Buying Lumber in South Florida

[Sergio Sotolongo]

If I'm not in the right section, I apologize. Mods. please move to the appropriate section. I live in Southern Florida. Southern Dade county to be ore specific. Anyone local here have anywhere they recommend for buying lumber? The only place I've found so far is Shell Lumber. I'll be taking a trip over there soon to check out their stick, but they don't seem to have anything thicker than 1 3/4. Is this common and I'll have to buy thinner boards and glue them? Also anywhere that sells rough sawn lumber, that I can plane down to save a few bucks too. A couple of others down here are only distributors, so I can't buy from them. Thanks.

[Gary Ragatz]

You might take a look at Wood Chip Lumber in Ft. Lauderdale.

I've never bought lumber there - my shop is in our home in Michigan, but we have a vacation place in Aventura, so I've visited Wood Chip a couple of times. It seemed like they have a decent selection, and I believe they had thicker stock in some species - walnut and maple IIRC. Prices seemed reasonable to me - but my last visit was probably two years ago

[robert wiggins]

Also anywhere that sells rough sawn lumber, that I can plane down to save a few bucks too. Thanks.
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Consider checking with saw mill businesses like ( band saw mills ) if there are any in your area. If that contact doesn't have any he may know someone that does.

[Art Mann]

There are no sawmills in South Florida because there are no trees worthy of making into lumber.

[Sergio Sotolongo]

You might take a look at Wood Chip Lumber in Ft. Lauderdale.

I've never bought lumber there - my shop is in our home in Michigan, but we have a vacation place in Aventura, so I've visited Wood Chip a couple of times. It seemed like they have a decent selection, and I believe they had thicker stock in some species - walnut and maple IIRC. Prices seemed reasonable to me - but my last visit was probably two years ago

Thank you. I'll check them out next time I'm up in that area.

[Sergio Sotolongo]

There are no sawmills in South Florida because there are no trees worthy of making into lumber.

I'm not sure if your comment was in jest or not, but you're probably right. Other than palm trees, native trees don't grow very tall because hurricanes are a part of life down here.

[Andrew Gibson]

Cuban Mahogany is native to South Florida, Indian Rosewood grows here, Eucalyptus, Buttonwood, all kinds of stuff worth cutting, just not on a industrial logging scale.

[Steve Boring]

I’ve had good luck with Beacon Hardwood in Medley (near Miami airport). Their website makes them look like a wholesale outfit but the Medley location will sell small quantities. I’ve bought 5-10 BF without a problem. They have a good selection of domestic and imported lumber. Selection and price are much better than Shell lumber.