And are the Chinese making fake wood products now (like pine treated with formaldehyde to look like oak and give off harmful vapors)? Seriously – fake toothpaste? Fake sheetrock? I really don’t think I’d buy anything made in China these days.
Red oak is lovely for floors. My ex just bought a house in Philly and I’m trying to convince him not to replace the existing flooring (which is really just the underlayment and prolly only pine) to avoid using new wood, however.
Babs – wasn’t old enough to vote til 1996 and I’ve only been in NYC for 7 years. I was busy turning farmland into subdivisions and then chillin’ with the Fulanis before moving here.
I didn’t know there actually was any commercial logging any more in the US that didn’t involve re-planting.”
Unless you’re clearcutting hundreds of acres there is basically zero point in replanting. Nothing is better at planting trees than trees themselves. The whole “plant a tree” thing is a bunch of stupid hippie bullshit that does nothing. An oak tree can replant itself hundreds of thousands of times over (obviously only some acorns make it to full trees but you get the point). A hippie with a tree and a trowel thinking he’s saving the world is just an idiot.
Timber prices are depressed in the US. A big reason is timber getting shipped in from Russia. Canada is a big competitor too but only really in softwood. The property I’m buying has mostly red oak. Price of Russian wood is obviously tied to transportation costs. I’m betting that over time transportation costs will increase more than overall inflation due to limited fossil fuels. Unlike high end capital goods wood is relatively low value and high bulk and weight – so transportation cost is a big factor.
For softwood Canada is close so not the same calculus.
Manufacturing facilities in the US for heavy and bulky but low cost items – similar principle. Cheap for the Chinese to send competing product to us now, but what about 20 years from now? It’s a long-term bet but a very good one.
Have a great Halloween, PLUSAs! : )
And are the Chinese making fake wood products now (like pine treated with formaldehyde to look like oak and give off harmful vapors)? Seriously – fake toothpaste? Fake sheetrock? I really don’t think I’d buy anything made in China these days.
Red oak is lovely for floors. My ex just bought a house in Philly and I’m trying to convince him not to replace the existing flooring (which is really just the underlayment and prolly only pine) to avoid using new wood, however.
lech – Paper companies plant fast-growth, soft pine.
Anyway, no clue why I’m still here. I’m out. Everyone have a nice weekend.
Babs – wasn’t old enough to vote til 1996 and I’ve only been in NYC for 7 years. I was busy turning farmland into subdivisions and then chillin’ with the Fulanis before moving here.
By babs on October 29, 2010 5:40 PM
I didn’t know there actually was any commercial logging any more in the US that didn’t involve re-planting.”
Unless you’re clearcutting hundreds of acres there is basically zero point in replanting. Nothing is better at planting trees than trees themselves. The whole “plant a tree” thing is a bunch of stupid hippie bullshit that does nothing. An oak tree can replant itself hundreds of thousands of times over (obviously only some acorns make it to full trees but you get the point). A hippie with a tree and a trowel thinking he’s saving the world is just an idiot.
Timber prices are depressed in the US. A big reason is timber getting shipped in from Russia. Canada is a big competitor too but only really in softwood. The property I’m buying has mostly red oak. Price of Russian wood is obviously tied to transportation costs. I’m betting that over time transportation costs will increase more than overall inflation due to limited fossil fuels. Unlike high end capital goods wood is relatively low value and high bulk and weight – so transportation cost is a big factor.
For softwood Canada is close so not the same calculus.
Manufacturing facilities in the US for heavy and bulky but low cost items – similar principle. Cheap for the Chinese to send competing product to us now, but what about 20 years from now? It’s a long-term bet but a very good one.
Wow, jessi, you must be young. Lenora was quite a presence in NY at one time.
Sounds great, Lechacal, and yeah, I was a total dork.