I was in the local yard looking for a couple fir 2x8's. There was a new lift still banded and when I looked at least 40% of them had substantial checks and most were center cut. They are cutting 2x8's out of 10 and 12" farm trees apparently. I have not found the quality of lumber to have gotten better. If you have the resources buy from the local yard. Let the contractor start the way he wants to.
"Big Box" store Lumber vs. Lumber Yard
- Thread starter white01ss
- Start date
I prefer menards over HD here. I had a menards delivery when I put an addition on my house. I timed it during their 11% sale and saved quite a bit. The lumber was surprisingly good. No complaints.
Last build was my shed and same thing. I picked it up though. Most of the boards were fine on first pull. Sundays seem hit or miss as a lot of stuff gets picked over.
Last build was my shed and same thing. I picked it up though. Most of the boards were fine on first pull. Sundays seem hit or miss as a lot of stuff gets picked over.
chaosracing
Well-known member
Majority of all lumber is from farm trees. If you would look at growth rings from todays lumber and compare it to lumber from 20-30 years ago, then another 50 years ago and then 100+ years ago. You would be amazed at the differences. Is it any wonder that todays lumber warps and twists so easily? Its no wonder that some places have started selling the engineered lumber, even for 2x4's now.
It not just from HD and Lowes, anyone selling lumber has the same material, its all in the storage and handling. I was talking to a guy at HD a few years back, he used to be a contractor, but due to the crash of 2008, went to work at HD. We got talking about the pressure treated lumber and how wet it is. He told me that what was happening is they were cutting the lumber, drying it, bundling it, putting it in pressure tanks, treating it, then direct shipping after treatment. Back in the day, most places would redry the lumber after treatment. But then you also had better wood to use.
For small amounts Ii go to Lowe's/Menards, its alot faster for me to get in an out. If I have an order of size I go to a local shop. They are a little cheaper than Lowe's. The service is the key. They'll have 2 guys load up your order in your truck. Best part of all is they check everyboard. They'll throw away boards that I thought was perfectly good.
I like that any boards that are in the "not good enough to sell but still useable" pile they donate to a construction class at the local high school.
The only downside is the I always end up chatting at the counter. It always takes a little longer to get out. Granted, thats my fault.
Sent from my VS988 using Tapatalk
I like that any boards that are in the "not good enough to sell but still useable" pile they donate to a construction class at the local high school.
The only downside is the I always end up chatting at the counter. It always takes a little longer to get out. Granted, thats my fault.
Sent from my VS988 using Tapatalk
water-works
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2013
- Messages
- 68
I suppose it all depends on where you're located. I've gone to HD and Lowes and found good material. But other times I've gone there and it seems like every board in the stack is seriously warped and I find myself digging through 20 to find 1 good one. I also see lots of marred edges from the sheet goods.
Conversely, I've gone to the local yard which can order special pieces like big headers, etc., and they always have good stuff. They store it inside big warehouses and even help load the truck. But they are more expensive, probably by at least 10-15%.
Conversely, I've gone to the local yard which can order special pieces like big headers, etc., and they always have good stuff. They store it inside big warehouses and even help load the truck. But they are more expensive, probably by at least 10-15%.
Falcon67
Well-known member
I'll add that I don't blame HD, Lowes, et al for the lumber. My grandad would point out that old growth timber was solid and stays pretty straight. New fast growth stuff - not so much. So it is what it is. I have several 2x4s in stock - when I'm in HD I go look and if I see some in a stack that isn't tending to go crossbow I'll grab a few.
chaosracing
Well-known member
Only way to prevent them from warping and twisting is to lock them in place. If I get large amounts of dimensional lumber, I always restack (if need be) and then put a minimum of three ratchet straps on to secure the lumber. It has worked for me everytime I did it.
bwringer
Well-known member
Our office is in a large house that was built in 1905. The density and quality of the wood (mostly oak) used in the beams, joists, walls, floors, and the remaining original trim is just amazing.
Part of the flooring is pine, but it's incredibly dense, hard stuff that's far removed from the foamy fast-growing softwood you can get today.
When upgrading the electrics and installing network cabling, we really tried to minimize drilling because that old oak is iron-hard.
