Tree Service Semi Load Log Value (Log Pricing)
A semi load has no standard log value. Its sale price depends on species, log quality, accepted lengths, measured volume or weight, the buyer’s scale, and delivery terms. Estimate gross value from a current buyer quote, then subtract confirmed hauling and other charges. The buyer’s final scale ticket and settlement statement determine what you actually receive.
A log truck is one of the few loads where “full” tells you almost nothing about the check. A trailer of short, mixed, or rejected logs can be worth less than a smaller load of accepted sawlogs.
I start by treating log value as a buyer-specific calculation, not a price-per-semi guess. The reliable question is: what will this buyer accept, how will they measure it, and what will they deduct? The steps below help tree-service crews, landowners, and log sellers answer that before loading.
Establish Buyer Specifications, Scale Method, and Load Terms
Before estimating a load, get the buyer’s current rules in writing. A price only has meaning when you know the species, product grade, scale unit, log dimensions, delivery terms, and deductions it applies to. Confirm these details with the receiving mill or log buyer before logs leave the landing.
A sawlog, pulpwood log, and firewood log are different products, even if they came from the same tree. A buyer may reject or downgrade logs that are too short, crooked, rotten, undersized, or poorly trimmed. Do not price every log as a sawlog unless the buyer has confirmed that grade.
Ask for the current price sheet and clarify:
- Which species and products are being bought, and at what rates?
- What log lengths are accepted, and what trim allowance is required?
- What is the minimum top diameter, measured inside bark?
- How does the buyer define grades and defects?
- Is payment based on board feet, cords, or net weight?
- Which log scale is used: Doyle, Scribner, or International ¼-inch?
- Is the quote roadside, at the mill, or delivered to another location?
- Who pays for hauling, loading, scaling, and handling?
- What happens if logs are rejected, downgraded, or returned?
A log scale is a method for estimating usable wood volume from log dimensions. Doyle, Scribner, and International ¼-inch are different board-foot log rules. The same log can produce different scale volumes under each rule, so a rate per board foot is not comparable until you know which rule is being used.
Likewise, a quote per ton cannot be compared directly with a quote per board foot or cord. Do not convert tons into board feet using a general factor: species, moisture, and log form affect weight. Use the buyer’s stated unit and method.
| Quote detail | What to confirm | Why it changes the estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Species and product | Accepted species and grade | Rates can differ by species and intended product |
| Scale basis | Board feet, cords, or net weight | Different units cannot be compared as if they were the same |
| Board-foot rule | Doyle, Scribner, or International ¼-inch | A log may scale differently under each rule |
| Delivery point | Roadside or delivered | Hauling can reduce net proceeds |
| Deductions | Loading, scaling, rejection, or other charges | The quoted gross is not the final payment |
Next step: Get written buyer specifications and a current quote before sorting logs for sale. A verbal “good price” without these terms is not yet a usable estimate.
Sort, Measure, and Estimate Logs Before Loading
A useful estimate begins with a clean tally. Separate logs by species and likely product, then record the dimensions and defects the buyer uses. Keep grades separate where possible; one high-value group should not hide a lower-value group in your calculation.
For each log, record its species, length, small-end diameter inside bark, and visible defects. Follow the buyer’s measuring instructions, including trim allowance and rounding rules. If the buyer supplies a tally sheet or scale instructions, use those rather than relying on a generic calculator.
Small-end diameter inside bark means the diameter at the smaller end of the log, with bark excluded. The buyer may use this measurement, along with length and grade, to determine accepted volume. A log with rot, a large sweep, a split, or other defects may scale or grade lower than its dimensions alone suggest.
Use a tally with columns for:
- Species and product group
- Log count
- Required length and actual length
- Small-end diameter inside bark
- Grade or visible defect
- Buyer’s estimated volume or weight
- Notes on acceptance or trimming
Apply the buyer’s price to the scale volume or weight they will actually pay for. For board-foot pricing, use the buyer’s scale rule. For weight pricing, estimate only if the buyer provides a method; final payment should be checked against certified truck-scale weights or the buyer’s official scale process.
