# Lumber Yard vs. Box Store?



## cbzdel (May 11, 2010)

I keep reading all over the net the lumber at the box stores sucks, ok got it, so I went to a lumber yard to buy all my deck lumber. I then had to get a couple of small items from the box store, and while there I took a look at their lumber and came to find out they sell the EXACT same stuff, same brands, grades, and I even wrote down the UPC and it matched. Come to find out it was about 10% cheaper at the box store as well. Whats the deal here? Did I just pay more for the same wood people call junk? Or is there something different I do not see?


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## joeyr (Jun 25, 2011)

HAHA have you ever looked down a piece of home depot lumber?? :laughing: Their lumber is as straight a used car sales man... :yes:

Ok, lumber grade 2 or better is pretty good, but I have seen #2+ lumber be COMPLETE crap. There is always #2 stamped lumber that doesn't make the cut and I SWEAR home depot and etc. buys all of it cheap and sells it high.. 

The smaller lumber outlets may have slightly higher prices, so go to a larger lumber yard for better deals, and the most important, the more you buy, the better the price

If you wanna get lumber from HD etc, ALWAYS check crown, cup, checking, and amount of knots in each piece or you will be sorry when you arrive home with a bunch of fire wood...

Good luck,

Joey


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## vsheetz (Sep 28, 2008)

My experinces from minor to major projects. I get much better quality at my local lumber yards than at Lowes or Home Depot - they load it for me or deliver - and the price is comparable. Home Depot is closer, so if I only need a few sticks I go there. If I need quanity and/or quality it's the local lumber yard. YMMV.


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## no1hustler (Aug 11, 2010)

My local lumber yard is actually a little cheaper than HD or Lowes. Typically the lumber is nicer as well. The only exception that I found was the Cedar decking was actually better at HD than my local lumber yard. I do have another lumber yard that sells AWESOME cedar but that one was quite a bit more expensive.


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## jlc791 (Mar 17, 2009)

cbzdel said:


> I keep reading all over the net the lumber at the box stores sucks, ok got it, so I went to a lumber yard to buy all my deck lumber. I then had to get a couple of small items from the box store, and while there I took a look at their lumber and came to find out they sell the EXACT same stuff, same brands, grades, and I even wrote down the UPC and it matched. Come to find out it was about 10% cheaper at the box store as well. Whats the deal here? Did I just pay more for the same wood people call junk? Or is there something different I do not see?


 
I think everyone has missed the point. The originall poster compared the products at both outlets down to the UPC and they were identical.

Sounds like at least in his case the box store is the better deal. I know I've seen just as much crap on the lumber yard materials I've had to deal with when working on someone else's PO as I've sorted through myself at HD.


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## md2lgyk (Jan 6, 2009)

I've never had a problem with Home Depot lumber. That's where I shop for smaller projects/amounts. But when I started building my own house and needed several hundred 2x4s and a lot of other lumber, I went to a local lumber yard because their prices and quality were comparable and delivery was free.


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## cbzdel (May 11, 2010)

Guess you live and learn haha.. The lumber yard was really friendly though and asked many questions about my project to make sure I was getting the correct lumber, and they loaded my truck for me as well. 

For my cedar decking I will definitely be going to the box stores, its cheaper, and I can hand pick it and there are easy returns if I buy to much.


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## fulton 22175 (Mar 16, 2011)

well after working in a lumber yard and working for a box store too , real lumbryards have more exsperianced people , while box store hire college kids , dont have any exsperiance in the field , i worked for a lumber yard for 10yrs , and a box store for 3 1/2 yrs , but since my former place of employment closed cause of the prices of box stores , so alot of it does come down too price before quality and expseriance , lumberyards have more to choose from for thier suppliers , while box store do not , and lumberyards you can talk to the same guy about your project and continue to do so , while box store you would get someone differant


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## dpach (May 12, 2009)

When I built my deck last year, I checked out the pressure treated 2x10's HD had and noticed it was ACQ, which is the newer/safer (they say) treatment. Since the framing was going to be pressure treated and the surface/railing/trim etc was going to be cedar, I found that our local lumber yard actually had the "old" CCA available, which is termed "below Grade" lumber, meaning for use below ground level (basements, etc). This stuff is injected with higher pressure and you don't need special ACQ screws, nails, joist hangers, etc. The galvanized is fine (cheaper too). Plus, the CCA has a longer life expectancy than ACQ (I've been told by a city engineer). The kicker, the lumber yard wanted less for their CCA than HD wanted for ACQ.

Needless to say, CCA it was...better value for the money.


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