Who is the best lumber supplier in the US?

[Johnny Fischer]

Hello Fellow Creekers,
Can anybody provide me & everybody else w/ who is the best & most reasonable lumber supplier(s) in the US.
Thanks

[Dewey Torres]

Johnny,
Way too vague! What are you looking for specifically?
Dewey

[Johnny Fischer]

Hardwood beams, between 8" x 12" & up.
Hard Maple, oak, cherry. Domestic hardwoods.
Figured it would be cheaper to purchase beams and cut want I need out of them as I need them then to purchase pre cut boards.

[Dewey Torres]

Yes... generally you are correct. What are you building? We are getting warmer now!
Dewye

[Johnny Fischer]

Project #1 Entertainment Center
Project #2 Cabinet Towers & head board w/ light bridge for king bed.
Project #3 Dresser

[Dewey Torres]

I would look local first if you haven't already:

Robert's Hardwood Lumber Supl

(941) 379-9744

Custom Hardwoods

(941) 366-0929

Woodcraft Specialties Incorporated

(941) 758-1979

If this doesn't work for what you are looking for then you are ready for a mail order or a road trip. Find out what you want and what amount ... this thread will evevitibly have many more posts than mine so stay tuned.
Dewey

[Greg Cuetara]

I'm not sure I exactly understand what you are looking for. Do you want almost full size logs that you can bandsaw pieces off of? (Like 8" or 12" square?) If so I would think there are many other concerns regarding drying etc. when you peal off a piece of a log you would have to sticker it and let it dry out before you could use it.

If you are looking for 6/4 or 8/4 to then resaw I would think that would be ok as long as it was originally dried sufficiently. I am not sure what you mean about precut boards. Do you mean widths or thicknesses or lengths? Other than thicknesses, widths and lengths do come in random sizes.

If you are looking for good prices etc. I would touch base with Mike Morgan as he has some great prices for bulk lumber and others here have had good luck with is wood.

Greg

[Johnny Fischer]

Sorry about that guys, I guess I should have been a little more descriptive.
I'm looking for KD lumber beams approx 8" x 12" x 8'L min.

Dewey,
Thanks for trying to be helpful in regards to local hard wood retailers.
Roberts Hardwoods is not the place to look for good deals on lumber.
I've lived here for 30yr.'s and know of all the suppliers around here.
They are GREEEDY.
Last year I called 84 lumber for a price quote on a piece of cheery select 1" x 6" x 8'. They wanted $80 for (1) board.
Everybody else arounds here is pretty much the same, (INSANE)

[David DeCristoforo]

Wallywood World in Orlando FL and Anaheim CA......

[Dave MacArthur]

It's been my experience that once you go over a certain size for each species, wood actually costs MORE for the larger beam than thinner boards... based on market availability if nothing else. My cousin runs a sawmill and kiln operation in Michigan, and while processing a walnut log this summer he indicated that the extra one minute it took him to slice an 8/4 to a 4/4 (and by inference a 16/4 to an 8/4) was meaningless compared to the huge increase in handling effort and processing time that larger slab would cost him. It's an inventory time-in-stock problem, and the cost and increased risk to maintain and dry larger beams/slabs without problems is much more. I'd expect that to be passed on to the buyer.

I'd also think slicing a side off a beam would really give you moisture and warping issues...though I haven't done it myself, other threads here from folks who have indicate that.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...slicing a side off a beam would really give you moisture and warping issues..."

Not to mention the potential for serious checking which tends to increase exponentially as the size of the billet increases.

[Johnny Fischer]

Wallywood World in Orlando FL and Anaheim CA......

Thanks David, I check them out.

[John Thompson]

Unless you deal directly with a sawmill Johnny.. finding over 16/4 is going to be difficult. Give Suwanee Hardwoods a call up in Suwanee, Ga. @ -800-330-8087 and see if they can advise you for your area.

I have been purchasing there since 1978 and they had a warehouse in Florida at one point. I believe that might have closed it.. but may be able to help. A toll free number.. so won't hurt to ask.

Sarge..

[Johnny Fischer]

Thanks for the info Sarge, I'll do that.
Georgia is alot closer then CA or PA., especially @ $4.26 a gallon for diesel.

