Selling timber is hard work. You spend weeks in the woods felling, skidding, and loading, and the last thing you want is to leave money on the table when it comes time to sell. Whether you are a logger moving loads every week or a landowner selling a one-time harvest, the price you get depends on more than just the current market. How you sell, who you sell to, and how you prepare your wood all make a real difference in your bottom line.

Here are five practical tips that can help you get the best possible price for your timber, drawn from decades of combined experience in the Appalachian hardwood trade.

1 Get Multiple Bids

This is the single most important thing you can do to maximize your return: never take the first offer. It does not matter how good the relationship is with your regular buyer or how fair the price sounds. If you have not compared it to at least two or three other bids, you have no way of knowing whether you are getting a competitive rate.

Different mills have different needs at any given time. One sawmill might be running overtime on White Oak orders and willing to pay a premium for your load, while another mill down the road is fully stocked and offering bottom-dollar. The only way to find out is to put your timber in front of multiple buyers.

  • Compare offers by species and grade - A bid for your whole load might look good until you realize another buyer is offering more per MBF on your best logs.
  • Use JMLogMarket to reach more buyers - Post your load with species, volume, and photos. Let buyers come to you instead of driving to every mill in the county.
  • Get bids in writing - Verbal offers are easy to forget or misremember. Ask for written quotes with species, grade, scale method, and delivered price.
  • Do not rush - Unless your logs are deteriorating on the landing, take the time to shop them around. A few extra phone calls can mean hundreds or thousands of additional dollars.

2 Know Your Scale Methods

If you are selling logs in the eastern United States, you are almost certainly dealing with one of three log scale rules: Doyle, Scribner, or International 1/4-Inch. Understanding how each one works is critical because the scale method directly affects how many board feet your logs measure, and that determines your payment.

How They Compare

  • Doyle scale is the most common method in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. It is also the most conservative, especially on small-diameter logs. A 12-inch log scaled with Doyle will show significantly fewer board feet than the same log scaled with Scribner or International. On larger logs (20 inches and up), the three scales converge and the difference shrinks.
  • Scribner scale is widely used on the West Coast and in some Midwestern states. It tends to be more generous than Doyle on small logs, making it a better reflection of actual lumber yield for logs in the 10-to-16-inch range.
  • International 1/4-Inch scale is considered the most accurate predictor of actual lumber recovery. It consistently measures more board feet than Doyle, sometimes 20 to 30 percent more on small logs.

Why It Matters for Your Wallet

Here is the key: Doyle under-scales small logs. If a buyer is paying you $500 per MBF on Doyle scale and your logs average 14 inches in diameter, you are effectively getting paid for fewer board feet than the mill will actually cut from those logs. The mill profits from the difference. That is not dishonest - it is just how Doyle works - but you need to understand it so you can factor it into your pricing.

If you are selling a lot of small-diameter timber, ask your buyer what price they would offer on Scribner or International scale. Sometimes a lower per-MBF price on a more generous scale actually puts more money in your pocket. Always know which scale rule is being used before you agree to a price, and make sure it is stated clearly on the scale ticket.

3 Sort and Grade Before Selling

One of the fastest ways to leave money in the woods is to sell everything as "mixed hardwood" at one flat price. When you lump your high-value veneer logs in with pallet-grade material, the buyer pays you an average price that is far below what the best logs are worth individually.

Separate by Species

At a minimum, separate your logs by species group. White Oak, Red Oak, Poplar, and Walnut should each be in their own deck. Species command very different prices. In the current market, White Oak can bring two to three times what Poplar brings, and Walnut veneer logs are in a league of their own. Mixing them together guarantees you will be underpaid on your premium wood.

