Home Depot

[Matt Walton]

now this is just sad, I was at Home Depot the other day, and saw this board of "Select Red Oak"
Disclaimer:
the picture of the tag on the last one did come from a different one, which I think is legit, but I am 99.99% sure that the other one said that as well.

[Tony Bilello]

HD is the K-Mart of lumber stores.
I rarely ever buy anything there and even then it might only be a 2X4 or two. If I need 3 I will go to a lumber yard further down the road.
The thought of buying hardwood or hardwood plywood at HD would never even occur to me. I will drive 3 hours round trip to buy quality plywood or have them deliver rather than buy it from HD.
As a matter of fact, HD is the only place you will find warped sheets of MDF.

[Peter Quinn]

Those picks look pretty good compared to what my local HD carries. Once in a while you can find a piece of hard maple that has some figure to it and actually represents a value, but mostly the stuff is mishandled bottom of the barrel junk best avoided. You can do it.....but they ain't much help.

[Jacob Griffith]

HD is the only place you will find warped sheets of MDF.

LOL...how true

[John Coloccia]

HD is the K-Mart of lumber stores.
I rarely ever buy anything there and even then it might only be a 2X4 or two. If I need 3 I will go to a lumber yard further down the road.
The thought of buying hardwood or hardwood plywood at HD would never even occur to me. I will drive 3 hours round trip to buy quality plywood or have them deliver rather than buy it from HD.
As a matter of fact, HD is the only place you will find warped sheets of MDF.

Personally, I've given up on even buying 2X4 there. It's far quicker and less frustrating to drive an extra 10 minutes to my local lumber yard than it is to pick through their pile of 2X4s looking for one or two that are reasonably straight without big chunks missing or sap dripping from every pore.

[Mike Lipke]

You are doing well, actually. At my Menard's store, the 2 bys stlll have branches growing out of them.

[Matt Walton]

Personally, I've given up on even buying 2X4 there. It's far quicker and less frustrating to drive an extra 10 minutes to my local lumber yard than it is to pick through their pile of 2X4s looking for one or two that are reasonably straight without big chunks missing or sap dripping from every pore.

Unfortunately, I'm not so lucky. When I look on WoodFinder, the closest thing to my zip code is Ceder Depot, which is wholesale only, and 27 miles away. After that, it's Rockler in Arlington (31), Hardwood Lumber Company of Dallas (34), Woodcraft in Addison (35), Brazos Forest Products in Grand Prairie (35), and Wood World in Dallas (36). And since I'm only 14, my dad has to take me everywhere, and he's not too crazy about driving to anywhere except the local Ace Hardware which is about 3 miles away.

[Peter Stahl]

Unfortunately, I'm not so lucky. When I look on WoodFinder, the closest thing to my zip code is Ceder Depot, which is wholesale only, and 27 miles away. After that, it's Rockler in Arlington (31), Hardwood Lumber Company of Dallas (34), Woodcraft in Addison (35), Brazos Forest Products in Grand Prairie (35), and Wood World in Dallas (36). And since I'm only 14, my dad has to take me everywhere, and he's not too crazy about driving to anywhere except the local Ace Hardware which is about 3 miles away.

Matt, Lots of good online suppliers. Maybe your parents would charge it for you. The only woodworking I ever did at your age was in school. The teacher did get us hardwoods to use though.

[Howard Acheson]

I'm not sure what your issue is. All the pictures show lumber that qualifies for the designation of "select". However, "select", by itself, is not a proper lumber grade. "Select" boards are those suitable for clear coating or painting. Select grade "A" & "B" are suitablle for clear coating while Select grades "C" & "D" are suitable for painting. Of course if you want a board that you plan to stain and/or clear coat you want to buy "Select A" or "Select B".

In general, the big boxes do not sell Select A or Select B lumber. They sell Select C or Select D.

If the lumber is labeled only "Select" assume it's the lowest grade. "Selec", by itself, tells you nothing.

For a more complete discussion of lumber grading, go to: http://www.tpub.com/engbas/6-2.htm

BTW, the big boxes don't sell top grade sheet goods either--nor do they claim they do.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Agree, if you're looking for "fine furniture" quality lumber, you should not look in your local HARDWARE store. You should go to a lumber yard. The hardware stores sell lumber for the weekend projects and construction lumber.

[Chris Tsutsui]

There's 3 home depots in my area, and one of them has really slow business.

I went to look at their lumber and they've got very low quantities of sheet goods. However, every sheet looked severly twisted bowed and warped. Their stock literally looked like nobody would ever buy a sheet there.

On the other hand, I went to a different HD that has the most contractor sales, and you will see fresh looking plywood... only sometimes that plywood will warp after cutting. It's like a guessing game. Maybe if they had a good batch I would buy more.

Home depot is good for other things though of course.

BTW, did anyone notice the cost of MDF went down along with the ENR cost index?

Several years ago it was $21 a sheet, then it quickly went up to $32 a year ago, now its $29.

[Peter Stahl]

I'm not sure what your issue is. All the pictures show lumber that qualifies for the designation of "select". However, "select", by itself, is not a proper lumber grade. "Select" boards are those suitable for clear coating or painting. Select grade "A" & "B" are suitablle for clear coating while Select grades "C" & "D" are suitable for painting. Of course if you want a board that you plan to stain and/or clear coat you want to buy "Select A" or "Select B".

In general, the big boxes do not sell Select A or Select B lumber. They sell Select C or Select D.

If the lumber is labeled only "Select" assume it's the lowest grade. "Selec", by itself, tells you nothing.

For a more complete discussion of lumber grading, go to: http://www.tpub.com/engbas/6-2.htm

BTW, the big boxes don't sell top grade sheet goods either--nor do they claim they do.

Give the kid a break he's only 14, he's still learning.

[Matt Walton]

I'm trying to get wood to make my mom the knife block from Popular Woodworking #177 (August).
My parents aren't mean, but I have to pay for all my magazine subscriptions.

[Matt Walton]

And from those three magazine subscriptions, I have heard time and again about seeing the wood before you buy. But I guess if one buys from a reputable source, they don't have to worry about knots.

[Ed Hazel]

Matt
What size pieces do you need are you looking for Red Oak? I would be happy to look thru my cut offs ect. I am assuming you will need small pieces.