Gross value is the estimated value before costs and deductions. A simple estimate is:
Gross value = accepted scale volume × buyer’s price per unit
For a load with several species or grades, calculate each group separately and add them:
Estimated gross = (Group A volume × Group A rate) + (Group B volume × Group B rate) + …
Do not use a single average rate if the buyer pays different rates by species or grade. Also do not assume that a visually large load has a high sale value. Log count, dimensions, defects, and the buyer’s scaling rule matter more than trailer fullness.
How to compare two offers
Compare offers on the same basis. If one buyer quotes a roadside price per board foot and another quotes a delivered price per ton, ask each buyer to restate the offer using its own accepted unit and list the costs you would pay. Without compatible units and terms, the larger-looking rate may not yield the larger settlement.
| Offer or load detail | Comparable calculation |
|---|---|
| Buyer pays by board foot | Buyer’s accepted net scale in board feet × current rate |
| Buyer pays by weight | Certified net payload in tons × current rate per ton |
| Buyer pays by cord | Buyer’s accepted cord tally × current rate per cord |
| Multiple species or grades | Calculate each group at its own rate, then add |
| Delivered sale | Subtract confirmed transport and handling charges |
A truck’s net payload is its gross weight minus tare weight. Gross weight is the loaded truck weight; tare is the empty truck weight. Use certified scale tickets when payment depends on weight. A “semi load” is not a fixed weight or volume: truck and trailer setup, load, and legal limits vary. Axle, gross-vehicle-weight, and road limits depend on the vehicle and jurisdiction, so confirm them with the carrier and relevant authorities.
Next step: Build the estimate from the buyer’s units and your sorted tally. Mark it provisional until the buyer issues the official scale ticket.
Verify Scale Tickets, Deductions, and Net Settlement
Your net proceeds are what remain after agreed costs are taken from the gross sale value. The basic calculation is gross scale value − hauling − loading or handling − scaling and other stated deductions. Confirm who pays each charge, and whether rejected or downgraded logs can lead to a chargeback or return-haul cost.
Before dispatch, put the agreed terms in writing. Ask the buyer or hauler to confirm the delivery point, who arranges transport, and which party pays each fee. Clarify what happens if the delivered load differs from the tally or includes material the buyer will not accept.
| Settlement line | Check against |
|---|---|
| Gross scale value | Species, grade, scale unit, and buyer’s rate |
| Net scale or weight | Official scale ticket and load identification |
| Hauling | Agreed route, rate, and responsible payer |
| Loading or handling | Written terms and any stated fee |
| Rejected or downgraded logs | Buyer’s grade rules and acceptance terms |
| Final payment | Settlement statement minus confirmed deductions |
Keep copies of the load tally, buyer quote, photos, scale tickets, delivery records, and settlement statement. Match the load identification and date across documents. If a number changes, ask the buyer to explain whether it came from scale volume, grade, weight, or a deduction.
Here is a hypothetical calculation, not a market quote. Suppose a buyer accepts 1,000 board feet under its named scale rule at a written rate of R dollars per board foot. Gross value is 1,000 × R. If confirmed hauling and other charges total C dollars, estimated net is (1,000 × R) − C. Replace R and C with the buyer’s current terms; do not substitute a rate from another region or unit.
Illustrative settlement scenarios
These examples show how terms change the result. They use no market prices because rates vary by buyer, place, date, species, and product.
| Scenario | What the paperwork shows | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Delivered logs match the tally | Accepted scale is close to estimate | Reconcile the stated rate and deductions |
| Buyer scales fewer board feet | Ticket differs from your estimate | Check scale rule, dimensions, trim, and grade |
| Some logs are downgraded | Settlement applies lower product rates | Ask which logs and grade rule caused the change |
| Logs are rejected | Possible return or disposal costs | Check acceptance and chargeback terms before dispatch |
Next step: Reconcile the final settlement line by line. If the ticket or deductions do not match the written terms, request a corrected statement or a clear explanation before closing the sale.
