How to Not Buy Crap Lumber

Some boards have to be perfect, and some don't. Learn what lumber defects are and
when to avoid them. Watched the Spec House Series? It starts here:
• Due Diligence - Spec H...
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[@adammurray3560]

Our local lumber store, (town of 2300 in the middle of Wyoming), won't allow us to go through the bunks. When I was making a custom railing, and needed some super straight, knot free pine 2x6, I asked to go through them. Owner said to me, "I believe a good Craftsman can take any wood and turn it into what they needed to be." I stood up, walked out, and I've never been back. I now drive an hour and a half to a lumber store that truly cares about their customers.

[@bradmccranie3967]

I don't blame you that isn't right.

[@chrisdonner2910]

That's terrible, Bloedorns in Buffalo has been good, especially the manager at that location.

[@n8_the_carpenter816]

If they don't let you pick through the bunk they really don't care about you and the quality of your project. But I also think it has something todo with the fact that there's a lumberyard in a town of 2300 people so there's not a lot of trun over of material I would guess so they don't want to be trying to get rid of the junk for ever and that's how they do it

[@Hoaxer51]

Well, there goes that sponsorship from Lowes that you were hoping for, probably can forget about Home Depot too. 😢

[@frmphxaz84]

"I believe a good lumber store would understand craftsmen would like all the help they can get in making their work less strenuous." Would have been a great reply here. Even if we're able to take a 10' long warped stick of firewood and make it into something usable maybe, just maybe, we'd like to pull out of the parking lot with material that's ready to go.

[@VideoNOLA]

To sum up: "Avoid the pain, skip the wain. Got a crown? Put it down. Pick it up, inspect for cup. Turn your wrist to look for twist. If there's a knot, you better not. Bark and pitch can be a bitch. Checks and splits are just the pits. Tighter rings for wood that sings. Number 2 will mostly do."

[@mankybrains]

I'm no carpenter but I'm saving this and having my kids memorize it.

[@jchastain789]

Hahaha I smell what ur steppin in

[@user-rk4zm3nb5f]

Knothead poetry.

[@BenjaminKorth-mf5ec]

Put the crown up.

[@kernoelnerd]

Is this an instruction of how to drive back home without buying something ;-)?

[@Hey_Its_That_Guy]

Funny you posted this today. Yesterday, I went to "a big box store" to get some plywood. I was in a hurry and figured I'd save a couple of bucks. I just needed six (6) sheets of CDX (lower quality grade). I pulled ten (10) or so sheets off the pile by myself, looking for an acceptable one, while two employees stood there watching me. Looking through the rest of the stack, I realized they were all delaminated, badly. The entire stack was probably left out and got wet. I drove to a family owned lumber yard and bought what I needed. The guys in the yard had it loaded in my trailer before I could get of my truck and put my gloves on. It was all good stuff. Turned out it was almost $2.00 a sheet cheaper than the big box store. I'll never go back to the big box store for lumber. The little family owned outfit will get all my business from here on out, even if it costs a a few bucks more!

[@Californians_go_home]

I find box stores are often priced higher because most people think they are cheaper. It’s a head game.

[@semilog643]

Our local family-owned chain is consistently cheaper than the big boxes *for equivalent quality*.

[@-_.._._--_.-.-_-_-_-...-.-]

I concur. Getting wood anywhere else is a crapshoot

[@robert574]

Same thing just happened to me. I was cussing and headed to the door when a couple of the guys I knew pulled me back and yanked some good sheets off of a new stack. If I want pringles, I'll go to the grocery store.

[@mickmciver5449]

Janet helten wsu

[@jdt3888]

A carpenter friend of mine, would simply state "I'm not buying firewood" when the clerk pulled out a crappy piece out of a stack.

[@dethmaul]

A loader at my mom and pop yard got lippy when my dad rejected twisted peices for bottom chords. He said 'do you want it to look pretty, or do its job?' The other employees are good though. I saw lippy dick abusing the forklift, too. Disinclined to say anything, lest a small town store label me a troublemaker.

[@panamafred1]

I'm 75 and it hurts my heart to walk into a big box store's "lumber" department. And it frustrates my workmanship ethics to use any of this junky wood. At ten-years old, I'd ride my bike to the local lumber yard. I still remember that Mr. Eddie would wait on me. He'd ask what I was building and always led me, and taught me along the way, to the right board. And when I asked for a pound of 8d common nails, he would ask, "Are these for your father or for your treehouse?" When I said, "treehouse," I now know that he would send me home with a very heavy pound-plus brown paper bag full of nails. With mentors like Mr. Eddie, it's no wonder that I had a long career as a carpenter. Oh how I yearn for the old days of the lumber business, although some good yards are keeping those days alive.

[@Orgakoyd]

I LOVE stories like this! Sometimes an adult makes such an impression on you as a kid you never forget it. It can be a teacher, a neighbor or anyone but it never leaves you.

[@livingadamman7994]

That was a good world. You'd be up a tree risking life and limb building as you go and nobody around if you fell. You'd ride your bike miles and miles and your parents weren't worried. You learned to be independant from a young age. They made the world today, so kids don't learn this only how to be dependent, and how to think as they are told, not for themselves

[@panamafred1]

It was 70 miles to my grandmothers house. I was maybe four or five. I slept most of the way on the ledge at the back window of our big Chrysler. I didn't die. What a sad world we are living in now. @@livingadamman7994

[@panamafred1]

@@livingadamman7994 Yes, it made me an independent thinker alright. But now -- I am retired in the country of Panama. Schools here teach one thing -- memorization. No thinking whatsoever.

