Online Wood Vendors

[Tony G]

I'm usually in the market for 8/4 (7/4 finished) domestic hardwoods (ash, walnut, cherry) and looking for reputable online vendor. I'm only doing this to see if it's cheaper than my local brick and mortars. Currently local ash is $3.17bf finished. Can I do better online?

I Googled it, but seem to be coming up with higher costs so far. Who do you recommend?

[Jim Becker]

Tony, it might be helpful to add your location as folks may know of other local suppliers for what you want. The challenge with buying online is that you cannot select your material, although the better suppliers tend to choose "good stuff", and you can end up with a hefty freight charge on top.

[Brian Henderson]

It's going to be more expensive because you have to add in shipping. The only thing I order online are species that I simply cannot get locally.

[Tony G]

Thanks Jim. Sorry about that, I added SoCal to my profile.

I figured on the shipping upping costs, but still wanted to research just in case to see if it was feasible.

Granted, choosing my own lumber is ideal, but hoped someone reputable and less costly would also care about the product they send me. Again, I'm just throwing it out there to see where it leads. Next choice would be milling my own beyond just my BS, planer and jointer, but that mill would really have to pay for itself and quick-like.

[Andrew Hughes]

Tony no need to order online there's lots of good lumber yards here in So cal.
Peterman,Cherokee,Austin.
Just to name a few
It just doesn't get any better than picking your stock and milling from rough.

[Tony G]

Thanks Andrew, I ended up with my old favorite, Reel, in Riverside. For ash, they gave me the quote of $3.17bf finished or $2.91bf rough, but I'd have to go to Corona for the latter. Now I just need to install cross bars on my new ride.

Peterman was close at $3.59bf, but Cherokee (right around the corner) was outrageous at $6.50bf, ouch.

I'm not familiar with Austin, will have to look them up.

[Dick Mahany]

Tony no need to order online there's lots of good lumber yards here in So cal.
Peterman,Cherokee,Austin.
Just to name a few
It just doesn't get any better than picking your stock and milling from rough.

I agree. I moved to the desert about a year ago but travel to Fontana to visit Peterman (haven't tried the others yet). They are excellent to deal with and have an incredible supply of hardwoods and any kind of sheet good one could think of. They let you select through the stacks, so I won't take a chance on mail order.

[Andrew Hughes]

Oh cool I haven't been to Reel in riverside in a long time.Good to know about their prices Ill check them out next time I'm on the scout for wood.
Mac Beth hardwoods used to be in your area and they had some great wood and prices.
Now their gone.

[Tony G]

I used to go to this mill near CSU San Bernardino and hand the owner $20 and he'd say take all you want. He had loads of ash and what caused me to get addicted to it. The pieces he'd point me to were 4 footers, too small for his business, like scraps to him. I had stock that seemed top last forever. It was a great old mill with great people. It burned down about 10 years ago.? when the fires ripped through there. Real bummer. Been looking for a real mill since.

[Brian Henderson]

I agree. I moved to the desert about a year ago but travel to Fontana to visit Peterman (haven't tried the others yet). They are excellent to deal with and have an incredible supply of hardwoods and any kind of sheet god one could think of. They let you select through the stacks, so I won't take a chance on mail order.

Agreed, that's who I used to use primarily before I moved. Great people and great wood.