# pricing pre-blight chestnut help



## larrynj (Jan 27, 2012)

i have a LOT of 100+ year old chestnut in various sizes and most are 20' long. this is unused lumber left over from when my house was built in 1902. not wormy chestnut, not reclaimed lumber but clean boards and beams with no nails.

i've been looking on the internet for a long time now and have never seen anything similar offered for sale. someone i know from out of state (i'm in north new jersey) recently contacted me and is interested in buying all of it, about 900 board ft. trouble is, he's not in the construction/lumber business but is having a house built soon and neither am i. he's willing to pick it all up and take it away.

i'd like to give him a good deal but i also do not want to give it away. can anybody help me determine a fair value per board foot?
some links to actual sales or offers to sell would be great, so we can both feel comfortable determining a price. i can offer a few good cigars in appreciation to anyone who can help me out with this.

tia
larry


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 16, 2013)

I'd call some of the lumber yards who deal in reclaimed chestnut and ask them who to call for new stuff. Somebody is looking for YOU! While you are talking with them get an idea of what the reclaimed material is going for. That will give you a floor price. There are also furniture manufacturers who use reclaimed chestnut. Call them and ask what they'd give for new stuff.


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## Duane Bledsoe (Oct 18, 2012)

I'd say what you have is doggone near priceless. If not, then it's extremely rare and will be hard to arrive at any price that will leave both of you feeling it was exactly fair. JMHO.


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## TylerJones (Dec 4, 2011)

Hearne hardwoods has some virgin chestnut, you can just call them and ask what they charge. They are very nice folks.


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## larrynj (Jan 27, 2012)

TylerJones said:


> Hearne hardwoods has some virgin chestnut, you can just call them and ask what they charge. They are very nice folks.


tyler , thanks for a good lead. they have european chestnut priced at $22. bd ft on flitches, i'll call tomorrow for the pricing on american chestnut and availability of "virgin" if any. 

anyone else have any leads for priced chestnut from reliable sources?


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## Farmall cub rescue (Mar 5, 2013)

*Chestnut prices*

I too am finding it very difficult to find prices on what a fair price for my wood is.

I have a barn built mostly with Antique Wormy American Chestnut. There are many people and companies that will tear your barn down for the wood, (and leave the mess and the wood that is not prime) and those that sell reclaimed wood charge 2 arms and a leg for Chestnut of any kind.

My barn is 30x60 and 2 floors. It is cut up badly with stalls though, and isn't functional for me. I think I should be able to sell this valuable wood for enough to build a new smaller shop that is functional.

Still looking for someone that is buying and willing to be fair.

I am in Mid TN.

Dale


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## TylerJones (Dec 4, 2011)

I'm sorry but unless your old building is made of rosewood, there's no way that someone is going to pay you enough money to let them tear your building that you can build a new shop. It just doesn't work that way. If you wish to make any real money from that wood you'll have to tear it down yourself.


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## gbronson (May 19, 2014)

*Based on past experience...*

I am in the Northeast and sold chestnut from time to time. I've bought it from time to time, and I've also had it stolen from time to time.

I do have some unused pre blight myself as well as reclaimed with few or no nails.

They are still "making" pre-blight chestnut lumber with no nails by sawing post and beam timbers, so what you have is valuable but by no means priceless and still available from time to time. Whatever the going rate is for this type of material is what you will get. Call the well known dealers and ask what they get for sawn timbers. I know the fact that your wood survived and was stored all these years as building material adds to the story and provenance, but this only adds values to antiques and seldom if ever, unless on the facade of a well known building, to building materials.

-Best


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## Stevedore (Dec 28, 2011)

larrynj - Are you familiar with Boards & Beams down in Fairfield NJ? I've bought a few things from them, mostly QSWO; nice people, and a HUGE place with an enormous inventory. 

They don't currently show any chestnut on their website, but you may want to call or visit them for ideas on pricing. For a large quantity as you have, they may be interested in buying it.

Boards & Beams in Fairfield NJ


EDIT: OK, I just realized that I was responding to a thread started in Jan 2013. D'oh!


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## larrynj (Jan 27, 2012)

stevedore, old thread but still relevent as i haven't done anything with my chestnut so far.i'll give them a call! thank you. they did have some wormy chestnut flooring listed at $10.50 a sq(?) foot.


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## larrynj (Jan 27, 2012)

gbronson said:


> I am in the Northeast and sold chestnut from time to time. I've bought it from time to time, and I've also had it stolen from time to time.
> 
> I do have some unused pre blight myself as well as reclaimed with few or no nails......
> 
> ...


??????


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## gbronson (May 19, 2014)

FYI: I was just in contact with a couple of reclaimed wood suppliers here in connecticut: ctriver, longleaf and appalachian last week.

Right now prices are 13-18 per board foot. At higher end for pre blight and no nails. During the building boom it was much higher. 

Also, the width in price varies quite a bit as well. You have say 45 pieces of 12" or 90 pieces of 6". The 12" is higher price.

Also if someone wants one piece versus the lot it is going to be more expensive for ones and twos. Color matters also. It varies so much from white to red.

Here is a good watermark for you: Someone is selling a single #1 refinished 1 1/2" thick by six feet long for $139.00 sanded and varnished. That, I would say...is the top dollar benchmark to use. There is no way yours would be this expensive as this is #1, 1 1/2" (3x yours) thick, and fully finished.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/221943087859776215/


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## gbronson (May 19, 2014)

*Guy on ebay asking $16000 for 1500 board feet*

Guy on ebay asking $16000 for 1500 board feet never used stored in barn for 50 years, he is not getting his price so far. Claims it is wormfinishedy so it was probably standing dead wood or fells. I will ask him. Going back 50 years, in the 1950's the woods of New England were filled with dead chestnut trees. People used them for firewood. Also...just storing it in a wormy barn gives the lumber worms. I know this first hand.
Mantles and large finished timbers...way to go for top price per piece.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/wormy-chest...588?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ce1d9b744


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