OT: Where does all The Good lumber go?

Ron Berry · May 12, 2009

36 Coupe remarked about the poor quality of lumber that people were using for picnic tables. Reminded me that when I went to home despot that they had a table at the back entrance and I remarked to my son that the lumber was so sorrowful that it was bad advertisement. Took me 45 minutes to find 4 4x4s and they weren't that good. Where does all the good lumber go? Am i looking in the wrong place?
My Brother and his family went to "Home Coming" at the Church we grew up in. He ended up near the end of line at the line to fix His plate {dinner on the grounds}.He ended up with the last couple of pieces of fried chicken. By the time he set down at a picnic table the folks on the other side got up for dessert. Table tipped food all over him ,his wife, and daughter. 36 is right you need a good design and good lumber.

MikeinKy · May 12, 2009

Around here, the private owned lumber yards have the best lumber and cheaper too. A while back I needed some treated 16' 2x10's and Lowes was $5.00 per board higher than the little guy. I was afraid that when they came here Lowes would run the private companies out, but it hasn't happened. They are always the highest place in town. They have switch plate screws in a package of 4 for $.98. At the local electric supply they were .06 each. I neede some flair nuts. At Lowes .98, the harware store, .58. I only go there on weekends when I am in a bind.

steveormary · May 12, 2009

Altho Lowes is just down the road from where I live I prefer the smaller family owned hardware and lumber stores. Better service.

steveormary

supergrumpy · May 12, 2009

guy I know works for lumber distributor, his company buys several mill run (million board feet) at a time then sorts out the best/better/good stuff and sells that to private yards

leftovers get sold to h/d and Lowes

Anonymous-0 · May 12, 2009

Lumber has improved at Lowes this year.Grade stamp doesnt mean much.From the lumber I see none has ever been looked at by a grader.Lumber passes under a roller stamp the marks it #2.I would like to buy closer to home but too much junk is paased off as good lumber.I buy where I can pick my lumber.I do think that a better grade of lumber is shipped out of Maine for a higher price.Just found a 2 foot length of 2x6 in the barn that had 10 large knots in it.Grade stamped #2.I talked with a HD manager about the poor quality of lumber they were selling.He didnt seem to care.HD is selling a table now that is a sure tipper.

Zube Stumbo · May 12, 2009

I have found the best treated lumber and the lowest price at Stout's hardware in Sheperdsville, Ky. Big surprise that they were cheaper than Lowes.

Anonymous-0 · May 12, 2009

Ive seen far worse stuff in a private yard and cost runs about the same.When I see good lumber I buy extra.Some pieces I see are good for fire wood only.When I started building picnic tables I tried buying from small hardware stores but got tired of paying double for table hardware.Its a 10 to 20 mile trip to get to a hardware store from here.

Ken Macfarlane · May 12, 2009

I always buy from the local mill or fire up my sawmill for good lumber. I do buy from the building supply store when I need cheap stuff for forms.

thurlow · May 12, 2009

I suppose it depends on where one lives; the locally owned hardware store/lumber yard (8 minutes away) has the absolute worst lumber I've ever seen; apparently they never throw anything away and boards that have been picked over hundreds of times are still on the racks. They are a little higher than Lowes, but offer a contractor discount which makes them a little lower. Lowes is 30 minutes away, but if I need more than 3 or 4 sticks, I'll make the drive. For framing lumber, all of Lowes stuff is useable.

Hoss In ME · May 12, 2009

Around here all the prime stuff goes to Canada. Hoss

Goose · May 12, 2009

When you look at the price of lumber, it's hard to believe the stuff grows on trees.

Anonymous-0 · May 12, 2009

I worked for Beaver Lumber before they were broken by H/D and customers then complained constantly about lumber quality. And they were right. Economy 8' studs had to have one good end and one good side. Period. At that time we heard that the good stuff was going to the US, mostly from BC. I walked through a saw yard in New Brunswick a few years ago and looked at their stuff and it was absolutely primo. All marked for the US.

hay · May 12, 2009

kind of remarkable that our local hardware store has lumber of much better quality and somewhat cheaper price than the big box stores. i detest going to Lowes because it's 22 miles and always crowded and hot as he!! in there and the music is at an ear split level. sometime i just got to go, but i really try to avoid it. i'm like you, though, where is all the really good lumber and where is all the hardwood plywood? nothing but pine here. can't find good hardwood plywood anywhere. i guess they are all out of business.

Don-Wi · May 12, 2009

We buy most of our lumber from Menards. In our area, we have a Lowes, Menards, and Home Depot all within 2 miles of eachother. Menards and Lowes are just kiddie corner from each other by a major highway. Home Depot is on exit over form the highway.

All are less than 10 miles from our farm. We have ordered from the nearest lumber yard in the past (about 15 miles away) but they're prices are about the same. They do deliver it which is nice, but now we have a tax ID number set up with Menards so everything we buy there is tax exempt for the farm.

Donovan from Wisconsin

Dick L · May 12, 2009

I happend into Menards when a builder was sorting 2" X 4". He said, they just brought me this bunk and it is about all good. If you want to wait a minute or two I am not taking it all even though I should. It was even an in store sale. I don't remember the price but was good for the time. I loaded what the little short bed with tool box pickup I had with me what would fit on. Luck of the draw. I have not found that quality there since without sorting thru many to find one. I went thru a half bunk at Home Depot one time and bought four. I refuse to pay for crap and even though they give dirty looks I sort and sort some more. I have sorted at one lumber company and not bought a thing and go to another and sort some more. I have not seen a sign saying we only have crap so help yourself for free.

northener · May 12, 2009

My son works in a mill in northern ont., and all the prime lumber goes to Ikea to be made into furniture which is then sold world wide.Remember when you buy lumber its stamped with the grade which reflects the price. Here at HD a #2 2/4 sells for 2.24 a utility sells for 1.94. They dont sell #1 lumber here .The smaller business sell for much more than the box stores here.

Spook · May 12, 2009

There are no independent lumberyards in this county. HD and Lowes ran them all out. There were a couple of "builder's yards" that catered to builders, but they are gone now. I find they quality of lumber at the big box places ok. One thing I have learned is to use lumber when I buy it. I tried to store some, and even after using spacers and stacking it carefully, it warped after a year or 2. And some of the pine boards got brittle, they seem to crack or split when you put a nail or screw in them.

keh · May 12, 2009

There is a privately owned building supply place in Union, SC that has good lumber. There are 3 or 4 in Spartanburg,SC. I've never done any comparison shopping, I usually use lumber I've sawed off the place for projects.

KEH

teddy52food · May 12, 2009

Are there any sawmills in your area? Maybe someone with a Woodmizer?

tlak · May 12, 2009

I've heard for years that it all goes overseas. Asians won't let the crap in that they sell us. I've been trying to remodel and I would guess a good portion of the time is spent digging through crap. Looking down the lumber isle at Lowe's or Home Depot, it looks like rocking chair bottoms.
I think some of what's going on is they either do little drying or quit drying it.
If you look what different size dimensional lumber will span, it obviously spans more as you go up in size (2X4 compared to 2X12), but also in the charts it lists grade of lumber. A #1 grade will span more than a #2-3 grade. Some of the repairs I'm doing is replacing/adding to beams that don't add up to more than a 2X4 because of all the knots and checking.

OT: Where does all The Good lumber go?

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