# How do I find cheaper lumber?



## SquintyPolock (Mar 16, 2013)

Here is $265 worth of oak boards from HD.

1X12

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$6.44/ LF ranging down to 1x2
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 $0.98/ LF. Then add Cook County sales tax @ 9.25% and I am crrying over the cost of this project.

Where can I find a cheaper source of lumber?


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

Craig's list diligence. Plus, you may look to see f there are local hardwood dealers, cabinet shops or sawyers. Big box hard wood is scary expensive.


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## Buckethead (Apr 14, 2013)

Craigslist can likely help. I would consider returning that wood and researching a bit further. I have found a couple local sources that offer hardwoods for far less than HD. It is generally rough sawn, but I think that adds fun to the project.

You could likely get that same species for half the money, especially if it is a species which grows regionally.


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## davegutz (Oct 16, 2012)

I drive 50 miles into New Hampshire to get decent hardwood selection about 1/3 the cost of HD (they have a shorts bin and occasional clearance sales on the shorts). Maybe Wisconsin offers that for you?


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## JustJoe (Oct 26, 2012)

You're in Chicago and buying lumber at Home Depot!???!! ???
If there aren't any real lumberyards listed in the phone book, try searching here:
http://www.woodfinder.com/


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## kdc68 (Mar 2, 2012)

Buying from the big box stores is expensive…

If you have a jointer and/or a planer you are better off buying from a lumber distributer in your area…..You can buy S2S (surfaced 2 sides) for example, for about half the price of the big box stores ….Then you can mill to dimensions….

Here's an example of price comparing of oak in my area

HD - 1×8x8 - $37.44 
My hardwood distributer - 1×8x8 - $19.33


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## Buckethead (Apr 14, 2013)

Ya… I just saw that he's in Chicago too. Seems like there would be quite a few resources.

I found this on CL in about 12 seconds: http://chicago.craigslist.org/nch/mat/3841297916.html

100 bf of 4/4 cherry for $3.00 per bf: http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/mat/3840329430.html

Same guy? Walnut for the same $3.00 bf: http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/mat/3784258533.html

I'm moving to Chicago! .... Errrr… No I'm not. 

Holy mackerel. I think I could become a Packers fan: http://chicago.craigslist.org/nch/mat/3833747126.html


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

Find a hardwoods dealer. You would think that would be more expensive but they have better prices on random widths and lengths and maybe only one side straightlined. Do you have a menards nearby. They sell oak like you got at HD, but they also sell the random sizes with some knots for a lot cheaper per bf.


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## Buckethead (Apr 14, 2013)

Aaaaand here's the Chicago white oak connection for $3.00 bf: http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/mat/3835364636.html


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

And Buckethead saves the day.


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 18, 2013)

There is a guy here who gets his from a hardwood dealer in Desplaines. If I remember correctly, that is close to the windy city. http://lumberjocks.com/topics/50367 Go buy a jointer and a planer off of craigslist and discover saving money and having fun by buying lumber in the rough. You will pay for your hardware every time you buy rough lumber. You will also discover the joy of the freedom of casting off the chains of 3/4 inch lumber.


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## widdle (Mar 10, 2010)

That first add looks like some great lumber, long drive..


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

A planer and jointer will pay for themselves much quicker than you think as there is a lot of rough cut lumber available: Craigslist,hardwood dealers,sawmills.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Find the dealer the pros buy from. The place is probably by a railroad
track somewhere. It may have been in business 100 years or
more. You get the idea. They won't have it all laid out
nice and may be a bit gruff, but they'll treat you right in
the end.


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## Dakkar (Feb 14, 2013)

It takes a lot of effort to gear up to it, but the absolute cheapest way is to cut, mill and dry your own. Once you do that you can get a pile of oak that size for free. As gfadvm points out, though, any amount of prep work you can cut out in the lumber acquisition process can save money. What you paid for is convenience. The more work you can put into the process, the more you can save.


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## JustJoe (Oct 26, 2012)

Well that might be true if you live in a forest. In my little slice of heaven a full-grown mesquite bush will dull 27 sawmill blades to produce approximately 2.5 board feet of lumber, none of it wider than 2" and no straight pieces longer than 15".

Edit: I should add that the nearest walnut/cherry/white oak/red oak/apple tree is probably a 13 hour ride…
There are quite a few lemon trees in the yards up in Green Valley however, I wonder if I can sneak out there and chop a few down while the snowbirds are up north for the summer….