Reduce Value Loss Through Storage and Seasonal Planning
Storage and timing affect the chance that logs arrive in saleable condition, but neither creates a guaranteed price premium. Protect the quality the buyer is paying for, and confirm current acceptance and pricing before you hold material for a future sale.
After cutting, keep logs sorted by species and product. Avoid mixing accepted sawlogs with short, damaged, or doubtful pieces if the buyer scales or prices them differently. Ask the buyer how to store logs and how long they will accept them after cutting; storage guidance depends on species, climate, product, and local conditions.
A simple planning sequence is:
- Check the buyer’s current price sheet and acceptance rules.
- Confirm whether the buyer wants the load now or can accept a later delivery.
- Sort and tally logs to the buyer’s specifications.
- Compare expected gross value with confirmed transport and handling costs.
- Dispatch only when the load and delivery terms are clear.
I use the same rule when reviewing a load estimate: price the material that the buyer will accept, not the material you hope it will be. Species or product misclassification can sharply overstate value. A full trailer of short, crooked, rotten, undersized, or otherwise downgraded logs may bring less than expected and can create extra hauling or disposal costs.
Next step: Before storing or hauling, ask the buyer to confirm the product group, delivery window, and any limits on acceptance. Keep the written response with the tally.
FAQ: Semi-Load Log Pricing
These answers explain how to estimate a load without treating trailer size as a price. Actual payment depends on the buyer’s current rates, accepted material, scale method, delivery terms, and deductions. Use the buyer’s written specifications and final settlement records for the decision.
How much is a semi load of logs worth?
There is no universal price per semi load. Value depends on species, grade, accepted log dimensions, scale unit, location, current buyer rates, delivery terms, and deductions. Request a current written quote and calculate from the buyer’s accepted scale.
How do I calculate gross log value?
Multiply the accepted volume or weight by the buyer’s current price for that species and product. Calculate each species or grade separately when rates differ. Gross value is before hauling, loading, scaling, and other confirmed charges.
How do I calculate net proceeds?
Subtract agreed hauling, loading or handling, scaling, and other stated deductions from gross scale value. Confirm who pays each charge and whether rejected or downgraded logs create additional fees.
Is a semi load a fixed number of tons?
No. A semi load does not have a standard weight or volume. Truck and trailer setup, load, and legal limits vary. For weight-based payment, use certified gross and tare weights to find net payload.
Which log scale should I use?
Use the scale named by the buyer. Doyle, Scribner, and International ¼-inch can give different board-foot volumes for the same log. Do not compare board-foot rates unless the scale rule is the same.
Can I convert tons to board feet?
Do not use a general conversion factor. Weight and board-foot volume are not interchangeable without stated assumptions and a method accepted by the buyer. Compare quotes in the unit each buyer uses.
Why did the scale ticket show less value than my estimate?
Possible reasons include a different scale rule, lower accepted volume, grade changes, defects, trim, weight differences, or stated deductions. Compare the ticket with the buyer’s rules, your tally, and the written quote.
What should I confirm before loading?
Confirm accepted species and products, lengths, trim allowance, minimum top diameter, grade rules, scale method, delivery location, current rates, deductions, and rejection terms. Keep those details in writing before dispatch.
Are short or crooked logs worth the sawlog rate?
Not necessarily. They may be rejected or placed in a lower-value product class, depending on the buyer’s rules. Ask the buyer to review those logs before loading rather than assuming sawlog pricing.
What records should I keep?
Keep the buyer’s quote, tally, load photos, delivery details, official scale tickets, and settlement statement. These records let you compare the accepted scale and deductions with the terms agreed before hauling.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Victor Dempsey. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
