Bad 1st experience at wood store

[AlexSwansboro]

I want to build some outdoor furniture for my wife. I recently went to a hardwood store to find some cypress or cedar and was stunned at the cost. Granted I am new to wood working and this was my first venture into the world of specialty wood stores. I, until now, have bought all my wood at big box stores. About how much should cypress and cedar cost? The store I went to was charging 4.50-6.00 per board foot depending on the wood. I don't remember how much each of them cost. I am building my furniture based on a plan from Wood magazine, which says that the wood should cost around $130.00 (for cedar). When I asked for a total estimate it was $520 for the cedar and $388 for the cypress. Included in these costs was milling on two sides and a straight line rip, which I need because I have no jointer, planer, or band saw, although I am in the market for a band saw.

Is there a disconnect? Did Wood Magazine grossly under estimate the cost of the wood, or is this guy way overcharging? Like I said, I am new to wood working and would love to be able to continue with it, but at prices that high I don't know.

Help and advice please.

p.s.

I need about 61 board feet of either cypress or cedar if anybody knows where I can get that much wood I would appreciate it.

 

[Mike Davis]

$2 is pretty low for planned and ripped wood. $4 is a little high for rough cut.

But 62 feet times $4 should be $248 not 300 nor 500.

Was it $248 plus labor for the planing? $100 to plane 60 feet seems high too.

I think you need to buy from one of the sawyers here and see if somebody will help you with the plane. Do you really need it straight line ripped? I usually just rip on my table saw and if it is badly curved I use a 1/4 inch plywood sled.

 

[CrealBilly]

I want to build some outdoor furniture for my wife. I recently went to a hardwood store to find some cypress or cedar and was stunned at the cost. Granted I am new to wood working and this was my first venture into the world of specialty wood stores. I, until now, have bought all my wood at big box stores. About how much should cypress and cedar cost? The store I went to was charging 4.50-6.00 per board foot depending on the wood. I don't remember how much each of them cost. I am building my furniture based on a plan from Wood magazine, which says that the wood should cost around $130.00 (for cedar). When I asked for a total estimate it was $520 for the cedar and $388 for the cypress. Included in these costs was milling on two sides and a straight line rip, which I need because I have no jointer, planer, or band saw, although I am in the market for a band saw.

Is there a disconnect? Did Wood Magazine grossly under estimate the cost of the wood, or is this guy way overcharging? Like I said, I am new to wood working and would love to be able to continue with it, but at prices that high I don't know.

Help and advice please.

p.s.

I need about 61 board feet of either cypress or cedar if anybody knows where I can get that much wood I would appreciate it.

What year is that wood mag from and did you really need the "grade" of lumber you chose?

Here's a quick down and dirty lumber grading guide and distribution yard prices your looking at the prices for 200 ~ 1000 BF

 

[DanR]

Looks like you are only an hour from Ivey in Burgaw, I would PM him. I just bought a very large amount of Cypress from him and it is gorgeous. I do not know if he will plane it for you if you need that, so talk to him about it. I do not know what prices are like for a small order from him, I bought alot

 

[Leviblue]

One of the advertisers here (on the right side) has the following prices listed on their website:
Cypress 4/4 for 70 brd ft (rounded qty up from your request to account for waste) is $3/bf = $210
Surface 2 sides and straight line cut is .40/bf x 70 = $28

So if my math is correct you are looking at $238 before tax and fuel to pick it up.

Good luck with the project.

 

[bluedawg76]

were these 4/4? i would think that sounds a bit high as well. were you asking for extra-wide boards like 10-12"? this can add to the cost as well. usually $3/foot for cypress <8" wide for rough-sawn is fine (and that's FAS aka select). I'd think eastern red cedar (knotty grade) would be a little cheaper, more like $2.50. Local sawyer would be less (maybe $2.50 or less depending upon the "grade") and would probably surface and rip as you need for not much more. Personally I like dealing with the local folks more than the stores.

Sam

 

[Gofor]

For the straight line rip, it is a lot cheaper to make a circular saw straight edge guide out of 1/2" or 3/4" ply than to pay someone else.



Go

 

[gator]

I know they are not near you but the Hardwood Store of NC has cedar at 2.55/bdft. Times 61 that would be $155. That is not far from Wood's estimate (and it just that depending on your location).