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

I have a guy with a mill about 2 miles away I am in South Bend and everything is right at $1 a BF. This is the reason I upgraded to a 20" planer and I am on the lookout for an 8" jointer.


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## jgreiner (Oct 23, 2010)

Woodwrecker used to live in Chicago and would get lots of free oak pallets from places like motorcycle shops etc… the may need some cleaning up and suck but free is free 

-jeremy


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## OnlyJustME (Nov 22, 2011)

Wish I could get anything at 1 bdft.


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## 8iowa (Feb 7, 2008)

I'll advise going to the WoodMizer web site, where they have a list of WoodMizer owners. You can probably find several not far from you. These guys often have stacks of wood around and they might be inclined to sell some.

Also, Wisconsin is a great lumbering state and the U.P. is even better. Do some research and contact some mills. They will often sell wood to individuals if you will make an appointment, and show up on time. Take a vacation trip this summer. U.P. here I have two sources for Cherry and curly maple. My last buy was at $2 per board foot.

I also like the Frank Miller Lumber Company in Union City Indiana, one of the largest mills in the country. They have a retail store and give discounts to individuals in the woodworking business. They have all the domestic woods and a considerable supply of imported and exotic woods as well. Sometimes you can buy cut-offs. I got some nice walnut that way. Make this an overnight trip from Chicago.


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## jdmaher (May 4, 2011)

In Chicagoland, the best hardwoods outfit I've found is OWL Hardwood Lumber. They have at least 3 locations.

If you want really nice stuff, pricey, go to The Hardwood Connection. Huge selection of REALLY nice lumber. And they have a shop that will mill and do anything you want to the lumber (for a "shop time" fee). Costs some, but its a great way to get a headstart on a a project.

I've searched Craigslist, but can never seem to find what I want, when I want it. And the couple of times when I have travelled to see stuff,what I found wasn't very apealing. Very hit and miss.

I've bought off eBay, with good luck. And off the internet generally - with more mixed results.

Locally, Menards has pretty good lumber, slightly less than HD (when you HAVE to have it NOW).


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

Reedwood also posted a story about going wood shopping here. Owl Hardwood in Desplaines, Illinois Be aware he came home with 4 additional Stanley planes so it sounds like a dangerous shopping mission.


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## rhett (May 11, 2008)

I second the suggestion of contacting Wood Mizer, you will be surprised at how many weeked sawyers there are around you.

Be Good
Rhett


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## WDHLT15 (Aug 15, 2011)

I have a woodmizer sawmill, cut and air dry hardwood lumber, and sell it to woodworkers. I advertise on Craigslist in the "Materials" section. My prices for oak, for example are less than 1/3rd of HD or Lowes. Definitely check your local Craigslist. I also have walnut, cherry, yellow poplar, sweetgum, hackberry, maple, sycamore, chinaberry, pecan, etc. so you might find a very good variety if you check with the sawyers.


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## SquintyPolock (Mar 16, 2013)

Thank you, everyone for your advice. I have some homework to do. I am thinking about returning the HD stock. I am also thinking about investing in a jointer and planer, but where to put them?

Buckethead - you are one heck of a procurement man!


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## jacob34 (Mar 14, 2012)

I have to say find a hardwood dealer is the way to go, I live 20 min from HD and an hour from a hardwood dealer, no choice I go to the dealer everytime.


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## sprucegum (Dec 6, 2012)

I wish LJ had a classified section strictly for lumber so some those of us with sawmills and lumber to spare could help out the wood worker among us who have very little access to reasonable priced wood. Wood for turning and smaller projects can be shipped in Flat Rate Boxes, freight companies including fedx will ship bigger stock at pretty reasonable prices. A good classified section would also give folks access to some truly unique wood that you just cant buy at a box store














































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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

I see somebody already mentioned Owl Hardwood. That's one of the major hardwood sellers in the area. The one I purchase from is Raynor Rinn Scott. I'm seldom paying more than $5 a board foot unless I start going after exotics or perhaps walnut. The price is probably higher for those purchasing smaller volumes but I'm sure it's still far cheaper than what the home improvement stores charge.

Good quality oak typically runs around $3 for plain-sawn if I recall correctly. If you really don't want a planer or jointer they offer processing services too. I've never gone that route though and can't say if it's any good or not.

