Junk Lumber

[LD1]

Got my delivery of lumber yesterday and wanted to get started building today. I think thats going on hold now.

Here are some pictures of the 2x6's I got. Just terrible quality.



Out of about 200 2x6's I got, I bet I'd be lucky to find 20 that didnt have a rounded or bark edge. And probably 50% of them have less than 1/2 the width on the stud face. Dont do any favors trying to nail sheething on, especially if It happens to be a stud where there is a seam and 2 sheets need nailed to it.

I called the place back where I got them from, they were not as helpful as I would have liked. They offered to pick them back up and offer a full refund, but I still need lumber. They said all their framing lumber is going to be like that, and they will have a manager call me on monday to see if they can work something out and possibly hand pick some better boards for me.

Look at the pictures. What would you guys do? am I over-reacting? I dont want to be fighting crap lumber this whole project. When I buy a 2x6, is it too much to ask to get an actual 2x6? instead of lumber that you could hardly make a good 2x4 out of?

 

[Deere Dude]

I just went to a place that is noted for good lumber and got 150 2x6s or so. They were a little better than your pile but instead of fooling around and hauling them back I just used them in the walls. As long as they aren't twisted I used them. Before I would send them back I would physically check another lumber yards 2x6s. They might all be the same. If they are quite a bit better, maybe the price will reflect that. Then you have a choice to make; subpar or cheaper. Days of getting a nice cheap 4 cornered 2x6 seem to be diminishing.

 

[dmccarty]

Wow, that is bad looking wood. I have not looked at lumber in a few years but that stuff is bad. I would go look at Lowes, HD, etc, to compare the quality.

When we built 10 years ago, hard to believe it was a decade ago, the builder bought the lumber from a local builder supply company. Our builder was tight with money and in a good way. The 2x6's he bought certainly did not have the bark on them like in your photos. With wood like that I would be concerned with cupping and warping. I guess you could use that wood for joists and rafters where you could orient the 2x6 so that the good side was facing the floor, drywall or roof sheathing. Not sure how you could use that in a wall.

Later,
Dan

 

[Citydude]

That's some pretty rough looking stuff. Couldn't you put the boards aside that don't meet your expectations and exchange them for better on Monday? That way you could get started.

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[LD1]

That's some pretty rough looking stuff. Couldn't you put the boards aside that don't meet your expectations and exchange them for better on Monday? That way you could get started.

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I am gonna dig through and get built what I can. But I think I would be setting aside well over half the boards for exchange

 

[EddieWalker]

That all looks like low grade number 2 boards. Did you pay for the good stuff or just whatever was cheapest? I've found that of the different suppliers I have available, I'm getting the nicest boards from Lowes right now. This seems to change every couple of years, so it's always a good idea to go see what everyone has and what they are charging. For whatever reason, they seem to rotate suppliers or go up and down with what their standards are for what they will sell. The box stores only carry one grade of lumber unless you are special ordering it, but the lumber yards have the good and the bad, you have to tell them what you want and then be willing to pay for it.

Eddie

 

[Citydude]

I am gonna dig through and get built what I can. But I think I would be setting aside well over half the boards for exchange

And I'm sure by the time you've spent all the extra energy sorting, your going to be in a pretty bad mood come Monday.

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[LD1]

Its all supposed to be #2 and better.

I normally get stuff from Menards if I am picking it up. I think their worst stuff is better than this crap. Still not gonna say where its from just yet. Will wait and see how things turn out monday

 

[roadhunter]

I have learned this lesson the hard way many times. Seems like most of the time I try to save money I end up wasting money/time. Save on lumber but waste time on the phone, sorting, etc... which when you add it up up would have been cheaper and less stress to just buy #1 grade in the first place.

 

[Citydude]

I bulk ordered pre finished oak baseboard for the second floor of my house last year. It was evident that the people who filled the order weren't looking at it, just shrink wrapped it and put it on the dock for me to pick up. This year, I'll do the first floor baseboard and will go and pick out each board.