[David DeCristoforo]

Actually, one of my favorite places to buy wood is World Timbers but they usually don't actually carry "timbers". They have up to 12/4 in many species. They are in NC so I usually only buy from them when I need a lot of wood which makes the shipping more reasonable. They are on the 'net at: http://worldtimbercorp.com/contact.htm

For "speciality" woods I like Glimer in Portland OR: http://www.gilmerwood.com/

They also got some nice "old arn" for sale. Neither of these suppliers carry much in the way of large timbers but they are great suppliers nonetheless. I figured this might make up for my previous wisea** reply.....

[Jim Becker]

Can anybody provide me & everybody else w/ who is the best & most reasonable lumber supplier(s) in the US.


This is a question that has no answer outside of there are many lumber suppliers that do a great job at providing awesome material at a price commensurate with the quality of the product. Yes, there are some that charge more than we might prefer and unfortunately, there are also suppliers that sell, umm...material not worthy of our projects...out there, too.

I will say that one of my favorite suppliers is Hearne Hardwoods (http://www.hearnehardwoods.com) in Oxford PA. A veritable "candy store". I'd like to visit Irion in Wellsboro PA someday, perhaps to buy some of their incredible wide material.

[Stephen Edwards]

Tallent Lumber in Jamestown, TN may be able to help you. I'm not sure. The owner is Johnny Tallent. They have a mill and kiln on site. Prices are very reasonable. If you want perfect lumber.....you have to tell him.....I want perfect lumber!

[David Freed]

If you are wanting furniture grade lumber you won't get it from a beam that has been dried. If you look at any beam used to build a house or barn, or look at any 6"x9" railroad crosstie. They are full of large cracks. As several have already said, anything above 16/4 lumber is not available because generally it can't be dried without cracking.

[Mike Berndt]

Try Downes and Reader in the Northeast. They are pretty reasonable and have been great with me for the last 10 years. Checkout their website by googling Downes and Reader Hardwood. Let me know what you guys think???

[Larry Rasmussen]

I am just referring to local experience but it could apply elsewhere. In Seattle at Crosscut lumber I have recently shopped for cherry and walnut, both for a 8/4 or bigger application. To me it looks like in that yard the stuff they leave in beam sizes is sometimes not the same quality as the stuff milled down more. For the cherry the best buys per unit were either just buying the 4/4 or sometimes 6/4 material. They had some pretty nice 6/4 to 8/4 walnut yesterday but anything larger than that didn't look like you would net the same yield per $ spent.
Larry R,
Seattle

[Matt Ocel]

Backyard - Acorn - 50 years.

[Tony Bilello]

...."Figured it would be cheaper to purchase beams and cut want I need out of them as I need them then to purchase pre cut boards"

This is a bad idea because;
1) It is NOT cheaper
2) Checking and cracking problems with thick boards
3) After you resaw, the wood will have a tendency to want to re-settle into a new shape. More than likely, you will have to sticker the boards, which you probably wont have enough of to weigh them down and for numerous other reasons mentioned above.

Most people want thick boards for a specific purpose such as fireplace mantels.

You might be wanting the thicker boards for all the wrong reasons.

If you want to save money, buy the 4/4 stock in bulk. Ask a dealer what his minimum amount is so as to get a discount.

Tony B

[Doug Shepard]

It's been my experience that once you go over a certain size for each species, wood actually costs MORE for the larger beam than thinner boards...


That's where I was going. I doubt very much that 8x12 beams isn't going to cost way more than eight 4/4 x 12 equivalent length boards.

[M Toupin]

On first flush it might seem like buying 8" X 12" X 8' cants and trimming off boards as you need them would be a good idea... unfortunately, as others have stated, it's just not that easy to get good quality lumber. A 8" X 12" X 8' cherry cant also weighs about 185lbs (64BF X 2.9lb per BF). You'll need a strong back and a stout bandsaw to handle the job too.

Unfortunately there is no "best & most reasonable lumber supplier(s) in the US". There are lots of variables on cost and quality, not the least of which is your location. Supply and demand is alive and well in your area, just as it is mine and everyone Else's. I'm sure you can buy local woods, such as cypress, much cheaper than say someone in Washington state. And visa versa, I'm sure someone in Washington state can buy redwood much cheaper than you can in FL. There is lots of variables to include availability and transportation costs.

