Franklin Timber Co. helps Franklin County landowners identify valuable trees, get competitive mill bids, and get paid before cutting.
Not sure if your trees are worth anything? Send your address or a few photos. We'll tell you whether it's worth a closer look — no pressure, no obligation.
Simple & Transparent
Three plain-English steps before any cutting happens.
Free assessment of your property, yard trees, farm, or woodlot.
We shop valuable timber to qualified local buyers and mills so you can compare real offers.
No cutting starts until the terms are clear, the bid is approved, and payment is handled.
Free assessment. Every offer in writing. Transparent 10% fee only if a sale happens. You can walk away anytime — no pressure, no obligation.
Why Landowners Use Franklin Timber Co.
You do not need to know stumpage, MBF, or log grades before calling. We make the process understandable and transparent.
We look at the property, identify likely valuable species, and tell you if it is worth a closer look.
Instead of taking one offer, your timber can be shown to qualified buyers so the best bid wins.
If you choose to sell through Franklin Timber Co., our fee is 10% of the final sale. No hidden markup.
Terms are clear, payment is handled, and you approve the deal before any tree work begins.
Built for Franklin County landowners, including Chambersburg, Waynesboro, Greencastle, Mercersburg, and nearby areas.
We explain the offer, the bids, and the tradeoffs without making you learn forestry jargon first.
Is This For Me?
Not sure if your trees are worth anything? Send us your address or a few photos. We'll tell you whether it is worth a closer look.
Black walnut, white oak, black cherry, hard maple, red oak, poplar, ash, hickory, and other large trees.
One large tree can be worth checking, especially if it is straight, healthy, and accessible.
Small woodlots, farm edges, and rural properties often have timber value that is hard to judge from the road.
If someone already made you an offer, we can help you understand whether it is fair.
If you received a Franklin Timber Co. postcard, enter your report code below to view the preliminary report.
You can ask for a value check without committing to cut, list, or sell anything.
Request a free assessment or call/text (717) 369-8482.
Postcard Lookup
We may have identified possible valuable timber on or near your property. Enter your code to view your preliminary report.
Aerial Survey · Knotty Pine Hollow
We mapped 87 high-value hardwoods on your property. Free on-site assessment — no obligation.
Hi Woody,
I'm Josh Lake — I grew up in Chambersburg and run Franklin Timber Co. Using aerial and forest-inventory data, I flagged 87 candidate high-value hardwoods on your land near Knotty Pine Hollow — primarily white oak and black walnut.
Based on current mill pricing your timber could be worth $8,000 – $14,500. Free walk-through, no pressure.
Preliminary remote estimate — actual value depends on species, grade, access, defects, and competitive mill bids. Field verification required.
Enter the report code printed on your postcard.
Don't have the code? Send us your address and we'll resend the report.
No postcard? Request a free assessment or call (717) 369-8482.
About Us
I grew up in Chambersburg. When my family recently logged 150 trees on our property, I saw how confusing timber pricing can be — even for lifelong landowners.
I started Franklin Timber Co. because many landowners do not know what their trees are worth, and timber offers can vary widely. My role is to help you understand the value, compare buyer interest, and avoid being rushed into a bad deal.
Why a Second Opinion Matters
Timber values are hard for landowners to judge, and the first offer is not always the best offer.
A single walnut, white oak, or cherry can materially change the economics if it grades well.
Competitive mill bidding helps you compare real buyer interest before you decide what to do.
Know What You Have
These are common high-value species we look for. Detailed pricing depends on size, grade, access, defects, and current mill demand.
Often the highest-value yard or woodlot tree. Large, straight trunks can be especially valuable, and even one good walnut is worth checking.
Strong demand from sawmills and barrel markets can make large, straight white oak especially valuable in this region.
High-grade cherry can still be valuable for furniture and cabinetry markets when the trunk is large, straight, and clean.
Hard maple can have solid value, and rare figure such as birdseye or curly grain can create specialty upside.
Full Q2 2026 price list including red oak, poplar, ash, and hickory: Market update →
How We Make Money
The assessment is free. If you choose to sell through Franklin Timber Co., we take a transparent 10% fee from the final sale. You see the bids. You approve the deal. You get paid before cutting.
You only pay if you approve a sale through Franklin Timber Co.
Competitive bidding lifts offers 20–40%. The fee comes out of that lift — you still net more.
Logs grade higher than estimated? We pay you the difference.
What This Actually Looks Like
A single mature black walnut on a residential property. Real numbers, nothing hidden.
28" DBH, 16' clear trunk, yard tree, minor scars. Three mills bid; best offer wins.
| Pinhooker "door-knock" cash offer | $600 |
| Mill A bid (first bid) | $1,400 |
| Mill B bid | $1,550 |
| Mill C winning bid | $1,800 |
| Franklin Timber Co. 10% fee | −$180 |
| Arborist (coordinated by us) | −$450 |
| Trucking & delivery to mill | −$0* |
| You net | $1,170 |
vs. $600 − $450 arborist = $150 from taking the door-knock offer.
Your actual pocket gain from working with us: +$1,020.
*Trucking is absorbed by the mill in the winning bid.
Same tree, same initial bid — but once the mill scales and grades the logs, the butt log comes back as veneer-grade.
| Winning saw-log bid (you're paid this first) | $1,800 |
| Actual veneer-grade mill payment | $6,400 |
| Upside discovered after scaling | +$4,600 |
| Franklin Timber Co. 10% fee on upside | −$460 |
| Additional payment to you (after the fact) | +$4,140 |
Total to landowner: $1,170 + $4,140 = $5,310, less arborist.
A door-knock buyer would have kept that entire upside. We hand it back.
Illustrative numbers from Q1 2026 local pricing. Your tree will differ. We walk you through the math before you sign anything.
From Our Family Property
150 trees on our family property. I learned species grading, mill pricing, and log scaling from the inside out. That's the foundation of every assessment we do.
Common Questions
Nothing. Free, no obligation.
Yes. We specialize in residential properties — even a single tree.
We send your specs to multiple mills and let them compete. You see every offer in writing.
Before any cutting begins. Non-negotiable.
Trunk removed, branches chipped or stacked. Stump removal available separately.
Usually no. We check your municipality's rules before any work begins.
Black walnut, white oak, cherry, and hard maple. Not sure? We'll ID them for you.
Ten trees planted for every one harvested.
Know Before You Sell
Plain-English guides on timber value and local market prices. Written by Josh.
The difference between $1,500 and $12,000 often comes down to three feet of clear trunk.
Read the guide → Species & IDWalnut vs. butternut, white oak vs. red oak, cherry vs. choke cherry — ID your trees without a field guide.
Read the guide → Choosing a BuyerFive questions that separate honest buyers from pinhookers.
Read the guide → Market UpdateHeadline numbers, quarter-over-quarter changes, and a regional comparison across PA.
Read the update → Taxes & PaperworkCapital gains, cost basis, IRS Form T, and PA's 3.07% rate. Plain English, not tax advice.
Read the guide →Stay Informed
What local mills are paying, updated quarterly. Know your trees' value before anyone knocks.
Get In Touch
Tell us about your property and we'll get back to you within one business day.