How do I order wood from speciality hardwood company?

[Randall J Cox]

OK, have sorted out what I need to build 4 outdoor chairs. Some 4x4, some 1x4, some 1x6. Not having done a significant order like this from a lumber co before, how do I spec this to them? Just tell them how many feet I need of each? Then they would calc the board feet and what it would cost? I did my calc and its something like 35 bd fet per chair and of course there has to be a 10-15 overage. Also, what grade of boards (I have an 8" jointer and 15" planer) ? Hows that work? Tell them what I'm building and let them decide? I don't know the lumber industry enough to trust myself on this... I've bought Baltic Burch from them before, nice helpful folks, but I'd at least like to talk intelligently to them about this order. Thanks. Randy

[Phillip Mitchell]

Do you have the option of going and picking it out yourself?

If I’m ordering lumber and anybody besides me picks it, I figure on an additional 25-50% unless there is no considerations for overall grain selection. Everybody’s different, but I’m pretty picky about grain selection.

I heard folks talk about a couple of specialty dealers that ship where you can tell them what you’re looking for in terms of size and grain characteristics and they end up satisfied, but I can tell you that most
lumberyard employees are not woodworkers and aren’t looking for the same things you may be looking for.

[Kevin Jenness]

It depends on the level of service the company offers. There are some where you could give them a cutlist and others that will just pull a specified board footage off the stack. Call them up and see what they have and are willing to do. Building chairs calls for multiple short lengths so the board lengths are less critical than for millwork but may still be an issue. When I buy lumber for a specific project I think in terms of x number of cuttings of a given width and length and how to cut them out of the stock available. If you are just ordering by volume add at least 25%.

[Jamie Buxton]

I usually make drawings of the furniture before I buy lumber. Then I know how much of what thickness I need, and the rough dimensions of each part. I go to the lumberyard, and pick boards myself. I buy enough that I'm not likely to need a second trip to the lumberyard. I usually buy roughsaw lumber, because I get more wood for a lower cost. After I select boards, the lumberyard guy measures them and tells me the price. (I usually have a per-board-foot cost in the back of my head, so his total isn't a big surprise.)

Although the lumberyard thinks in terms of board feet, I find it is easier for me to think in terms of square feet when I'm pulling lumber. For instance, I know I'm looking for 12 square feet of 6/4 lumber. I can measure the square footage easily without doing any conversions.

[Jamie Buxton]

Years ago, somebody told me about a good hardwood lumber dealer in Fresno. Saroyan Hardwoods looks like it might have been the one.

[Jim Becker]

It's always best to select your own material whenever possible. That said, some suppliers are very good at selection to specification...and some are not. Determining which side of that your intended source is is the crux of the matter.

[Steve Jenkins]

Terminology is important too. Hardwood lumber is measured in quarters. 1”=4/4(pronounced 4 quarter) 4” is 16/4(sixteen quarter)

[Randall J Cox]

Years ago, somebody told me about a good hardwood lumber dealer in Fresno. Saroyan Hardwoods looks like it might have been the one.

Yes, that is the place! They sell only hardwoods, its not a normal "lumberyard". They stock all sorts of high end pricey exotic boards and normal hardwoods. Guess the best thing is to just call them and chat, they are very nice folks. And because I am a member of the San Joaquin Fine Woodworking Assn, we get a 10% discount. Anyway glad to hear you have heard good things about them. I have done measured drawings (somewhat) and know how many feet of say 1x6 I need, etc.

My last dealings a couple of years ago with a typical lumberyard left me totally underwhelmed. They didn't care if they sold to me or not....and you got what they gave you. Randy

[Stan Calow]

It helps to know the minimum lengths you need in each width (48" in 4/4, for example) so that you dont get a bunch of short pieces that might add up to the same board feet, but be too short for your use.

[Randall J Cox]

Stan, good point!! Thanks. Randy

[Josko Catipovic]

With advance apologies for thread drift, I have a similar question: I'm looking for 500-1000 bf of wide, maybe figured cherry. I used to have a great hardwood dealer (just south of Boston) who got bought out by Rugby, and well, it hasn't been the same...
They used to let me look over their 500 bf 'packs', pick out the one I want and deliver (along with couple hundred BF of other stuff I picked out but got at wholesale). In 30+ years, I've never been unhappy with what I got.
Now I'm having a hard time buying sight unseen, and basically trusting online reputations. Really, what recourse do I have once the truck's in my driveway and the stuff looks awful?
It seems nearest such dealers are in PA, which is, really, too far a drive. So, my question is: What's a reasonable way to buy, say, 500 BF of 9+" 4/4 cherry (maybe figured, if price diff. isn't huge), along with ~300 BF 8/4 cherry?

[Andrew Gibson]

If your starting from scratch here are some terms you should know.

Board foot.
This is how rough lumber is measured. One board foot is equal to a board 1" thick, 12" wide, and 12" long. A quick and dirty formula is thickness in inches x width in inches x length in feet /12 or (1" x 12" x 1' /12 =1 BF) (always round down, commission salesmen will try to round up if they are shady) the more exact formula is 1" x 12" x 12" / 144 = 1 BF

Rough, S2S, S3S.
Rough Sawn, surfaced two sides, Surfaced 3 Sides. How the wood is dressed when you get it.

4/4, 8/8 ect.
Four quarter, eight quarter. This is the thickness of the wood in the rough. Thickness other then 4 and 8 will not always be readily available.

Net tally and Gross tally.
This is how the lumber is priced. Gross tally should be the actual measurements of the wood, net will be gross +10%. Keep this in mind when comparing prices. If one place is 10% less they may be charging net making both places the same price.

Random widths and lengths,
Most hardwood is sold this way meaning you get what you get.

Sorted width,
Some suppliers will offer sorted width, so you can choose 4" to 6" or 6" to 8". This will help you get the general widths you actually need and don't end up with a 5" wide board and a 13" wide board when you really need three 6" boards.

My personal rule of thumb if I can't hand pick the lumber is to order at least 30% extra. If grain pattern and such is important I would at least ask to see the inventory. Most places in my experience will let you pick your own as long as you clean up after yourself.

[Kevin Jenness]

Josko,

I understand your reluctance to buy online. I generally prefer to buy wood in person. However, I have no problem recommending Irion Lumber in PA, especially for cherry. https://irionlumber.com/price-list/