Timber marketing is the process of valuing, advertising and selling standing or felled timber from a woodland to buyers such as sawmills, timber merchants, fencing manufacturers and biomass or firewood processors. It covers timber valuation, choosing the right sale method and buyer, negotiating contract terms, and managing the harvesting operation, with the aim of achieving the best possible price for the woodland owner while protecting the long-term value of the woodland.
For woodland owners, understanding how timber marketing works — and where the value gets made or lost, matters whether you’re planning a first thinning or considering a full clearfell. This guide covers the sale methods, the pricing factors, the legal requirements, and the questions owners ask most often. Alternatively see our timber marketing services page, send an enquiry or call on 01488 685007 to discover how we can help.
What Does Timber Marketing Involve?
Timber marketing typically follows six stages:
- Timber valuation (the “inventory”) — a forester surveys the woodland, measuring volume by species and grading quality to establish a realistic value before any sale conversation starts
- Market identification — matching the timber to the right buyer type: sawmill, fencing, biomass, firewood or specialist
- Marketing and negotiation — tendering the parcel or negotiating directly, using multiple competitive bids rather than accepting the first offer
- Contract management — agreeing terms that protect the owner throughout the sale, with transparent recording of costs and revenues
- Harvesting oversight — ensuring felling and extraction protect soils, remaining trees and access infrastructure. learn more about our timber harvesting services.
- Compliance — managing the felling licence application and any site-specific restrictions, such as SSSI or Tree Preservation Order status
How Much Can I Sell My Timber For?
Timber value depends on species, volume, quality (straightness, diameter, absence of rot or metal damage), site access, and current market demand so no two woodlands price the same way. As a general guide to UK market levels: 
standing coniferous timber sold on the public estate has averaged around £34–35 per cubic metre overbark in recent Forest Research price index releases, while softwood sawlogs sold at roadside, where felling and extraction have already been done, have averaged in the range of £55–60 per cubic metre overbark. Small roundwood (thinnings and smaller material) has averaged around £46 per cubic metre. These figures move biannually and vary significantly by region, species mix and market conditions, so when selling timber, treat them as a starting reference point rather than a quote for your own woodland. Softwood sawlog prices in particular have moved sharply in the most recent release, falling 28.7% in nominal terms over six months, so this figure especially should be treated as a snapshot, not a stable benchmark.
A useful rule of thumb: harvesting and extraction costs can consume anywhere from 30% to 70% of gross timber value, particularly on difficult terrain or smaller parcels. This is the central reason the standing-versus-roadside decision below matters so much to your net return.
Should I Sell My Timber Standing or at the Roadside?
In the UK, timber is generally sold in one of two main ways:
Standing Sale
The buyer purchases the timber while it’s still standing and takes on the felling, extraction and haulage themselves. This means less work and lower risk for the woodland owner, but typically a lower net return, since the buyer’s operational costs are factored into the price they offer.
Roadside Sale
The timber is felled and extracted first, then organised by the woodland owner or their forestry manager and finally sold once it’s presented at the roadside as a graded, felled parcel. This usually generates a higher net return, but the owner carries the harvesting cost and risk upfront. This wood can also be delivered to the buyer by using a qualified timber haulier.
Can I Fell Trees Without a Licence in the UK?
In England, Scotland and Wales, felling trees generally requires a felling licence from the Forestry Commission (or the equivalent body), issued under the Forestry Act 1967. There are exemptions: you can fell up to 5 cubic metres of timber per calendar quarter without a licence, but if any of that timber is sold, including as firewood, the exemption drops to 2 cubic metres per quarter. Trees below certain diameters (8cm generally, 10cm for thinning, 15cm for coppice, measured at 1.3m height) are also exempt, as are garden trees, dangerous trees, and a small number of other specific cases.
Licence applications in England currently take around 10–12 weeks to process, and approved licences are typically valid for up to 5 years. Licences usually come with restocking conditions, requiring replanting or natural regeneration after felling. It’s the landowner’s responsibility to prove an exemption applies if challenged, so keeping records such as photos, dates, volume calculations matter even for small-scale felling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is timber marketing?
Timber marketing is the process of valuing, advertising and selling standing or felled timber to buyers such as sawmills and timber merchants, managed on behalf of the woodland owner to secure the best possible price and protect the long-term value of the woodland.
Should I sell my timber standing or at the roadside?
It depends on how much work and risk you want to take on. A standing sale means the buyer fells and extracts the timber themselves, which is less work but usually a lower return for you. A roadside sale means you (or your forestry manager) arrange felling and extraction first, then sell the felled timber, usually for a higher return, but with the harvesting cost and risk falling on you upfront.
How much can I sell my timber for?
The price of timber varies depending on species, volume, quality and access, but as a general UK market reference, standing coniferous timber has recently averaged around £34–35 per cubic metre overbark, while roadside softwood sawlogs have averaged around £55–60 per cubic metre. An independent valuation (a “timber inventory”) from a forester is the only reliable way to get a figure specific to your woodland.
Can I sell my own timber without using a forester?
Yes, it isn’t a legal requirement, but woodland owners who market timber themselves often achieve lower prices because they lack access to buyer networks and current market rates. An independent forestry consultant represents your interests, manages the felling licence process, and typically secures better terms than a direct sale to the first buyer who makes an offer.
Can I fell trees without a licence in the UK?
In most cases, no, you can’t fell trees without a license, not beyond a small exempt volume. You can fell up to 5 cubic metres per calendar quarter without a licence, but if any of that timber is sold, the exemption drops to 2 cubic metres per quarter. Above those thresholds, a felling licence is required from the Forestry Commission or equivalent body, and applications currently take around 10–12 weeks to process.
How long does it take to sell timber in the UK?
Timelines vary with woodland size and complexity, but a felling licence alone typically takes 10–12 weeks to process, and licences usually carry restocking conditions once felling is complete. Including valuation, marketing, negotiation and harvesting, a full timber marketing process commonly runs to several months from first contact to completed sale.
What is a timber inventory and do I need one?
A timber inventory is a professional assessment of a woodland’s standing timber, carried out by a forester to measure volume by species and assess quality, such as straightness, diameter, and defects like rot or embedded metal. It’s the basis for an accurate valuation and is recommended before any sale, since landowners without an independent estimate risk accepting the first offer rather than a fair one.
Who buys standing timber in Hampshire and the South of England?
Sawmills, fencing manufacturers, biomass producers, firewood suppliers and specialist wood product businesses regularly buy standing and roadside timber across the region. Both hardwood and softwood are in demand, including specialist species such as Yew, Box and Cricket Bat Willow, alongside more common commercial species like oak, ash, beech, larch and Sitka spruce.
If you’re considering selling timber from your woodland, our timber marketing service handles valuation, marketing and contract management on your behalf, across Hampshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire and the wider South of England.