homes. 

[Henry Clark]

If large diameter call the local pallet makers.  They will know loggers who will come cut and transport off the property.  Can be soft or hard wood.

If hardwood and close to a road.  Just have someone cut into manageable logs depending on diameter, 8 to 16 foot long.  Use a skidsteer with grapples and move to the roadside.  Put free fire wood sign.  Call your local firewood guys.  Tell them they have to cut down and drag logs to the side.

Tell everyone to leave 3 foot tall stumps.  Makes it easier for the bulldozer or excavator to dig stumps out.

If you enjoy running machinery have a midlevel excavator rented for a week and run yourself or hire someone.  This allows you to dig along the sides and then push the trees.  This gets a lot more of the roots out of the ground, with less dirt.  Pushing the standing tree gives you a lot of leverage and the stump just pops out.  Then fill in the hole.  Bulldozers usually push up a lot of dirt making it hard to burn.  We did over 40 trees in 2 days.  Try to get one with a "thump" so you can grab the trees and move them better.  The narrower the bucket the better.  Gives better cutting strength.  Get one with teeth versus flat.  Dont get the mini excavators.

Done the above twice and goes pretty fast.  Set a time limit for them to get rid of it.

If you're in a rural area burn or push into a hole.  If you're in the city, it will cost $30,000 to dispose of, trucking and landfill.  Check on a commercial mulcher coming in.  Leave to the side for your development or scatter over anywhere you will plant.

[Logan M.]

You may be able to get someone who wants firewood to cut them down and haul them away but I can't see a mill taking them unless you have really good wood.