Is a mature black walnut tree worth anything?

Shadow11

Senior Member
Is a large black walnut tree worth anything now days? My parents have 2 nice black walnut trees in front of their house, up in northeast ga. They have been there my entire 40 years of life. One of them is much larger than the other.

Anyway, my parents are looking to get rid of them. My mom said she was considering paying someone 800.00 to come and get rid of them! I told her she was crazy and to hold up on that. I'm guessing these trees are worth something.

The bigger one has to be over 20" in diameter by now. Maybe a good bit more. Do people still make valuable furniture and such, out of black walnut? Do you think someone would pay for these trees?
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
The lumber is still valuable, but I don't know if you'd get somebody to come cut two trees for the logs. Depends also on what the trees look like, how straight, crooked, or full of limbs.
 

northgeorgiasportsman

Moderator
Staff member
Not likely at all that you're going to get anyone to pay for them unless you cut them down yourself and haul the trees to them. There's just not enough money in them by the time someone comes out to cut and haul them away.
 

Milkman

Deer Farmer Moderator
Staff member
@Elkbane may know something. He knows lots about the tree business.
 

Raylander

I’m Billy’s Useles Uncle.
Really? That's interesting. Why is that?

It doesn’t have tight, figured grain. Most local walnut will be termed ‘rustic’. Some people actually prefer it when you start talking price. It can be good looking stuff

I’m not saying they’re worthless. Someone with a sawmill may come get em and build cabinets or furniture or whatever
 

greg j

Senior Member
Read somewhere that southern black walnut trees are not as tight grained as northern black walnut trees. I know a guy who had/has 800 acres in western Illinois and he had many black walnut trees on his property and he always said they were his retirement fund. He actually had a few that were cut down and stolen over the years.
 

Pig Predator

Useles Billy’s Fishel Hog Killer ?
The prettiest flooring I've ever seen was milled out of black walnut. Not sure on type but it was beautiful.
 

Kev

Senior Member
2 wouldn’t be worth anything. A bunch might be worth something if they had good form and there was a market nearby.
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
most sawmills won't even consider cutting them up because people tend to drive nails, railroad spikes and other objects into trees that are close to a house. If they hit something while cutting, it will cost a few hundred dollars minimum, up to several thousand dollars if they wreck the blade on a sawmill

you might find someone with a bandsaw mill to cut them, but they wont pay you much for the logs.
 

Nicodemus

The Recluse
Staff member
How would it do for gunstocks?
 

Mr Bya Lungshot

BANNED LUNATIC FRINGE
All Ga grown black walnut is the poorest grade walnut on earth. Due to the soil.
It splits soon as you cut it and more when it dries. Worthless unless you like splits in your grain.
To save a walnut it needs cutting in strategic spots to save the crotches where the grain is curly.
Still worthless in Ga because it always splits. Firewood it’s great.
 

Shadow11

Senior Member
Good info. That's interesting to know. I worked with a guy out of toccoa awhile back. He used to show me pics of furniture that his dad made for rich folks around atl. I told him a couple of years ago that my parents had a couple of old black walnut trees that they would probably want to get rid of. He jumped all over it. He said they would be there tomorrow to get it. I said we'll wait and see. The guy quit our place shortly after that. I haven't talked to him in nearly 2 yrs, but I just texted him about it. He wants them pretty bad.
 

Milkman

Deer Farmer Moderator
Staff member
Where in NEGa are these trees?
 

Timberman

Senior Member
Black Walnut in Ga is low grade, they ain’t worth much

Sometimes. When I was sawing I used to ship piedmont SC walnut to Ohio on a bill of lading from Pikeville Ky. They loved it and bought all I sawed. I did know how to grade it.

Your issue is they are yard trees. That means metal no matter what the home owner says. Plus it’s just 2 trees.

Good luck with your dilemma
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
All Ga grown black walnut is the poorest grade walnut on earth. Due to the soil.
It splits soon as you cut it and more when it dries. Worthless unless you like splits in your grain.
To save a walnut it needs cutting in strategic spots to save the crotches where the grain is curly.
Still worthless in Ga because it always splits. Firewood it’s great.
Except for in the mountains. Southern Appalachian hardwoods are some of the best quality on the planet. My wife works for a company that exports it all around the world-oak, cherry, and walnut.
 

Mr Bya Lungshot

BANNED LUNATIC FRINGE
Except for in the mountains. Southern Appalachian hardwoods are some of the best quality on the planet. My wife works for a company that exports it all around the world-oak, cherry, and walnut.
Maybe for flooring but would your wife’s company pay or come get his standing trees or fallen? The money is after all the work goes into it.
 
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