# Best place to buy Framing Lumber



## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

go to a actual lumber yard


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Depends how how much you need and what type.....and how good your local lumber yard is. 

With a lumber yard, in most cases when you go in for x number of 2x4 studs....a forklift is going to bring you x studs. Last time I did that, about 5 of those studs were unusable.....and one 4x4 stud that was on a wall 12' high....warped. Care to guess how hard it is to pull out a 4x4 with about a million nails in it?

At HD you can cherry pick the studs. I've had better luck with that.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

There is no difference.
Still going to have to hand pick them to make sure there straight.


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

When I pick from the local yard 8 in 10 are good. If I go to Lowes or HD I am lucky to find 2 in 10 that are good


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Yodaman said:


> When I pick from the local yard 8 in 10 are good.* If I go to Lowes or HD I am lucky to find 2 in 10 that are good*


Your supposed to pick from the good pile, not the pile that has already been picked through.

Best time to go is early Sunday morning. Fresh wood is out....

Worse time...during the week....that is when all the contractors are picking through the wood.

And....HD and Lowes is open on Sundays....Lumber yards?


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

no the best time is when you call and the sales man makes sure only good lumber is sent. if you do get bad stuff they send out a fresh lift and take back the bad sometimes not charging you for the stuff you actually use because he wants to keep you as a customer


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## jimn (Nov 13, 2010)

I hate shopping for lumber at the big boxes. Even if I am building sets for a theater that only have to last 6 weeks, I need to spend an hour sorting through bib box lumber to find something that is even lose to straight. Do this several times over, and you wast a lot of time, hours in fact. How much is your time worth. We gave up, now we order from a local yard, the wood comes dry and try, and they deliver for only a fraction more than red apron. And the lumber is always straight an true.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

I have had much, much better luck at yards. HD and Lowes take forever but are great in a pinch.


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

ddawg16 said:


> Your supposed to pick from the good pile, not the pile that has already been picked through.
> 
> Best time to go is early Sunday morning. Fresh wood is out....
> 
> ...




I agree if there is a fresh pile out the odds go up slightly. But still a pita. Load up a cart, cashout, unload cart, load trailer.

At the local yard, I go inside give them my order, drive out into the yard and load trailer. 

For me, my local yard is like the small town hardware store. The guys are mostly ex builders, and go out of their way to assist with my projects. I appreciate that service. I also try to buy local when I can.

Even so, the big boxes get plenty of my dough!


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## 78Vette (Nov 25, 2009)

In Ontario, unless you buy metal studs, dont even bother trying to find a straight stick at Home-Hardware stores. Best place for me is Copp's Lumber.


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

when I am doing a for me large project, I am going to a real lumberyard which will deliver the lumber, take back the crap, no way that I go to lowes and load 200 studs, some 20' two bye twelves, etc. love I am doing a small something and needs a dozen studs or so, I will fly by lowes (never HD) and pick from the "white wood" area. Ron


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## iThinman (Aug 4, 2014)

lol lumber snobs. let me guess, most of you grew up milling your own lumber and just can't stomach anything less.

OP is looking for 2x4x8's. The most common piece of dimensional lumber in existence. If you can't find straight ones at Home Depot or Lowes....you're doing it wrong.

lol @ this forum some days.


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## 1acre (Oct 5, 2015)

get quotes around town. if you find one cheaper than the big box stores, make them match and take 10% off. the big box stores will deliver as well...


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## Tizzer (Jul 24, 2010)

Don't settle for anything less than Bluwood. That's what Holmes uses and he does things right.







:wink:


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Tizzer said:


> Don't settle for anything less than Bluwood. That's what Holmes uses and he does things right.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


:lol::lol::lol:


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## asevereid (Sep 24, 2015)

I know I don't have a "correct" answer to your question... But have you considered using steel studs for your basement? 
A little more investment, but can be so much faster. 
And... Both your local lumberyard, and big box should have 8 footers available.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

using bluewood also drives up your materials cost a fair amount. its basically the same cost as buying pressure treated.... as for steel stud.. yes its faster and ligher but if you have to hang something heavy off the wall you have to modify the wall by sheathing it with plywood first then drywall


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

Last time I bought some 2x4s at Home Despot, they had two bins: standard and "premium", for about 40 cents a piece more. 

Even the premium was just a 50-50 shot if it was a decent complete piece of wood, let alone actually straight and square. Much of the premium was literally unusable with open knotholes, huge splits and splinters, and even some visible raw bark. Not to mention warped and curved like a hockey stick. Like the worst of the worst furring strips. 

But I'm stuck with just Big Orange the only "lumber yard" within 75 miles. Without Big Orange, my little town would be in deep doo doo., .


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## craig11152 (Jun 20, 2015)

I don't buy the notion that 2x4's at the local lumber yard have a much higher percentage of straight stuff than Home Depot when the shipment comes in. 
I think that at the big box stores everybody can pick and choose so the bad ones get left behind.
In my experience with local lumber yards they get a little antsy if you try to get too picky. Usually there is a yard guy helping you and hovering. 
And since contractors are more likely to use the lumber yard the lumber yard just loads large quantities all at once so the "bad" ones go out with the good ones. If you spend time around houses getting built there is no shortage of twisted wood that gets chewed up for a variety non-framing things like saw horses, fire block, temporary, bracing, etc and just goes in to the trash pile at some point.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

I would probably disagree with that based on the fact that Home Depot has a different client base and purchases materials aimed at a different margin.

Home Depot is obviously aimed at the DIY person who might be framing their first wall.

In that hypothetical scenario, the first time framer is probably not going to care about crowns warpage. They want to get the wall up, and if it is it perfect they don't have anybody to rail against.

Contrast that experience with the professional carpenter that puts up a wall that is a perfectly straight and the feedback they would get from a keen eyed client. .


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## 78Vette (Nov 25, 2009)

craig11152 said:


> I don't buy the notion that 2x4's at the local lumber yard have a much higher percentage of straight stuff than Home Depot when the shipment comes in.


Lumber comes in diff grades and yards that cater to contractors typically carry the better quality grade. Every time a new lumber yard or home depot, opens, the lumber is exceptional with no need for wasting time looking for straight sticks. For the first 6-12 month anyways. Then the bean counters start bringing in cheaper lumber and sell it at the same cost.
I can (and do) go to Copp's Lumber (Ontario chain that has consistently sold quality lumber ), walk up to the lift of lumber and start heaving them in the pickup without much checking for twisting or warping. The worst lumber there is way better then the best HD or Lowes have. At least the ones near me.


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## MushCreek (Aug 10, 2012)

I got so sick of crappy lumber (from any source) that I used steel studs throughout my house. They were actually slightly cheaper than wood (from a drywall supplier, not HD) but there is more work involved. My walls started straight and have stayed straight.


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## LVDIY (Mar 28, 2011)

78Vette said:


> Every time a new lumber yard or home depot, opens, the lumber is exceptional with no need for wasting time looking for straight sticks. For the first 6-12 month anyways. Then the bean counters start bringing in cheaper lumber and sell it at the same cost.


Do you have inside knowledge, or are you keeping track of a number of new HD stores?

To OP: just buy your 2x4s wherever is practical for you. I'm sure local lumberyards are great, but I'm not taking a day off work to make it during their opening hours. I'd rather spend some time picking through studs at HD or Lowes on a weeknight. I've never had a problem finding enough straight studs once I get past the already picked stuff.


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