I've been gone too long!!!!!!

[paladin]

I am working on a do it yourself heart attack. Yesterday I went to a place advertising the cheapest teak in the states and check on the price of three two by fours, 26 inches long, and four each four by fours each 18 inches long. The price quoted wholesale was something over $200. I am accustomed to going down to the local lumber yard and getting kiln dried or air dried stock for $10 or thereabouts. Does shipping to the U.S. really cost that much. I know there's less than 6% import duty on it? I may have to make a trip back across at this rate.

[paladin]

I am working on a do it yourself heart attack. Yesterday I went to a place advertising the cheapest teak in the states and check on the price of three two by fours, 26 inches long, and four each four by fours each 18 inches long. The price quoted wholesale was something over $200. I am accustomed to going down to the local lumber yard and getting kiln dried or air dried stock for $10 or thereabouts. Does shipping to the U.S. really cost that much. I know there's less than 6% import duty on it? I may have to make a trip back across at this rate.

[paladin]

I am working on a do it yourself heart attack. Yesterday I went to a place advertising the cheapest teak in the states and check on the price of three two by fours, 26 inches long, and four each four by fours each 18 inches long. The price quoted wholesale was something over $200. I am accustomed to going down to the local lumber yard and getting kiln dried or air dried stock for $10 or thereabouts. Does shipping to the U.S. really cost that much. I know there's less than 6% import duty on it? I may have to make a trip back across at this rate.

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

Well, let's do the math.

3 pieces of 2by4 by 26" is about 4.3 board feet.

4 pieces of 4by4 by 18" is about 8 board feet.

so you have about 12.3 board feet of teak for $200.

that's about $16.26 a board foot. Not too bad for teak if you figure that I buy 8/4 for about $14.00 a board foot and 16/4 seems to run about $20.00 a board foot.

You mention $10.00...is that a for a board foot? If it is, that is a great price. I'd buy it.

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

Well, let's do the math.

3 pieces of 2by4 by 26" is about 4.3 board feet.

4 pieces of 4by4 by 18" is about 8 board feet.

so you have about 12.3 board feet of teak for $200.

that's about $16.26 a board foot. Not too bad for teak if you figure that I buy 8/4 for about $14.00 a board foot and 16/4 seems to run about $20.00 a board foot.

You mention $10.00...is that a for a board foot? If it is, that is a great price. I'd buy it.

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

Well, let's do the math.

3 pieces of 2by4 by 26" is about 4.3 board feet.

4 pieces of 4by4 by 18" is about 8 board feet.

so you have about 12.3 board feet of teak for $200.

that's about $16.26 a board foot. Not too bad for teak if you figure that I buy 8/4 for about $14.00 a board foot and 16/4 seems to run about $20.00 a board foot.

You mention $10.00...is that a for a board foot? If it is, that is a great price. I'd buy it.

[Bruce Hooke]

Well, I wrote this yesterday (thus my duplication of Thaddeus' calculations) but with the forum down I had to wait until now to post it:

By my calculations (assuming a total price of $220 - "a little over $200") this works out to about $18/board foot, which sounds about 'right' to me for a mix of 8/4 and 16/4 teak stock (by 'right' I, of course, mean that is the going rate in my experience, not that there is anything particularly good about that price). Granted I am buying retail, but in my experience the retail vs. wholesale distinction does not have nearly as much affect on the price of lumber as the quantity purchased, and, despite the cost, 12 BF is definitely a 'small order' by most standards.

What I want to know is where (and when) you were getting Teak for $10/board foot. If it was in the US it surely must pre-date my experiences with buying teak. If it was recent but overseas then it does sound rather like someone is making a lot of money getting it to the US. Of course, it is worth remembering that if you are talking overseas(in or near a teak producing country), it is important to compare apples with apples. I can get white oak for an old song at a local sawmill but I would be getting green stock of fairly variable quality. By contrast I doubt anyone is importing into the US (at least for resale) anything other than top of the line teak. On top of that there may be major exchanger rate factors in the mix.

The very unfortunate issue behind this is that good teak trees are apparently getting rather rare, while at the same time, everyone seems to want teak (veneer) beds, bookcases, etc. So the laws of supply and demand kick in and us poor boat builders get stuck paying $18/BF for teak. For both environmental and cost reasons I therefore think teak should only be used now where it is absolutely necessary and whenever possible solutions like a deck of 1/8" teak over plywood should be used in place of solid teak.

- Bruce

[This message has been edited by Bruce Hooke (edited 01-18-2001).]

[Bruce Hooke]

Well, I wrote this yesterday (thus my duplication of Thaddeus' calculations) but with the forum down I had to wait until now to post it:

By my calculations (assuming a total price of $220 - "a little over $200") this works out to about $18/board foot, which sounds about 'right' to me for a mix of 8/4 and 16/4 teak stock (by 'right' I, of course, mean that is the going rate in my experience, not that there is anything particularly good about that price). Granted I am buying retail, but in my experience the retail vs. wholesale distinction does not have nearly as much affect on the price of lumber as the quantity purchased, and, despite the cost, 12 BF is definitely a 'small order' by most standards.