Find out were the local pros get their materials. The pros know what reasonable prices are for your area. You'll probably find they use a couple of places depending on the material. Personally, I generally use 3 places depending on what I need. If I just need a little then I use the local supplier. His prices are higher, but the convenience makes up for the cost. If I need a large quantity then I arrange to make a trip to the western side of the state. On the western side of the state there are a lot of mills (and raw materials) so costs are lower. Even with the added expense of fuel it is cost effective for me to make the drive. For sheet goods I use the local supplier who most of the local pros go to. There prices are a bit higher, but the quality and selection is much better. Cheaper is not necessarily the most cost effective.

Mike

[Ed Gerken]

I wanted a 14' hewn pine beam for the opening into our new home addition. I, too, assumed it would be cheaper to go this route.

I was quoted $25 per running foot, for $350 total, even if I did the "hewing" to the 4x12 roughsawn cant. So we're using built up lumberyard 2x12s, total $44.

As I'm fond of saying, "your reality check's in the mail!"

-Ed

[Ben Cadotte]

Unless you buy the wood straight from a cutter your going to pay more for timber sized hardwoods! I get my hardwood from a local farm that cuts from their own property, and solar kiln dries it. They have very resonable rates. But they do charge .25 a bf for every 1/4 over 4/4. So it does cost more per bf for timbers than equal ammount in 4/4.

Again probably the only way you can save money is to get them direct from a sawyer and cut to size and dry them yourself. You would think it would be cheaper since less labor in cutting. But supply and demand has alot to do with it as well (thin boards sell faster as its the most used). Along with much longer drying times for timbers.

[Karl Brogger]

Tallent Lumber in Jamestown, TN may be able to help you. I'm not sure. The owner is Johnny Tallent. They have a mill and kiln on site. Prices are very reasonable. If you want perfect lumber.....you have to tell him.....I want perfect lumber!


Where is this? Is it on the north side of town where 154 heads east? I own a house out by pickett park, if it's cheap next time I'm down there I'll pick up something.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

As has been said, thick stock will cost more, and in many cases considerably more, than thinner material. One example is oak - drying thick oak without checking and cracking is a monumental job - as well as being a crapshoot. And if you got thick stock resawing dried lumber is quite a job. It will be in your best interest to get rough stock and surface/edge it yourself....don't worry with dings in handling as well as added expense.

Depending on how much stock you need, it might be best to enquire about a specific species. Bulk shipping with several species would most likely be cheaper, but if you found a mill (with a kiln) in the heart of, say, cherry and maple country, that comes recommended from several sources you might get those there. They might mill specifically for you. Then look elsewhere for something like oak and walnut. Rather than go after it yourself with diesel at the price it is now having it shipped by rail may be cheaper. I'm speculating on something I have no experience with as I have never dealt with much quantity.....so I'll shup up now. :rolleyes:

[james gerus]

FYI, Suwanee hardwoods is near Tallahassee FL. Jim

[John Thompson]

"FYI, Suwanee hardwoods is near Tallahassee FL".... Jim

Thanks for the clarification, Jim. But..... Suwanee Lumber Co. which is more often referred to locally as Suwanee Hardwords (but technically incorrect) has been in business since 1961 in beautiful, downtown Suwanee, Ga. I can't post a web-site here but.. if you put some W's in front of Suwanee Lumber with a dot and a com... you will find em. ;)

At least I hope they are about 12 miles up the street in Suwanee, Georgia. I have 200 board feet of oak in the back of my pick-up I just returned home with from Suwanee Lumber (Hardwood) and will have a hard time explaining to the First Lady why I drove to Tallahasee to get it. :D

But then again.. she expects the un-expected at this point of the game.

Regards...

Sarge..

[Reed Wells]

Jimmie Joe Billy Bob Lumber and Spanish Moss of Bossie Swamp LA.

[Larry Fox]

The one that has a lot more of what you need than you need, when you need it, at a reasonable price. For me, that is Hearne Hardwoods in Oxford PA.