Are My Black Walnut Trees Worth Money?
In Missouri, the Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) is legendary. We have all heard the stories of a farmer selling a single tree for $20,000.
Naturally, when a homeowner in Webb City or Carthage calls us to remove a Walnut, the first question is: "You'll pay me for the wood, right?"
Here is the honest truth about yard trees vs. timber trees.
The "Yard Tree" Problem
Timber buyers (loggers) want trees grown in the forest.
- Forest Trees: Grow tall and straight, racing for sunlight. No low branches. No knots.
- Yard Trees: Grow out in the open. They spread wide with many low branches.
Why is this bad for lumber?
- Knots: Every branch creates a knot in the wood. Veneer buyers want clear, knot-free wood.
- Metal: This is the dealbreaker. Yard trees often have hidden nails, fence wire, or clothesline hooks buried deep inside the bark from 50 years ago. One nail can destroy a $5,000 sawmill blade. Most mills refuse yard trees for this reason.
When IS a Walnut Worth Money?
It is rare, but it happens. A tree might have value if:
- The Trunk: It has at least 8-10 feet of clear trunk (no branches) before the first limb.
- Diameter: It is at least 20 inches wide.
- Access: A logging truck can get right up to it without crushing your driveway.
- Volume: You have 10+ trees. Loggers rarely mobilize for just one tree.
The Cost of Removal vs. Value of Wood
Even if your tree has some lumber value, the cost to remove it safely (piece by piece over a house) usually exceeds the timber value.
- Scenario: It costs us $1,800 to remove the tree safely. The log might be worth $300 at the mill.
- Result: We might credit you $300, bringing the price to $1,500. But it won't be free.
We Hate Waste Even if we can't sell it for veneer, we try to ensure Walnut logs don't go to the landfill. We work with local woodworkers who turn them into slabs or bowls.