When it comes to buying wood for making furniture, you have a lot of options. There are big box home improvement stores, local lumber yards, and sawmills.
If you’re looking for hardwoods, a speciality wood store is the best place to find them. These stores typically stock a variety of species that you might not be able to find in your area. However, they may be a bit more expensive than your typical home improvement store or hardware store.
Another great option is to buy rough-cut wood from a sawmill nearby. This way, you’ll have more control over the quality of your material. You’ll also have a chance to try out new species that you might not be able to get in your local hardware or home improvement stores.
You can also try reclaiming old furniture from second-hand stores. These places tend to take in a lot of old pieces, so you’ll have a good chance of finding something that’s still in decent condition and made from solid wood.
Some home improvement stores will even stock pre-dimensioned boards, which can save you a lot of time when you’re building furniture. They’re a good choice for those who don’t have the skills or time to sift through boards and cut them yourself.
A big chain hobby store can be a good place to get wood for a reasonable price, especially if you need small pieces for doll houses. These stores usually carry a few species and they are already milled, so you don’t have to spend extra time sanding and finishing them.
For a more exotic wood, you can also look for a scrap bin in your neighborhood. These are usually located in factories and are filled with leftover cut-outs from other products. Some factories will sell these cut-outs to other companies, but others may let you take some for free.
This is a great source of low-priced wood that’s often used to make furniture, and you can also use it for other projects like outdoor furniture. You’ll need to do a little work to harvest the wood, but you’ll get a good haul to use in your next project.
You can also check for wood in the trash bins of retail stores around you. These are usually packed in wooden crates that are too large for them to discard. Talk to the store managers and see if they’ll be willing to let you take these crates.
The wood you find here might not be the highest quality, but it will still be cheaper than you’d pay for dimensional lumber at your local home improvement store. Be sure to read the labels and check for any signs of damage, splits, or cracks in the wood.
If you want wood that’s going to last a long time, you should go for a hardwood, like oak. This type of wood is known for its strong wood grain and beautiful appearance. It’s a dense, heavy material that will resist scratches and dents very well. It will also be a good investment and add value to your home in the long run.
