Who is the best lumber supplier in the US?

[Johnny Fischer]

Hello Fellow Creekers,
Can anybody provide me & everybody else w/ who is the best & most reasonable lumber supplier(s) in the US.
Thanks

[Dewey Torres]

Johnny,
Way too vague! What are you looking for specifically?
Dewey

[Johnny Fischer]

Hardwood beams, between 8" x 12" & up.
Hard Maple, oak, cherry. Domestic hardwoods.
Figured it would be cheaper to purchase beams and cut want I need out of them as I need them then to purchase pre cut boards.

[Dewey Torres]

Yes... generally you are correct. What are you building? We are getting warmer now!
Dewye

[Johnny Fischer]

Project #1 Entertainment Center
Project #2 Cabinet Towers & head board w/ light bridge for king bed.
Project #3 Dresser

[Dewey Torres]

I would look local first if you haven't already:

Robert's Hardwood Lumber Supl

(941) 379-9744

Custom Hardwoods

(941) 366-0929

Woodcraft Specialties Incorporated

(941) 758-1979

If this doesn't work for what you are looking for then you are ready for a mail order or a road trip. Find out what you want and what amount ... this thread will evevitibly have many more posts than mine so stay tuned.
Dewey

[Greg Cuetara]

I'm not sure I exactly understand what you are looking for. Do you want almost full size logs that you can bandsaw pieces off of? (Like 8" or 12" square?) If so I would think there are many other concerns regarding drying etc. when you peal off a piece of a log you would have to sticker it and let it dry out before you could use it.

If you are looking for 6/4 or 8/4 to then resaw I would think that would be ok as long as it was originally dried sufficiently. I am not sure what you mean about precut boards. Do you mean widths or thicknesses or lengths? Other than thicknesses, widths and lengths do come in random sizes.

If you are looking for good prices etc. I would touch base with Mike Morgan as he has some great prices for bulk lumber and others here have had good luck with is wood.

Greg

[Johnny Fischer]

Sorry about that guys, I guess I should have been a little more descriptive.
I'm looking for KD lumber beams approx 8" x 12" x 8'L min.

Dewey,
Thanks for trying to be helpful in regards to local hard wood retailers.
Roberts Hardwoods is not the place to look for good deals on lumber.
I've lived here for 30yr.'s and know of all the suppliers around here.
They are GREEEDY.
Last year I called 84 lumber for a price quote on a piece of cheery select 1" x 6" x 8'. They wanted $80 for (1) board.
Everybody else arounds here is pretty much the same, (INSANE)

[David DeCristoforo]

Wallywood World in Orlando FL and Anaheim CA......

[Dave MacArthur]

It's been my experience that once you go over a certain size for each species, wood actually costs MORE for the larger beam than thinner boards... based on market availability if nothing else. My cousin runs a sawmill and kiln operation in Michigan, and while processing a walnut log this summer he indicated that the extra one minute it took him to slice an 8/4 to a 4/4 (and by inference a 16/4 to an 8/4) was meaningless compared to the huge increase in handling effort and processing time that larger slab would cost him. It's an inventory time-in-stock problem, and the cost and increased risk to maintain and dry larger beams/slabs without problems is much more. I'd expect that to be passed on to the buyer.

I'd also think slicing a side off a beam would really give you moisture and warping issues...though I haven't done it myself, other threads here from folks who have indicate that.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...slicing a side off a beam would really give you moisture and warping issues..."

Not to mention the potential for serious checking which tends to increase exponentially as the size of the billet increases.

[Johnny Fischer]

Wallywood World in Orlando FL and Anaheim CA......

Thanks David, I check them out.

[John Thompson]

Unless you deal directly with a sawmill Johnny.. finding over 16/4 is going to be difficult. Give Suwanee Hardwoods a call up in Suwanee, Ga. @ -800-330-8087 and see if they can advise you for your area.

I have been purchasing there since 1978 and they had a warehouse in Florida at one point. I believe that might have closed it.. but may be able to help. A toll free number.. so won't hurt to ask.

Sarge..

[Johnny Fischer]

Thanks for the info Sarge, I'll do that.
Georgia is alot closer then CA or PA., especially @ $4.26 a gallon for diesel.

[David DeCristoforo]

Actually, one of my favorite places to buy wood is World Timbers but they usually don't actually carry "timbers". They have up to 12/4 in many species. They are in NC so I usually only buy from them when I need a lot of wood which makes the shipping more reasonable. They are on the 'net at: http://worldtimbercorp.com/contact.htm

For "speciality" woods I like Glimer in Portland OR: http://www.gilmerwood.com/

They also got some nice "old arn" for sale. Neither of these suppliers carry much in the way of large timbers but they are great suppliers nonetheless. I figured this might make up for my previous wisea** reply.....