American White Oak
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Hi Guys. I’ve just been to a timber yard which advertises itself as a specialist in hardwoods for furniture and cabinet makers. It is an old established business I believe. I bought a piece of American white oak 4 ft long by 3 and a half inches by 7 inches. I was charged £60 including VAT. I was told I had chosen the most expensive wood in the yard. Did they see me coming or is that the usual price do you think? Thanks chaps. John
I make that to be about 8 board feet. Here 16/4 white oak can be in the $12 per board foot range, which would equate to $96 for your timber. At an exchange rate of 1.5, GBP60 seems ok. But if you are planning to cut it into thinner pieces, then 4/4 and 8/4 lumber would have been cheaper.
American white Oak defiantly is not the most expensive timber out there in fact European Oak is dearer as it has a better figure in it. Per cubic foot American Oak £29 is a little over half of what European Oak £52 that is of a board of 1″ thick. The thicker the board or just plane old thickness the price dose go up a lot. 3″ thickness you would have to add about £40 per cubic foot so About £70 + VAT for American Oak I think your timber is about 96 cubic inches so about 3/4 of a cubic foot. So price is probably in right ball park. Still bloody expensive though.
Dagenham, Essex, England