Plus, many of the walls are still plaster with actual horsehair, which is somewhere beyond concrete after 100+ years. The only way to cut a hole in that stuff for an outlet or network jacks is with a carbide bit in a Rotozip, and it still took forever.
dv8customs
Well-known member
I picked up a full bunk of 10' 2x4s at Lowes and they were in great shape. Much better than the stuff that had been sitting in the racks.
I have a Ganahls lumber fairly close by and usually use them for specialty wood - rough cut doug fir, etc. The one time that I bought about a dozen 2x4's from, they pulled my order and had them stacked so that they looked pretty good from the top. When I got home, and started unloading, I noticed the bottom sides were a different story and ended up taking them back and then went to Lowes
I have pretty good luck picking through the lumber at Lowes, but then again whenever I go there for something, I always swing by the 2x4's to see if they have some really nice looking ones (not for construction use) and end up taking some home
I have pretty good luck picking through the lumber at Lowes, but then again whenever I go there for something, I always swing by the 2x4's to see if they have some really nice looking ones (not for construction use) and end up taking some home
More than likely,that Birch was a China Birch,no way they sold you domestic birch @ that price.
finn
Well-known member
lakelandcat
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2017
- Messages
- 7,327
The biggest problem with lumber at Lowes and Home Depot is they sell so fast its hard to get good lumber unless you get in on a new bundle. Sometimes the wood you see has been picked through and returned. Smaller yards don't go through product as fast so its easier to find good lumber. A lot of DIYs try to pick through the pile looking for the "perfect" piece of wood. Prime is always better quality but more $.
scottydosnntkno
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2010
- Messages
- 670
If your buying full bunks get it where it’s cheapest. We just framed a 5000sq ft house, using entirely Menards ijoists and Home Depot 2x (they match Menards rebates, plus have the bidroom for extra savings)
It was about 10 bunks of 2x6s and 2x4s, both precut stud length and normal
Length. Maybe a handful of each were bad so we cut them up for blocking. They we’re all factory wrapped and had production dates within two weeks of when they were delivered.
‘Normal’ big box wood is bad because it gets unstrapped, picked through and dries out being inside. If your building new construction unstrap them frame you’ll be fine
It was about 10 bunks of 2x6s and 2x4s, both precut stud length and normal
Length. Maybe a handful of each were bad so we cut them up for blocking. They we’re all factory wrapped and had production dates within two weeks of when they were delivered.
‘Normal’ big box wood is bad because it gets unstrapped, picked through and dries out being inside. If your building new construction unstrap them frame you’ll be fine
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Baltic birch really from the Baltic region at "good" prices ? I don't believe it.
It is usually 60%-75% over ACX.
Last edited:
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Contractor and framers do not have time to inspect 2x4 and 2x6 lumber. If it is really bad they will set it aside (of course today's standard say you only need 3 good edge). If you are lucky, before the sheathing is applied, they will use cables and come-a-longs to pull a wall into square and make sure the corners are square.
Get their return policy in writing, but this is probably the best you can expect.
Last edited:
lakelandcat
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2017
- Messages
- 7,327
Old school framers know how to straighten a board. If its to bad it goes for headers,supports, burn pile or saw horses.
La Petite Tools
Well-known member
I built my 16x20 shed and gambrel roof trusses with wood all from menards, delivered. there weren't any pieces that were so bad that they couldn't be used but it also took me a few months to prebuild the walls and trusses so that could have contributed to some boards not being useful.
ptgb
Well-known member
Last Spring we built a playhouse/swing set for my grandson. Ordered all the lumber from Menards after pricing it out from big box and local lumber. They were easily the least expensive. They picked it and delivered. I told them when ordering that I didn't want any **** pieces.
Either they heeded my request or I got lucky, because everything was straight, not twisted, and was in very good condition. It was a little wet, but I built it over two months time, so it was fine when it came time to start building.
Either they heeded my request or I got lucky, because everything was straight, not twisted, and was in very good condition. It was a little wet, but I built it over two months time, so it was fine when it came time to start building.
rbrock
Well-known member
When building my current house (still working on it) I ordered my lumber from a local supplier because the total cost was cheaper (2 by x, OSB wall and Sub floor, trusses, I-joists, doors and windows). We got everything in full bundles. We just kept a pile off to the side of any defective or extra item and they would pick them up and give me credit each time they brought a new load no questions asked.