Raynor Rinn Scott Website


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## SquintyPolock (Mar 16, 2013)

Thanks again for all your advice. I returned the 1×12's and bought a piece of plywood. I kept the 1×2, 1×4, and 1×6. Total cost dropped from $265 to $115. I checked out the wood mizer web site and I wanna get one (and a jointer and planer, too)! Those things are so AWESOME. Follow my blogs; one day in the far future, I will be ripping my own boards.

Here is my blog about ripping the plywood down. http://lumberjocks.com/SquintyPolock/blog/36402


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## grfrazee (Jul 17, 2012)

If you have the time, there's a lumberyard in Caledonia, WI called Kettle Moraine Hardwoods that I've been going to for years. It's about 1:30 from Chicago on I-94. Prices are better than Owl from what I've seen.


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## EPJartisan (Nov 4, 2009)

I just saw this post.

Wood World is up on Elston just west of Western. They have a nice selection and is easier to get to that Owl Lumber… Luli who works there is awesome, but I hear the owner is a jerk.

For larger or thicker stock try to get to the north side to Horigan Urban Forest Products, Inc..... Chicago city felled trees in HUGE slabs.

and if you want to explore a bit of south east Wisconsin you can try to locate Mueller's Tree Service on Greenbay Road just south of Racine.. no website.. and is run by a 400 year old guy and his son… can't really call them, or rely that they will be around but it is the best figured wood EVER for dirt cheap prices.. maple walnut honey locust, dogwood, hackberry, oak.. you name it, but be prepared to get really dirty climbing the stacks.

and I have another contact, closer, but I have not used it yet to confirm the validity.. I'll get back to ya.. OH and I maybe moving soon, so if you need lumber let me know.


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## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

I also buy my lumber at OWL LUMBER in Lombard as others have mentioned. They have a great selection, top quality, even exotics. Prices are great too compared to the box stores. They have squared or planned the boards at no charge. Check it out it is worth it.


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## OggieOglethorpe (Aug 15, 2012)

Most "real" hardwood suppliers are easily 1/3 to 1/2 off the home centers (even for s4s), and often offer 25-30 species.

Some even offer price breaks as low as 100 bd/ft, which is not as much wood as you'd think. It's not a bad idea to buy wood you like in 100+ bd/ft lots. For example, for furniture, most folks have a preference for woods like cherry, walnut, hard maple, mahogany, or quartersawn white oak, so buy a decent amount of what you like, then add a minimum price break stash of secondary wood like poplar, soft maple, quality white pine, or even ash, and you're off to the races. The secondary wood stash might last you 3-4 good projects.

Even here in Connecticut, it's not hard to halve home center prices, and often get better stock to boot!


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## YanktonSD (Jun 21, 2011)

If you want cheaper lumber
1) look to a local saw mill and neighbor everyone has a neighbor that is cutting down a tree of some sort and you can take the lumber to the Saw mill

2) local auctions!! I have bought more high quality lumber at auctions for next to nothing, last weekend I bought 400 BFt of Black Walnut for 20$ and it was dried and planed for me.

3) ask other woodworkers everyone has a way to find good deals on lumber and sometimes it works better to go in on it with someone to get a better deal.


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## fredj (Jun 4, 2013)

Find somebody who hauls junk away for a living. I've gotten some really great "salvaged" white oak, red oak, and black walnut that was being thrown away. Anything people who are "junking" haul away has to be sold, recycled, or taken to a dump. As the junk hauler has to pay to take things to a dump they will often give wood away or sell it very cheaply. Find such a person and you will be amazed at what people throw away.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Rough lumber = cheap lumber. A jointer and planer pay for themselves in just a few small projects. 
Plus they are really a requirement of woodworking. I have never seen a straight board sitting on the shelf of a big box store.


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## jtriggs (Dec 13, 2007)

Dunham Hardwoods in Iowa. See this review from someone that used them:

http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/brand/797

I use them all the time as well, but I drive there instead of having it shipped. Cannot recommend them any higher. Great people.
Jon


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## sikrap (Mar 15, 2009)

There is a post in the trade and swap section from a guy who's making a lumber run to Chicago. Prices look pretty good.


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## OggieOglethorpe (Aug 15, 2012)

* I have never seen a straight board sitting on the shelf of a big box store.*

Most of it it is pretty bad, especially at insanely high prices…

I have a habit of cruising by my big box lumber rack, as a few times I've grabbed an incredibly figured maple board. It's happened 3-4 times, out of hundreds of trips by.

Am I the only one who's noticed that anything wider than ~ 5" in a big box these days is often a glue-up? A glue-up with not a single moment of thought to matching, either!


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