I think that Wood's estimate is assuming that you buy 4/4 rough lumber and do the milling yourself.

George

 

[Joe Scharle]

Here's Home Depot's prices.


3/4 x 6 x 12 S1S2E Cedar Board $19.28

3/4 x 12 x 8 S1S2E Cedar Board $28.90

 

[AlexSwansboro]

Thank you all for the great advice. The magazine is from this July. I have contacted the Hardwood Store in Gibsonville as I will be going that way next week for a family trip to the mountains and tweetsie railroad (my son is 5). If I don't hear from someone local before then I might make a stop in Gibsonville. I have also thought about doing this first chair in some treated wood from a big box store just to see how it goes, and if I like it, then I'd do it again in a nicer looking wood.

Again, thank you guys so much for your help. It is very nice to know that I have a knowledgable group os people to give me advice on these situations.

 

[Ivey]

Alex,
Wish I had known, I had a customer leave the mill yesterday afternoon on his way back to the Outer Banks with a tandum truck load of cypress for a house he is building there. I'm sure that he would have dropped you off some.

 

[Glennbear]

Thank you all for the great advice. The magazine is from this July. I have contacted the Hardwood Store in Gibsonville as I will be going that way next week for a family trip to the mountains and tweetsie railroad (my son is 5). If I don't hear from someone local before then I might make a stop in Gibsonville. I have also thought about doing this first chair in some treated wood from a big box store just to see how it goes, and if I like it, then I'd do it again in a nicer looking wood.

Again, thank you guys so much for your help. It is very nice to know that I have a knowledgable group os people to give me advice on these situations.

If you go the treated wood prototype route keep in mind that big box treated wood has the moisture content of a snow cone and twisting, warping, etc. is inevitable. :wconfused:

 

[donbake1]

First a disclaimer: I am the store manager for Anchor Hardwoods and just opened a store at 6716 Old Wake Forest Road in Raleigh. We will straight line rip and surface 2 sides at no additional charge. Building up inventory, but have a nice selection of domestic and imported species. Working with TracyP to set up discount for DQ members. I can sell 4/4 cypress for around $3 /bf depending on quantity. Should be getting in a supply next week.

Don Baker
919-790-9449

 

[Jeff]

Alex,

+1 to The Hardwood Store. Their prices are attached, but I'd think that you'd want at least 5/4 material for outdoor furniture frames and legs for stability and sturdiness (it'd finish at least 1" thick). 4/4 (finished at 3/4") is good for the other components.

http://hardwoodstore.com/lumber-prices

Call them and talk with Jeff Shaw-he's excellent to work with. Their wood is typically FAS or Select grade. Surfacing: $0.80/bf for S4S out the door and in the back of your truck is a small additional fee to pay for convenience when you don't have the tools to do it yourself. You save a little by getting S3S, but you may be nickel and diming yourself.

Be careful that you order the 62 bf + 20% to allow for losses, mistakes, etc. or you'll end up short. Trust me, I've been there and done that when I was starting out. Don't fine tune your order too much.

Wider boards are nice for grain continuity and they can be ripped to width on the table saw as needed. S4S material at about 7-9" w is more useful than a bunch of individual boards at 3" wide.

Swansboro coastal environment so it's gonna be salty. I'd recommend nothing less than 316 SS for corrosion resistance if your plan calls for bolts, nuts, washer, etc. A good source with a wide variety of choices at McMaster-Carr.

http://www.mcmaster.com/

+1 to Ivey in Burgaw. He'll do right by you. :thumbs_up

Good luck.

 

[richlife]

If you go the treated wood prototype route keep in mind that big box treated wood has the moisture content of a snow cone and twisting, warping, etc. is inevitable. :wconfused:

Personally, I would avoid the pressure treated wood altogether. Only use it for any kind of work if you have experience with it and understand the "twisting, warping, etc." that Glenn refers to.

I've had a lot of success with pressure treated lumber, but my brother-in-law (a cabinet maker) absolutely refuses to ever use it again after seeing the result on his deck. And, of course, a deck is one of the primary purposes for pressure treated lumber. Be advised.

Rich