Junk Lumber

[davesl708]

As big a pain as it is I always hand select my lumber just for the reason you show. If you let the yard pick you will get the junk.

 

[greenmojo]

Now you know why I bought one of these,

One of my BEST investments!

Drooling!

 

[LD1]

According to the definition of #2, I suppose these would classify, but at the very bottom end. Supposed to be #2 AND BETTER. I dont think any are better.

I can tolerate some wane, in moderation. But this is just too much.

I got quotes from 6 different places. Lowes, Menards, Home Depot, 84 lumber, Holmes/Carter Lumber, and Keim Lumber. All competitive, prices ranged from $3200-$3600, so not alot of difference. Lowes and HD were out as they didnt have the few 18-20' boards I needed. Surprised that menards wasnt the cheapest.

I would have expected the lowest quality to come from the 3 big box stores. I would have thought 84, Carter, and Keim would have all been a tad higher quality. I wont say just which one it was yet, see if they make it right first. But I dont think any of these 6 stores even carry #1 stuff.

 

[EddieWalker]

When I built my parents house a few years ago, we bought all our framing studs from Lowes, but then I went to McCoys Lumberyard for the long stuff. I needed a bunch of 22 ft 2x6's for the rafters, plus a Glulam beam and some other things like the windows and some brackets I couldn't find at Lowes. In a perfect world, one store would have everything, but in reality, you usually have to go to three to get the best each has to offer.

Eddie

 

[greenmojo]

HD is the largest lumber purchaser in the US. I've been told a lot of the lumber problems with them have to do with swamp coolers and moisture when the lumber sits inside. Outdoor lumber yards are much better at letting the lumber adjust to the climate.

Other than this, the arguments are all preference most of the time. I've built 4 buildings including the house from lumber yards as well as HD, and have seen lumber yards fall short and boomerangs from HD.

For deliveries, I usually go with a lumber yard (Chinook or Pro Build), for smaller jobs, I just hand-pick lumber or call ahead and have it ready and bundled for me at HD (telling them what quality I want).

~Moses

 

[greenmojo]

When I built my parents house a few years ago, we bought all our framing studs from Lowes, but then I went to McCoys Lumberyard for the long stuff. I needed a bunch of 22 ft 2x6's for the rafters, plus a Glulam beam and some other things like the windows and some brackets I couldn't find at Lowes. In a perfect world, one store would have everything, but in reality, you usually have to go to three to get the best each has to offer.

Eddie

+1

All our studs are 104 5/8" 2x6's -- not everyone has them in stock.

~Moses

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I bought most of my lumber for my house at 84 lumber. They carry lengths over 16', and their quality is usually better. However, if I'm picking up a few pieces I go to Lowes mostly, some from HD, and hand pick. Sometimes the pile is very good, sometimes it is all garbage, just depends on the day it seems. Overall Lowes has better quality than HD. Our HD and Lowes usually have the precut studs 92 5/8 in stock, not sure about the 104 5/8. If I ever build again, I will do 9' or 10' ceilings downstairs, and use 2x6 on the exterior.

 

[LD1]

I think what I got was the worst of the #2 piles.

Usually places have more than 1 bundle of 2x6x12's (which I got the most of with 142). I think I got the left overs from several bundles that people have already picked through. I have never seen this many bad boards all in the same skid. Thats why I think it is comprised of the worst boards from a few skids that no one else wanted. And rightfully so

 

[zzvyb6]

A few months ago I purchased some 2x6's from Lowes here in town . "Made is Sweden". I felt bad using then for fence boards.

 

[murphy1244]

I think what I got was the worst of the #2 piles.

Usually places have more than 1 bundle of 2x6x12's (which I got the most of with 142). I think I got the left overs from several bundles that people have already picked through. I have never seen this many bad boards all in the same skid. Thats why I think it is comprised of the worst boards from a few skids that no one else wanted. And rightfully so

Don't you have a bunch of Amish saw mills by you? or Keim lumber any good?

 

[LD1]

Trouble with most the Amish mills is no way to contact them. And don't want to spend a day driving around for bids.

