Has this forum caused you to spend more time in lumber stores

brdmkr · May 12, 2006, 11:07:20 PM

I can't go in a lumber store any more without checking out the quality of the lumber. I had to buy some PT SYP today, I sorted for 20 minutes to pick out 13 boards that weren't too bad. Even when I am there for a non-lumber purchase, I can't help but look at what they have, check out the quality, shake my head a few times etc. I'll bet I'm not alone!

getoverit · May 12, 2006, 11:23:35 PM

I do the same thing, especially in the 1x hardwood materials section. Hard to believe they get $5.95 a linear foot for 1x10 red oak

At that rate, I must have about $100k sitting in my sawlog lot right now.

Down here , they dont even stock 2x8 or 2x6 in SYP it is all "white wood"... I guess that is why my sales of those sizes are so good???

Snag · May 13, 2006, 06:31:14 AM

I dont spend any time comparing in those places. In the past couple years I have picked through enough lumber at yards/building centers to give a guy nightmares. The only thing I will be checkin out soon is pressure treated.

Ron Wenrich · May 13, 2006, 07:44:27 AM

Kind of reminds me of my grandfather. He was a cabinet maker and carpenter for 70 years. They made him retire at 76, then called him back when he was 80. But, he was real picky when it came to lumber.

One time he needed some hardwood for a project. So, my cousin takes him to one of the local lumber companies. They were there for a couple of hours looking at lumber, along with a salesman.

After he sorted through tons of lumber, he bought what he needed. The salesman pulled my cousin to the side and asked if my granddad bought much lumber. My cousin said that he didn't buy too much. So, the salesman asked my cousin to take him to another lumber yard. :D

Most lumber in box stores is not the top of the line, especially hardwoods. Hardwoods tend to be no better than 1 Common lumber that is being sold at higher prices. The better stuff goes to other markets.

Burlkraft · May 13, 2006, 08:14:19 AM

I do the same thing.....usually I go away shaking my head :D :D :D

Cedarman · May 13, 2006, 08:36:49 AM

I always did compare the price we charge for cedar to treated lumber as we sell a good bit of squares for shed poles. As PT goes up in price, our cedar becomes more competitive. I look at the cedar mailbox posts to see how much markup is on our wood. We provide most of the cedar to a company that makes the finished post. I go to the mulch department to see if they sell cedar mulch and for what price. Did you know it takes just around one cubic foot of mulch to fill a 2 cubic foot bag? Buy bulk from the nursury if possible for price savings and no bags to get rid of.

I have seen those $10.00 per foot white oak boards and imagined how much money is standing in our woods. That speaks volumes for opportunity. But getting your wood to the customers is the marketing problem that some have solved.

I think walking in the big box stores get the juices flowing in the brain. Love it.

Part_Timer · May 13, 2006, 08:44:28 AM

My wife and I were in one of the box stores the other day purchasing windows for the new upstairs.

I was setting there looking across the isle at the red oak wondering at the crazy grain pattern it had.

I got up and walked over to look at at it guess what I saw???

They glued a "q" sawn 1x6 to a flat sawn 1x6 to get a 1x12. Now I've done that on small projects when I had to but I'm not selling it at $6.00 a bf either.

I just walk on by now. I don't want to even see what they are doing next.

Tom

Modat22 · May 13, 2006, 09:25:13 PM

I spend less time in the lumber stores due to this forum. When I need wood for a project, I usually buy some from one of you guys.

brdmkr · May 13, 2006, 10:08:25 PM

Maybe one of these days I'll get over it, but it seems that every time I go in the HD I just can't help but look at the boards and wonder how many of the boards actually make that grade. I think more than the minimum 5% would fail every time.

UNCLEBUCK · May 13, 2006, 11:15:58 PM

I got my eyeball on the prices wherever I go just for my own referance .Today I bought a fence stretcher and I was in the electric fence isle of the store and I walked over to a big stack of 2"x2"x2' hardwood sticks . Had a price tag of $8.99 each and the tag said "switch sticks"

I found it amusing and wondered what a switch stick was . ??? Marketing a pile of junk with a good name but the pile was getting low :D

Seen a sign on a specialized meat catering locker plant today , said "amish chicken" . I dont get out much :D

beenthere · May 13, 2006, 11:23:34 PM

brdmkr

QuoteI think more than the minimum 5% would fail every time.

Where does this 'minimum 5%' come into play here?

???

UNCLEBUCK · May 13, 2006, 11:28:02 PM

At the big stores when their boards go bad they actually make more money because they rip em into things like grade stake bundles,fence pickets,you name it ,it goes out the door in another form but goes . I cant jew em down in price for a pile of crooked junk at all , doesnt hurt to try :D

WH_Conley · May 13, 2006, 11:39:26 PM

Hey Unclebuck, I'll get you a bunch of 2x2's and maybe you can sel'em with a fancy name and we will both make money. :D

brdmkr · May 13, 2006, 11:45:46 PM

Quote from: beenthere on May 13, 2006, 11:23:34 PM
brdmkr
QuoteI think more than the minimum 5% would fail every time.

Where does this 'minimum 5%' come into play here? ???

I think I should have said maximum. Seems that I read 5% of boards failing grade was acceptable in a bundle. I don't think I have ever seen a bundle that only had 5% off.

Don P · May 14, 2006, 12:21:44 AM

What I like to do is watch people rolling through a pile of lumber. First thing they do is reject anything with wane. Where is the clear lumber? A waney #2 is actually strengthwise a select structural slumming because it had too much wane to be included in its real strength grade. Then they start trying to sight it for straight rejecting bow and crook as if they both were the same. Never once have I seen someone look at twist, slope of grain, density, things that really make or break the board. If you see prime on a stamp at a box store, this is a set of wane and appearance restrictions made up just for the consumer market. Structurally it is still #2, the price simply goes up for prettier lumber.

I would say, take a pocket card with you and roll through a pile carefully, I think you'll be surprised. One thing that has happened more as time has passed is that we used to buy #2 and better, now we buy #2. The better is pulled out and marketed for what it will bring, you are seeing more true #2, warts and all.

I leave shaking my head too.

beenthere · May 14, 2006, 12:23:47 AM

For NHLA hardwood grades, I think there is a 5% allowance (something to do with re-inspection and who pays). But for softwood grades, I think that the grade interpretations are "in the opinion of the grader". If I was a gambler, I'd bet that it does meet the grade if it's stamped.
(and similar to what Don P said in his post):

But most softwood lumber that reaches HD and box stores, IMO, has had the top upper quality of each grade creamed off by users upstream who are building trusses and laminated structures. The machines grade the pieces for strength and stiffness and the off-all gets bundled and sold to the likes of the box stores. Just my take on why there is not much quality left for the box stores. When we saw up our own logs, we see all the good stuff and can't figure out why that same material isn't in the box store. Too many others in the big scheme of things see it as 'good stuff' too and take it first, I think.

I can buy clear, treated 1x6 radius edge SYP decking at my local lumber yard. I tried to get the same grade at a Menards, Lowes, and HD in the MSP, MN area for my son's deck, but couldn't. There wasn't a piece of decking in any of the 6 bundles we searched through that was even close to the quality I could buy locally. So I hauled a load of clear up to him.