Online wholesale lumber - a good bet?

[Chris Kiely]

**I found some info through the search feature, so no need to reply to this thread**

Hello and good afternoon!

I'm wondering what you guys do to get good prices on rough lumber/hardwoods? I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Is it worth it to buy online, considering the shipping costs? I've looked online at a few places, like Westward hardwood, but they are on the island. There's also Advantage lumber...... But I'm must not sure and I'd like to hear others opinions of the quality and pricing.

Mostly, I'm going to buy small amounts so the big local wholesalers don't want me poking around, and if I go to a place like Windsor plywood, the prices are pretty high and the selection is poor. Often they don't have the sizes i want so I have to re-jig my project plans and I'd rather not do that. (for example, finding 8/4 rough is hard, but finding ¾ S4S is no problem, but $$)

Thoughts or experience? Thanks in advance.

[Roy Harding]

I buy from Westwind, on the island (I think that's who you meant by "Westward") - and they've been extremely good to deal with. I usually buy 300 - 500 bdft at a time, and roll the costs of shipping into my costs for lumber. I just placed an order for 400 bdft last week, and the shipping came out to $580.00 - so you need to add about $1.50 a bdft to the cost of the lumber to come up with the real cost. So - the 4/4 #1 common walnut shorts I paid $4.95 bdft for, actually come out to around $6.45 bdft when shipping is included - which is still cheaper that what you'll pay at Windsor Plywood.

I only buy online because I'm in a semi-remote area with no hardwood lumber yards around (I'm in Terrace B.C.) - so it's my only choice. When I lived in Edmonton, I'd visit the local yards (usually P.J. White) personally, and bought in smaller quantities. Although I've never lived in Winnipeg, I'd imagine that they must have a P.J. White or Reimers, or some other hardwood dealer locally.

Failing a local lumber dealer, I'd suggest you look at Ontario dealers - they're a lot closer to you than Vancouver Island! Any reputable dealer will give you a shipping quote before you place your order - if buying local isn't an option, get a few quotes from various dealers and go from there.

[Chris Kiely]

Thanks Roy for the reply. I appreciate how you broke the shipping cost down to the BF.
I was assuming that the bigger local places wouldn't want to sell to me, as most of what I do is just a hobby. But I will look. Here in Wpg we have Finmac and Hardwoods. I'll give them a call this week.

[Brian Henderson]

Thanks Roy for the reply. I appreciate how you broke the shipping cost down to the BF.
I was assuming that the bigger local places wouldn't want to sell to me, as most of what I do is just a hobby. But I will look. Here in Wpg we have Finmac and Hardwoods. I'll give them a call this week.

Actually, most of them don't really care. So long as you know what you're doing and don't require a lot of handholding, most places don't mind you wandering around their stacks. Money is money, after all.