Need Slabs — Please help

[Ollie McDottie]

Hello Everybody.

I hope that this message finds you all well.

I’m bidding on a couple jobs for a new client who wants all slab construction on a few furniture pieces. Need help sourcing a few large slabs of kiln dried walnut and white oak.

For the walnut: 10’ with a minimum width of 36” and should be finished down to 3” thick.

For the white oak: 10’ length and minimum width of 53” and should be finished down to 2.5” thick.

I know about Gobi up in Portland for the walnut. Calling them next week. Any other slab resources would be great. Don’t mind shipping, but would obviously prefer something within a few hundred miles of Los Angeles so I could go get it myself.

Clients are obviously aware of the costs associated with this as opposed to laminated boards. I don’t see the walnut as being much of a problem, but the white oak is proving to be a bit of a challenge. Any resources would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Rob Sack]

I see you are in Los Angeles. Check out Conejo Hardwoods in Westlake Village. (818) 889 0487. You also might want to check out Austin Hardwoods in Orange County.

[Kevin Jenness]

This guy has some seriously amazing lumber including slabs. https://talaricohardwoods.com/ We got some 8/4 "catspaw" burl live edge Scottish oak slabs from him that were spectacular. Make sure you are sitting down when you get a quote though.

This outfit is also supposed to have a good inventory. https://berkshireproducts.com/

[Ollie McDottie]

I see you are in Los Angeles. Check out Conejo Hardwoods in Westlake Village. (818) 889 0487. You also might want to check out Austin Hardwoods in Orange County.

Thanks. I know about these folks and unfortunately. They don’t have anything as thick or long as I need.

[Jamie Buxton]

Jackel Enterprises, near Monterey CA

And Baker Hardwoods, in the same area.

[Ira Matheny]

Try 'Knothead' in Ceres CA. Or put 'lumber mills Ceres CA' into your search engine or go to Youtube and search for 'Knothead'.

[Mark Gibney]

Angel City Lumber in downtown LA.
Street Tree Revival in Anaheim / Stockton / Ontario

Call them, tho I think they carry more random variable lumber from whatever is felled in parks and on streets around California but may well have walnut and white oak.

I've never seen dried slabs that could be FINISHED down to those thicknesses. Good luck with your search. Please let us know how you get on.

[Ed Murray]

Give Peterman Lumber Mill in Fontana a call. I've seen slabs there before and in the Las Vegas branch

[Richard Coers]

A 53" wide white oak slab would have to come from a state record tree, plus the finished 2.5" thickness would also require a record amount of kiln time to dry it. Either that or a really giant vacuum kiln. White oak is a very difficult wood to dry in really thick pieces. It doesn't like to give up the internal bound water. I'm assuming you will need to do that in at least 2 pieces. Seems to me you are looking for a unicorn that will weigh really close to 600 pounds.

[Tom Bender]

Seems like a high risk build. Building it up from 8/4 stock might be indistinguishable from solid slabs, unless you know what to look for.