Wood near Columbia SC

[JimD]

I live in Lexington, outside Columbia, SC. Somebody asked where to get wood in this area and I posted what I remembered but I have been working on my house and not purchased hardwood in >5 years . Until today. I have some oak and a little cherry so I have had some wood, just not purchased any. But I got the major projects on the house under control and are going to make another bed. It is based upon a headboard in Woodsmith #34. I will turn the design into a platform bed and make the nightstands and dresser.

Anyway, I needed the 8/4 the design calls for in the headboard and I will use in the footboard plus some long 5/4 boards for the rails. I used to go to Woodworks Inc. 237 Glenn Rd, West Columbia. But when I called their number I got a recording that the number is disconnected. The guy that ran it was talking about retirement when I was last in there so I guess he did it.

So I went to Wurth at 4250 Golf Acres Drive near the airport in Charlotte. I've purchased wood there before. The don't have a super large inventory of hardwood but they have a website and you can check to see if they have what you want before you go there. I think they sell a lot more plywood than hardwood. They are friendly and easy to deal with. You just look through what they have, then have a warehouse guy write you a ticket, go inside and pay, and they have your wood at a loading dock when you come out.

I've gone further into NC several times but don't remember the places. I also had wood brought to me one time which was great.

I don't think there is anything in this area any more, but the Charlotte airport is only an hour from the Northeast side of Columbia, an hour and a half from where I live. I really like the fact that this website is a great way to find good wood. I will need a large cherry slab for a dining room table sometime, probably next year, and I'm sure I can find it using this website.

I looked in the "Articles" section to find Wurth. Even though I've been there a few times, I had forgotten the name and didn't have the address.

 

[Brantnative]

Mann Tool and Supply is on your side of Columbia, near the intersection of I26 and I20. Not sure if they have exactly what you want but they are a great source for both tools and wood. They also have a Rockler store.

 

[Jeff]

I found this link by accident. It was posted in August, 2018. Maybe worth a quick visit to check out the improved lumber selection.

https://www.facebook.com/manntool/v...-showroom-with-a-big-focus/10155622485839868/

 

[zdorsch]

Jim,

I’ve driven up to Iron Station to Kyle Edwards place and bought lumber from him—but I saw in another recent thread he is going to soon close.

I’ve also bought lumber from Mann Tool, but they’re expensive (Rockler dealer). I bought some walnut from them recently and the quality was good, but had I needed more than a few board I would have gone somewhere else. I seem to recall they had some 8/4 oak.

This ad has been on Craigslist for a while:

https://columbia.craigslist.org/mat/d/mobile-sawmill-services-tree/6706735340.html

And there is another guy on FB marketplace advertising slabs and a new kiln:

https://m.facebook.com/CarolinaCustomSawmill/

I’ll confess that I haven’t needed to purchase lumber in a while either (in-laws are building and my father in law had trees taken down and cut into lumber).

 

[JimD]

Thanks for the other sources. I know Mann has lumber, maybe I should have looked there but I tend to go there only when absolutely necessary because I have never been very happy with their pricing. I see a lot more exotic wood there than I do domestic hardwoods. But I haven't looked very hard. I am thinking of getting a SawStop, however, and I will look there. The price won't be great no matter where I get that saw.

The other adds are more interesting. I used to buy from a sawmill in Pennsylvania and liked it. One of the places I went in NC was a mill in a pasture and was also a nice place. I got some cherry there that is in my Daughters furniture. Even when the price is the same I prefer to go to a mill. But anybody with a decent supply of wood that will let me pick out my boards and is charging a decent price is somebody I will buy from.

It would be nice if buying hardwood would be as easy as getting a 2x12 but it has always taken a bit more effort in my experience. But the effort is typically a day or less time and the results last a very long time.