Who has a local lumber yard?

[Ron Carlton]

We have 3 that I frequent in the D/FW area, plus a sawmill about an hour's drive from me.

Could you list them please?

[Glen Butler]

In chicago? I go to owl hardwood... The location I go to is small, so it doesn't match wheelwright. Buy they have a good selection of woods. Check out their Internet page... I think it is owlhardwood.com

Owl Hardwood looks like a great place to get hardwood but does not classify as a lumber yard. They don't have building materials, far as I could see, just hardwood. If there is a lumber yard in Chicago or even 50 miles away that would be nice to know though.

By the way, here's a really nice REAL lumberyard.

http://www.keimlumber.com/

Not to shabby woodworking store either.

This place looks about as close as you can get to heaven on earth. Wheelwright that I posted above can order me any hardwood I want but they don't stock any 4/4 hardwood. They do have some S4S in the popular stuff for the finish subcontractors in the area.

Sounds like those in a metropolis are less likely to have a lumber yard maybe cause there aren't really any subdivisions and single family housing going in.

[Steve Rowe]

I live in a town of about 22K and we have two lumberyards in addition to a Lowes. No Home Depot. For hardwoods, I use Hogan Hardwoods located about 75 miles away. They deliver to my town twice per week.

[Matthew Curtis]

Anyone in OH have some that they like?

[Matt Meiser]

What part of Ohio?

[glenn bradley]

I have one about 4 miles away but I differ on my classification of lumber yard I guess. No trusses, dimensional lumber, lam-beams or any such. They do carry millwork, prefinished ply, shop ply, cabinet ply, veneered ply, MDF and melamine. Mostly though it is just rows of maples, poplar, alder, cherry, oaks, beech, bubinga, zebra wood, aromatic cedar, mahoganys, teak, jelutong, etc.

There is a small side room where they carry items for your convenience much the same way Rockler or Woodcraft carry lumber; no bargains but its there if you need it: Kreg stuff, drawer slides, screws, blades and bits, some jigs, milled legs, plinths, corbels and such. There are 3 more within a half hour or so but I have never gone to them, yet. I know some folks look under hardwood instead of lumber and find flooring shops.

[Mike Archambeau]

We have amazing access to lumber here in CT. Rings End Lumber is the best lumber yard I have ever seen. You could build an entire house with what they sell. You can get a flavor for what they offer here: http://www.ringsend.com/

If you need lumber for building furniture here is the best source I know of in CT: http://www.kellogghardwoods.com/.

I have used both sources extensively. They are family run, and they are very nice people.

Not sure how many Creekers are in the NY, CT, or MA area that are not already aware of these businesses.....but just in case.....

[David Helm]

There are at least 8 in my area that primarily service the construction industry. In my town there is a plywood mill that produces a variety of woods. There is also a very good hardwood operation that sells many type of woods, from local to exotic. He has been in business for nearly 40 years and is my go to guy.

[Steve Kohn]

I have posted this previously. Many are still in business but I can't swear that all of them are. Call or email first.

Here you go...

Kirkland Sawmill is on Route 72 which is Main Street in Kirkland, illinois, about 9 miles west of Genoa. It is a tiny town out near route 39. Hours are M-F 8 to 5 and 8 to noon on Saturdays.

Kirkland Saw Mill, 606 W. Maine Street, Kirkland, IL 60140
815-522-6150
Ron is the name of the owner...

Only local woods. Tons of Oak, both Red and White. Usually has Maple and poplar, but only occasionally other woods. Lots of 4/4 and 5/4 stock, but limited on bigger stuff.

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Owl Hardwood
926 S. Graceland (Route 45)
Des Plaines, illinois 60016
(847-824-5025)

Big selection, but very, very, very pricey. Mostly finished two faces to a fat ¾”.

A good place to go for exotics around here. Any unusual sheet goods, too -- exotic faced ply, for instance. They can get it, if they don't have it, usually. Contact them here: http://www.owlhardwood.com/

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Badger Hardwoods of Wisconsin, Ltd.
(Owner: Bob Hansen)
N1517 Hwy 14
Walworth, WI 53184

Monday-Saturday
Phone: (800) 252-2373
Phone: (414) 275-1162
FAX: (414) 275-9855
e-mail:badgerwood@badgerwood.com

It's about 10 minutes north of Harvard. A little house with a bunch of sheds full to the rafters with wood. Wide selection, good prices.

They also have a web site.
www.badgerwood.com

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The Hardwood Connection
1810 State Route 64
Sycamore, IL 60178
(815) 895-8733

Big selection. Exotics and domestic stuff. Very expensive but high quality. Lots of turning blanks and lots of plywood species. Often have specials on unusual woods in odd sizes.
Also, a nice selection of tools to drool over.

