# how long will logs keep on the ground?



## what-a-stihl (Mar 26, 2012)

I have a good amount of white oak and walnut on my property and wanted to store it on the ground until I have at least 20,000 board feet, which could take me a while. How long can logs sit on the ground and should I seal the ends?


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## Jacob J. (Mar 26, 2012)

It's been my experience that Walnut lasts longer than White Oak on the ground. You may want to ask this question 
in the woodworking forum. Those guys are Pros. However, I've had good luck sealing up some slabs with a mixture of 
mineral spirits and linseed oil. Other guys have used different concoctions. One old guy here uses roofing tar on the 
ends of logs he's curing. In my environment, I've seen White Oak start checking in as little as four weeks in the summer,
and start growing fungus in a couple of months in the winter. Our winters don't get cold enough to keep wood frozen 
most of the time.


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## what-a-stihl (Mar 26, 2012)

Jacob J. said:


> It's been my experience that Walnut lasts longer than White Oak on the ground. You may want to ask this question
> in the woodworking forum. Those guys are Pros. However, I've had good luck sealing up some slabs with a mixture of
> mineral spirits and linseed oil. Other guys have used different concoctions. One old guy here uses roofing tar on the
> ends of logs he's curing. In my environment, I've seen White Oak start checking in as little as four weeks in the summer,
> ...



Very helpful, thanks Jacob J! I was also wondering if anyone knows where I can find current log prices, veneer walnut here is getting $10 a board foot!


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## Sport Faller (Mar 26, 2012)

As a sportfaller, I can honestly tell you that I have no idea how long logs will keep on the ground :biggrin:


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## DavdH (Mar 26, 2012)

*depends*

Pine will start to stain within a couple weeks, df can lay in the shaded N slopes months up to a year, tan oak goes away within a year usually. We try to keep close to the fallers on pine units and let the fallers lead a long time in fir units. We are falling now on stuff we may get to mid summer.


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## chucker (Mar 26, 2012)

its always better to set your logs on smaller useless timbers or limbs to keep them dry! usually 8" will do to keep a good air flow under and through the pile of logs... out in the open and in full sun. when setting your logs on timbers? be sure to use one every 4feet to keep them from twisting(warp) while cureing!!


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## Cody Colston (Mar 26, 2012)

what-a-stihl said:


> I have a good amount of white oak and walnut on my property and wanted to store it on the ground until I have at least 20,000 board feet, which could take me a while. How long can logs sit on the ground and should I seal the ends?



Walnut can sit for years. The sapwood will rot away but the heartwood will be fine. White Oak is weather resistant but not nearly as much as Walnut. If it's cut in the winter and elevated off the ground, it would likely be okay for a year or so. If cut in the summer, bacteria and fungus will shorten that time.

Both need the ends sealed to help reduce end checking. A commercial product called Anchorseal is what I use. It's available online from U.C. Coatings. For the volume you are talking about, that's probably the easiest, most efficient product to use.


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## what-a-stihl (Mar 26, 2012)

Thanks for for the replies, alot of answers I was looking for!


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## VA-Sawyer (Mar 26, 2012)

Anchorseal is pretty good stuff. Any sealant works best if applied as soon as the cut is made. In dry weather, the ends can start checking in hours, and once started, each check becomes a focus point for continued stress relief. It's like a cut in a piece of thin sheet aluminum, once the rip gets started you can tear it in half with your bare hands, but a smooth edge is hard to start the tear in.


So why are you wanting to collect 20,000 bf first ?
Rick


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## OregonSawyer (Mar 26, 2012)

bigskyjake said:


> As a sportfaller, I can honestly tell you that I have no idea how long logs will keep on the ground :biggrin:



I like that! - SportFaller. We're in the same boat... At least sometimes I get paid to tromp in the brush. Albeit without a saw...


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## Slamm (Mar 26, 2012)

"Saving" logs by laying them on the ground is a horrible idea. Give or take a semi load or 3 bunks of logs is generally 3,000 board feet depending on diameter and length of the logs in the load, but figure about 50-53 log load is around 3,000 board feet maybe more, maybe less. That said, sell the loads off in 1 to 2 truck load sizes not let the other logs rot and get old before you get a buyer in to look at them and bid, plus summer is coming and they will get ruined.

My opinion,

Sam


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## hammerlogging (Mar 27, 2012)

Slamm said:


> "Saving" logs by laying them on the ground is a horrible idea. Give or take a semi load or 3 bunks of logs is generally 3,000 board feet depending on diameter and length of the logs in the load, but figure about 50-53 log load is around 3,000 board feet maybe more, maybe less. That said, sell the loads off in 1 to 2 truck load sizes not let the other logs rot and get old before you get a buyer in to look at them and bid, plus summer is coming and they will get ruined.
> 
> My opinion,
> 
> Sam



Yup. you could sell it standing with your logging bill included, too.


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## what-a-stihl (Mar 27, 2012)

VA-Sawyer said:


> Anchorseal is pretty good stuff. Any sealant works best if applied as soon as the cut is made. In dry weather, the ends can start checking in hours, and once started, each check becomes a focus point for continued stress relief. It's like a cut in a piece of thin sheet aluminum, once the rip gets started you can tear it in half with your bare hands, but a smooth edge is hard to start the tear in.
> 
> 
> So why are you wanting to collect 20,000 bf first ?
> Rick



There's just so much timber here, I figured 20,000 would be a good start. I used to do some custom cutting for a logging company around here that cut mainly walnut and he claimed he'd get up to $10 per bf on veneer quality walnut and $6 per bf with white oak, in the meantime I was getting $200 per 1,000 to cut, buck, and skid. Now I have my own timber I'd like to do what he's doing, but I don't know the market or potential buyers.


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## slowp (Mar 27, 2012)

They don't last long here because the firewood cutters would whack them up and take them.


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## Joe46 (Mar 27, 2012)

slowp said:


> They don't last long here because the firewood cutters would whack them up and take them.



But it helps if you spray paint" No Firewood Cutting" on them:rolleyes2:


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## Big L (Mar 27, 2012)

*Not long enough ...*

My first attempt back a few years ago to gather and store lumber logs on the ground failed miserably. Problem was I couldn't get a full truck load together quick enough (for reasons beyond my control), so the oak and maple logs sat for a couple years without sealing the ends. Needless to say, they began to rot ... but ultimately made excellent firewood!!


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## Slamm (Mar 27, 2012)

what-a-stihl said:


> There's just so much timber here, I figured 20,000 would be a good start. I used to do some custom cutting for a logging company around here that cut mainly walnut and *he claimed he'd get up to $10 per bf on veneer quality walnut and $6 per bf with white oak*, in the meantime I was getting $200 per 1,000 to cut, buck, and skid. Now I have my own timber I'd like to do what he's doing, but I don't know the market or potential buyers.



I would say those days .... if they ever were for him, are long gone. He was not getting those prices straight through or for very many of those logs, again if he ever even got those prices.


He was also paying you about double the going rate for typical hardwood logging, if you are only cutting veneer logs then maybe, but then your volume goes way, way way down.

You need to separate your log piles into blocking and tie logs, grade logs and veneer logs you lay out in a row. If you don't know the difference between those catagories, then there is more excitment and work in your future. Then there is price at the landing and price at the mill, do they have knuckle boom trucks or do you have to load them lotsa variables.

Sam


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## VA-Sawyer (Mar 28, 2012)

Where in the Midwest are you ? 

You asked about log prices, here is a link that may help.

Timber Price Reports via These Links

Rick


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