Separate by Grade

  • Veneer logs vs. sawlogs - A clean, straight, 18-inch White Oak veneer log can be worth several times what a knotty sawlog of the same species brings. Keep your best logs separated so you can sell them to veneer buyers at veneer prices.
  • White Oak stave logs - Bourbon cooperages are paying premium prices for White Oak stave logs that meet their specifications (typically 12 inches and up, straight, no red heart). If you have logs that qualify, sort them out and sell them to a stave buyer. Do not let them go as regular sawlogs.
  • Pulpwood and pallet grade - The low-grade material has value too, but it should be priced and sold separately. Bundling it with your good wood drags down your average price.

Sorting takes extra time on the landing, but the price difference can be dramatic. A few hours of work with a loader can add hundreds of dollars per load to your return.

4 Time Your Harvest Right

Timber markets are not static. Prices fluctuate based on season, housing starts, export demand, and mill inventory levels. While you cannot always control when you harvest, understanding seasonal patterns can help you make smarter decisions about when to sell.

Seasonal Demand Patterns

  • Winter logging is preferred for many hardwood species, especially where ground conditions matter. Frozen ground means less rutting, cleaner logs, and easier skidding. Many mills build inventory during winter to keep their saws running through spring mud season.
  • Spring mud season can be a double-edged sword. Logging slows down, which can reduce supply and push prices up, but many buyers also slow their purchasing because they know deliveries will be unreliable. If you have dry-weather access to your timber, spring can actually be a good selling window.
  • Summer and early fall tend to see steady demand. Construction activity is at its peak, which drives demand for framing lumber and hardwood flooring. Export shipments are typically strong during these months as well.
  • Late fall is when many mills start building winter inventory. If you can deliver reliable volumes during this window, you may be able to negotiate a premium.

Market Timing Matters

Beyond seasonal patterns, pay attention to broader market conditions. When housing starts are strong, lumber demand is up across the board. When bourbon production is booming, White Oak stave log prices climb. When export demand from China or Europe shifts, certain species feel it more than others. Keep an eye on industry reports and talk to your buyers about what they are seeing. Platforms like JMLogMarket can also give you a sense of current asking prices in your region.

5 Build Relationships, But Stay Competitive

Long-term buyer relationships are genuinely valuable in the timber business. A reliable buyer who pays on time, scales fairly, and keeps buying through slow markets is worth a lot. You do not want to burn that relationship by chasing every last dollar from a one-time buyer who may not be around next month.

That said, loyalty should not mean accepting below-market prices. The best buyer relationships are built on mutual respect, and a good buyer understands that you need to earn a fair return. If your regular buyer is consistently below what the market is paying, it is time for an honest conversation.

  • Always know the going rate - Check current prices regularly, even if you are not actively shopping your loads. Knowledge is leverage.
  • Use platforms like JMLogMarket to benchmark - Browse current listings to see what other sellers are asking for similar species, grades, and volumes in your area. This gives you real data to back up your pricing conversations.
  • Be transparent with your buyer - If you have a better offer from someone else, tell your regular buyer. A good buyer will often match or come close. If they will not, you have your answer about whether the relationship is truly fair.
  • Reward reliability both ways - If a buyer gives you a fair price and dependable pickups, reward that with consistent supply. If you give a buyer clean, well-sorted, accurately-scaled loads, expect a fair price in return.

The timber business has always run on handshakes and relationships. That is one of the best things about it. But relationships work best when both sides are getting a fair deal, and you cannot know what is fair unless you know the market.

The Bottom Line

Getting the best price for your timber is not about being greedy or squeezing every buyer. It is about being informed, prepared, and strategic. Get multiple bids so you know your options. Understand how scale rules affect your payment. Take the time to sort and grade so your best wood brings its best price. Pay attention to market timing. And maintain strong buyer relationships while keeping yourself honest about current market rates.

These five steps will not make you rich overnight, but practiced consistently, they will put more money in your pocket on every load you sell. And in a business where margins matter, that adds up fast.

Ready to put these tips to work? Post your next load on JMLogMarket and start reaching more buyers today. It is free, it takes just a few minutes, and it puts your timber in front of mills and buyers across the region.