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[MacLawn]

Wow, LD1, reckon being from lumber country in the south, I'm a bit spoiled. We have an excellent lumber company run by local family (Pollard's Lumber Co.), been in bidness since before I was hatched. They supply our local two Lowe's, so that's where I get mine. Their lumber says "Pollard's" right on it! I love that!! Local southern yellow pine, good lumber. Yep, I'd send that pile back. That'd be culls here at my Georgia place. I don't have to buy lumber in Mississippi, but we also have excellent lumber here too.

 

[LD1]

I have learned this lesson the hard way many times. Seems like most of the time I try to save money I end up wasting money/time. Save on lumber but waste time on the phone, sorting, etc... which when you add it up up would have been cheaper and less stress to just buy #1 grade in the first place.

Dont even know where to get #1 grade. Everyone seems to only carry #2 and better lumber except for certain things.

Round here, most 2x8 and bigger are SYP, and those, even in #2 grade, are good boards. The 2x8's and 2x12's that I got with this order (also #2) are just fine. But 2x6 and 2x4's are SPF (typically white pine round here) and its crappier lumber.

The 2x4's that I got arent the best I have seen, but they are alot better than the 2x6's, and will work fine cause they are just purlins and truss bracing where I am nailing on the big side anyway.

Anyone have any good links to just what #1, #2, etc lumber means. Cause if this load truly is what #2's are, I apparently dont want #2's.

 

[MacLawn]

Around here, #1 is just about cabinet grade, straight as an arrow, no knots, bark, etc., but every cabinet maker I know uses fir for the framing, not pine. #2 can be a bit rough for sure, I'd say all yours looks like #2. As far as I know, #1 is supposed to be knotless, no bark, mainly cut from the center of the tree, straight lumber. I've never really seen so much that looks as rough as you posted. But again, I'm spoiled for our good lumber. We ship a whole lot to Florida, but I don't think ours is shipped up your way much.

 

[greenmojo]

Look at the pictures. What would you guys do? am I over-reacting? I dont want to be fighting crap lumber this whole project. When I buy a 2x6, is it too much to ask to get an actual 2x6? instead of lumber that you could hardly make a good 2x4 out of?

My new house and all of the out-buildings are all 2x6 construction and there is no way I would have accepted those.

You might show those pictures to a competing lumber yard and let them step up to the plate to make you a customer.

Sorry about the delay, thats terrible.

~Moses

 

[greenmojo]

This is a pic of one of my deliveries for the house. 2x6's are clean.



~Moses

 

[SPIKER]

LD1

I agree with others on that pile of (well a pile of it) Menards and Lows do seem better than HD for lumber quality & it is easier to sort at Menards (outside building) than inside from other two. I agree that real lumber stores have better stuff than the box stores even their #1 at box stores are worse than #2 at a couple lumber yards locally & prices are about same if not cheaper for better grade of stuff at the yards I visit every now & again.

Mark

 

[bcp]

Wane: The curved edge where the bark was.

From:
Koltes Do It Best - Lumber grades

#2

Wane - 1/3 the thickness and 1/3 the width full length, or equivalent on each face, provided that wane not exceed 2/3 the thickness or 1/2 the width for up to 1/4 the length.

--------------
Looks like you got a load of wood right at the limit of #2 standards. I didn't realize that much wane was allowed.

Bruce

 

[RobertBrown]

You should send it back if your that unhappy with it and it is unusable.
I would get pricing from Lowes. It's my experience that they have the best quality lumber.

 

[nybirdman]

Oblivious junk wood;no way,send the whole load back.We have one local "business" that has wood like that and I have NOT dealt with him for 30 years.
We also have a very good lumber yard that we deal with ,lucky I guess.Our orders come all banded together by size,all very good stuff.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Now you know why I bought one of these,

My lumber is as good as I make it,

AND, even large amounts of it, is very inexpensive!

One of my BEST investments!

SR