Heard good things about keim, but that's who supplied the builder that built mom and dad house. He rejected a full skid of 2x6 studs. The brought a new one and didntneven take the bad ones back they were that bad.

 

[newbury]

I think what I got was the worst of the #2 piles.<snip>

That's run of the mill service from HD, Lowes and a lot of lumber yards. If your not on their frequent buyer's list you get leftovers if you don't pick it out yourself. I've had preopened, used cans of paint, opened boxes of toilet valves (w/ missing parts), damaged ladders foisted off on me when I've tried to use "internet order" and pickup.

 

[Piston]

I would also send them back. There has to be someone will a mill around that could make you what you want. You could try contacting Woodmizer and Timberking as they keep a list of sawyers and will give you the contact info of local mills, usually portable.

I'm with Sawyer Rob, I make my own

 

[LD1]

Lots of suggestions to have it milled. I just dont think that is what I want to do. Dont know much about it, but softwood isnt popular in our area. Most mills and logging outfits focus on hardwoods. And I dont want rough sawn either. And certainly needs kiln dried. I just want good dimensional 2x6's. Guys that build houses for a living dont have the luxury of hand picking every board. And given I ordered enough material to do a 40x72x12 building, I didnt want to spend two days and two trips hand loading and hand unloading.

Between the 6 places I got quotes from, I am sure one of them will be happy to sell me some usable 2x6's if this one drops the ball tomorrow.

 

[murphy1244]

Trouble with most the Amish mills is no way to contact them. And don't want to spend a day driving around for bids.

Heard good things about keim, but that's who supplied the builder that built mom and dad house. He rejected a full skid of 2x6 studs. The brought a new one and didntneven take the bad ones back they were that bad.

Probably not much pine being processed here either.

 

[Paddy]

LD1,

I think you got it right, you got the reject pile. Send them back.
When I order, I order full un-open bunks. I'll gladly take the normal rate of culls and use them for all the blocking. The problem is all the drop in customers needing 5-10 studs pick over them as if they are making a picknick table

 

[MNBobcat]

Send them back. When you order from Menards or Home Depot or most any other lumber yard and you buy large quantities like that, you get the best lumber. The sub-par lumber is what goes on the shelves for home owners to sort through. I've never ordered lumber and had it look that bad.

 

[k0ua]

I think what I got was the worst of the #2 piles.

Usually places have more than 1 bundle of 2x6x12's (which I got the most of with 142). I think I got the left overs from several bundles that people have already picked through. I have never seen this many bad boards all in the same skid. Thats why I think it is comprised of the worst boards from a few skids that no one else wanted. And rightfully so

I think that is exactly right. When I go for lumber I pick thru the bundles. and if you get to a bundle that has been thoroughly picked thru that is what is left that no-one will take home..

 

[s219]

I can't remember any time I have seen that much wane in a cube of lumber, so either that is exceptionally low grade or just really lousy picking. If they were from a rejects pile, I suspect warping and twisting would be more prevalent, but I didn't see indication of that here -- just consistently bad wane. So I am thinking it was just presorted very low grade lumber from the mill.

I will say this, when we built our house, the lumber the builder got was way way better than anything I can buy at Lowes or HD. Better quality and very few rejects.

Hopefully your supplier will take care of it.

 

[SirReal63]

There is an old saying in the lumber business..."ship it until it sticks". While at one of the largest independent lumberyards in the country, we routinely shipped a small percentage of culls and returns, knowing it would eventually be used as blocking and bracing. It was the job of our salesman to ensure the builders understood that not every piece of wood would be perfect. That is the difference in a real lumberyard and the box stores, you got a quantity of lumber that did not all come from the same bundle. If an independent lumberyard sent that out, that is a crying shame. If it came from a chain yard or box store, then that is fairly typical because the bean counters know that a cull has the same average cost as on grade lumber. The grading rules allow for up to 3% off grade in every bundle, the problem is when bundles are cherry picked and all that is left is the lowest quality stuff. What you got was from what was left over, possibly because they were low on stock or just did not care.

Send it all back and remind them that it has now cost them the bulk of their profit to pick up and reship the order because they knowingly shipped crap.