What I want to know is where (and when) you were getting Teak for $10/board foot. If it was in the US it surely must pre-date my experiences with buying teak. If it was recent but overseas then it does sound rather like someone is making a lot of money getting it to the US. Of course, it is worth remembering that if you are talking overseas(in or near a teak producing country), it is important to compare apples with apples. I can get white oak for an old song at a local sawmill but I would be getting green stock of fairly variable quality. By contrast I doubt anyone is importing into the US (at least for resale) anything other than top of the line teak. On top of that there may be major exchanger rate factors in the mix.

The very unfortunate issue behind this is that good teak trees are apparently getting rather rare, while at the same time, everyone seems to want teak (veneer) beds, bookcases, etc. So the laws of supply and demand kick in and us poor boat builders get stuck paying $18/BF for teak. For both environmental and cost reasons I therefore think teak should only be used now where it is absolutely necessary and whenever possible solutions like a deck of 1/8" teak over plywood should be used in place of solid teak.

- Bruce

[This message has been edited by Bruce Hooke (edited 01-18-2001).]

[Bruce Hooke]

Well, I wrote this yesterday (thus my duplication of Thaddeus' calculations) but with the forum down I had to wait until now to post it:

By my calculations (assuming a total price of $220 - "a little over $200") this works out to about $18/board foot, which sounds about 'right' to me for a mix of 8/4 and 16/4 teak stock (by 'right' I, of course, mean that is the going rate in my experience, not that there is anything particularly good about that price). Granted I am buying retail, but in my experience the retail vs. wholesale distinction does not have nearly as much affect on the price of lumber as the quantity purchased, and, despite the cost, 12 BF is definitely a 'small order' by most standards.

What I want to know is where (and when) you were getting Teak for $10/board foot. If it was in the US it surely must pre-date my experiences with buying teak. If it was recent but overseas then it does sound rather like someone is making a lot of money getting it to the US. Of course, it is worth remembering that if you are talking overseas(in or near a teak producing country), it is important to compare apples with apples. I can get white oak for an old song at a local sawmill but I would be getting green stock of fairly variable quality. By contrast I doubt anyone is importing into the US (at least for resale) anything other than top of the line teak. On top of that there may be major exchanger rate factors in the mix.

The very unfortunate issue behind this is that good teak trees are apparently getting rather rare, while at the same time, everyone seems to want teak (veneer) beds, bookcases, etc. So the laws of supply and demand kick in and us poor boat builders get stuck paying $18/BF for teak. For both environmental and cost reasons I therefore think teak should only be used now where it is absolutely necessary and whenever possible solutions like a deck of 1/8" teak over plywood should be used in place of solid teak.

- Bruce

[This message has been edited by Bruce Hooke (edited 01-18-2001).]

[reddog]

Last time I checked teak was going for over $20.00 Canadian/bd.ft.Very dear.Any chance of finding a substitute?

[reddog]

Last time I checked teak was going for over $20.00 Canadian/bd.ft.Very dear.Any chance of finding a substitute?

[reddog]

Last time I checked teak was going for over $20.00 Canadian/bd.ft.Very dear.Any chance of finding a substitute?

[NormMessinger]

My local hardwood store, Hardwood Heaven, where all good trees go when they die, they say, carries "Afrimosa" which looks much like teak. They suggest it as a substitute. All I've used is for craft type projects so I can't speak to it's use on boats.

--Norm

[NormMessinger]

My local hardwood store, Hardwood Heaven, where all good trees go when they die, they say, carries "Afrimosa" which looks much like teak. They suggest it as a substitute. All I've used is for craft type projects so I can't speak to it's use on boats.

--Norm

[NormMessinger]

My local hardwood store, Hardwood Heaven, where all good trees go when they die, they say, carries "Afrimosa" which looks much like teak. They suggest it as a substitute. All I've used is for craft type projects so I can't speak to it's use on boats.

--Norm

[paladin]

Thanks gents for the reality check. I have been living for many years in the middle of where they cut the stuff down, sorta cut off from the rest of the world. My bungalow was built on 8" x 8" teak pilings, solid teak framing, floors, walls, partitions etc and cost me about $3500 finished. When I returned from overseas I packed my goods in crates made of teak, about 1000 pounds of stuff, and 3500 pounds of boxes. I thought it funny that the guy delivering it was willing to uncrate everything and haul off the "scrap wood", actually it was for some small boat related projects.......I have been here for a few months and the price shock for a lot of things is setting in.

[paladin]

Thanks gents for the reality check. I have been living for many years in the middle of where they cut the stuff down, sorta cut off from the rest of the world. My bungalow was built on 8" x 8" teak pilings, solid teak framing, floors, walls, partitions etc and cost me about $3500 finished. When I returned from overseas I packed my goods in crates made of teak, about 1000 pounds of stuff, and 3500 pounds of boxes. I thought it funny that the guy delivering it was willing to uncrate everything and haul off the "scrap wood", actually it was for some small boat related projects.......I have been here for a few months and the price shock for a lot of things is setting in.

[paladin]

Thanks gents for the reality check. I have been living for many years in the middle of where they cut the stuff down, sorta cut off from the rest of the world. My bungalow was built on 8" x 8" teak pilings, solid teak framing, floors, walls, partitions etc and cost me about $3500 finished. When I returned from overseas I packed my goods in crates made of teak, about 1000 pounds of stuff, and 3500 pounds of boxes. I thought it funny that the guy delivering it was willing to uncrate everything and haul off the "scrap wood", actually it was for some small boat related projects.......I have been here for a few months and the price shock for a lot of things is setting in.