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Kettle Moraine Hardwoods.
www.kmhardwoods.com

Good selection, nice people. The best prices in the area. Their species selection is not as broad as others but they carry many different stock sizes (up to 12/4). They also do some stock prep for low costs. Planing, ripping, cross cuts, sanding, etc.

Two locations near Milwaukee.
SOUTH STORE (closest to Chicago)
- Off I-94 in Racine County. Exit at 7 Mile Road (Which is 25 miles north of the illinois state line). Take the west frontage road north one mile to store.

Caledonia, WI 53108
I-94 & 7 mile Road
262 835 9212

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GC Mill in Woodstock.
Another good place for domestic woods is GC Mill in Woodstock. A little shack off of Route 14. Gerardo and Cindy will treat you right and it's worth the trip for any amount of lumber.
815-334-8174.
A little place (easy to miss so watch out!), just a house and a Quonset hut filled with lumber. The only place I have been to with 16’ long stock! The guy running it really loves wood and likes to show off his stock. Prices are fair.

www.gcmill.com
And lastly is
Horigan Urban Forest Products, Inc.
847-568-1340
www.urbanlumber.com
I have not been to their place but their web site shows some interesting wood.

[Peter Quinn]

I have two lumber yards in town that also carry a wide selection of millwork, and three more within a 30 minute drive that each has a sort of speciality. One is heavy in cedar products, another handles windows, etc. And we have the Borg. And Lowes a bit down the road.

I know there are places where the local lumber yard has all but disappeared. Its sad. I can remember going to trade shops and lumber yards with my father as a kid, and if you didn't speak the language, the service was a bit rough. Plumbing, electrical, carpentry, we bought each of these in a separate specialty store. If you did speak the language, the service was great and you got exactly what you needed quick. Walking into a trade shop and asking for "one of those thingys" isn't well received. My local electrical vendor left last year due to the economy and a localized traffic/construction issue, and that hurts when I need to wire machines and count on the borg for parts.

For hardwood and plywood there are several good yards locally. Most of the "contractors/builders" yards around here stock some hardwood and cabinet grade plywood, but its marginal quality and vastly overpriced

[Callan Campbell]

Guess I better speak to this one, as I live in Chicago. When we lost first one Hines Lumber that was 10 minutes from me and then another one just north of me, we lost alot. Now, according to their website, Hines has just one store inside the city limits, up in the Edgewater neighborhood. All the rest of their stores are in locations outside the city
There ARE some independent yards like Heather mentioned still left in the city, but they are probably hard hit by both the national chains like Home Depot etc. and the fallen housing business. I'm lucky to have Wood World just 5 minutes away, but they're a Hardwood supplier, with some extras like Festool and some millwork. I miss both of my local Hines yards though, they knew their stuff and I relied on them for Cedar for outside projects. Maybe I'll have to drive all the way up to the remaining store and check it out. Others have mentioned Owl Hardwood, and I've bought from them too. I haven't seen their prices really being out of line, and I've bought way more wood than just 4/4. Owl and Wood World carry handrail stock in several wood species too, which was really handy to update our almost 100 year old 2 flat.
For hardware, I use McFeelys alot, as I know I'm just going to be frustrated if I reply on Home Depot to have what I'm looking for.
Chicago lost Frog Tool down on Jackson awhile ago[they were kind of a icon to some people], and for a short time in the 90's there was a pretty decent place on Ashland that also did lots of tool sharpening, like planer and jointer knives in addition to selling tools/equipment. Lots of business carnage , and lost outlets for woodworkers.

[Bob Haskett]

We have a couple, but the ones I know of will not sell to the public.

[Shawn Murphy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by James Carmichael
We have 3 that I frequent in the D/FW area, plus a sawmill about an hour's drive from me.

Could you list them please?


I'd like to see that list as well, other than Gray's sawmill in Oklahoma, I'm not aware of any other decent local(ish) sources for wood.

[Glenn Vaughn]

I haven't been able to find any good ones in the Denver area (any Denver area creekers want to enlighten me?). There are 2 good local hardwood dealers, but no good non-borg lumberyards that I can find.

I have heard that Paxton is very good - have you tried them?

[Karl Card]

We still have a couple here in evansville, in but the best wood at the best price inthese parts is around brazil, indiana and down in kentucky. I bought 100 bd ft of aromatic cedar with some beautiful knots in it to make daughters cedar chest and gave 110 for it and it was kiln dried.