[@livingadamman7994]

@@panamafred1 It's the same everywhere, and not only that the kids have a blank stare, and no outgoing personality. They cower at anything hard or challenging and give up before the going gets tough.

[@jonjohnson3027]

On that label near the end, my guess is the “FD” means “full dimension” - that 8x8 is actually 8” by 8”, not planed down to something less and just nominally an 8x8.

[@TinManKustoms]

We used to have a wonderful mom and pop lumber store. They only sold the best lumber some of the defects like wein, big knots and split/twists where all set aside to be remilled into some other useful products like form stakes, 2x4s and other things. They weren't afraid to reject a load of lumber from their suppliers if it didn't meet their standards. I truly miss them they always let you pick what you wanted and always had fresh coffee and doughnuts available.

[@jamesbarisitz4794]

Sounds like heaven!

[@bclamore]

Amen!​@@jamesbarisitz4794

[@glennmorgan4197]

And probably gave you a couple of carpenter pencils that you have to buy these days.

[@Trapper_Creek_2024]

Ahhh! The good old days! I’m glad I lived through those days and got to experience the glory.

[@glennmorgan4197]

@karlwithak. I looked at getting a contractors license in California 20 years ago, and the cost of doing business there kept me in the Chicago suburbs.

[@1goblingreen404]

This guy is such a gem. Decades of knowledge provided for free in 15 minutes for us to consume and learn from.

[@westonford6774]

As someone who works the lumber department at one of those big box stores, I appreciate you acknowledging that most boards have value despite flaws. Lots of people chase premium lumber at bargain-bin prices, and just make it worse for everyone, including the quality lumber yards which would have sold them better stuff with less fuss.

[@kreamysoaps]

My local home improvement store sells bundles of “seconds” lumber at 75% off. I buy them all the time to make boxes, and benches. That lumber will really test your skills 😅

[@051biohaz]

I work in one of those small lumber yards and I would like to play the video on repeat for all our customers…thanks for the upload and the support..:)

[@Glynchbrook]

“You can’t tell a tree how to grow” as my journeyman used to say when I was an apprentice. Great advice from E.C. as always!

[@nicholaschryssafis5797]

Tell that to my tortured bonsai

[@Glynchbrook]

@@nicholaschryssafis5797 😂

[@plenum6448]

Then don't prune your apple trees - and good luck with that...

[@Glynchbrook]

@@plenum6448 you win the pedantic award for taking things literally today. Well done you! 🥇

[@michaeld2662]

I’m retired and work part time in the mill work department of a large orange big box store. Everything you say about the lumber selection available is true. You have to hunt to find the good pieces. However, contractors shop there for price alone and ‘good enough’ material. I frequently tell guy sorting through the moulding section ‘If you’re looking for furniture grade, you’re in the wrong store.’

[@maddierosemusic]

Prices of molding in that orange store are higher than at my local lumber yard. I priced 3 5/8" crown for a huge job a few years ago - orange was $1.08 a lin/ft, my lumberyard was $ .54. HALF the price.

[@incognitotorpedo42]

@@maddierosemusic The Depot will sell you molding by the foot, so they lose a lot of material when the piece gets too short. I like my lumber yard, which sadly is not local, but when I buy a piece of molding there, I'm buying a 16 foot length or nothing.

[@michaeld2662]

@@karlwithak. Yeah, you sound like some of the inconsiderates that I get to clean up after. I sometimes have to tell folks like you “Sir, we don’t need you to cull our material for us, thank you.” I see guys pull off many sticks of molding they deem unacceptable and just leave it on the floor. Not cool! Someone (me) has to clean that up. Just be considerate is all.

[@danielhutchinson6604]

I used to haul into and out of Home Depot Regional Distribution Center in Salt Lake. The Mills I loaded at would have a special pile of Lumber they took from for the Orange Guys. There is a reason it is cheap.

[@user-pe1zs2pn4n]

I am 63 years old and just got into the hobby of woodworking about six or seven years ago. I had not done any since high school. Or Woody has a group that built toys for different children’s organizations. Mostly go to children’s hospitals in the area. With permission, I get the leftover lumber from new houses mostly. Anything to them under 4 feet long is usually junk. We make a lot of little toys from this wood. Some of the things you mentioned in the video I already knew but some I had completely backwards! I thought the sinner of the tree was a good board for a 2 x 4! You really gave me a lot of new stuff to look at now when I buy my own lumber. Thank you so very much for taking the time to make these videos and share your wealth of knowledge!

[@B_Van_Glorious]

Here ya go Scott, here's a cool tidbit; in the native Chinook WaWa, or trading language, the name for the Cedar is Kalakwahtie, which roughly translates to "tree of life". That's how respected the Cedar is and has always been. Only the matriarchs in the community were allowed to peel off bark (which they made clothes and tools from) from the cedars, and they would only peel ~40% off the oldest trees. Some of those trees are still standing to this day.

[@plumbobmillionaire6246]

The forest by my house is full of cedars with the strips of bark cut off. The tradition is alive and well. It’s super cool

[@daveb495]

Interesting! Anything more that you want to share about that? Serious question.

[@ecleveland1]

Just out of high school I got a job with a finish carpenter trimming out houses. I grew up helping my father build cabinets and other woodworking. I don’t think my boss believed I had that much experience and knowledge for carpentry. After I was through with the base boards, doors and windows he asked if I thought I could do the molding for the cabinet doors. I sorted through the boxes of molding and only used the best and made the most use out of the culled pieces. At first he was a little upset that I culled so much of the molding but I told him that’s the way I was taught to never use anything less for cabinets. He said from then on I was the only one that would be allowed to do cabinets and doors for him. Learning to grade wood was a valuable lesson my father taught me.

[@andrewschafer8986]

Scott is a fantastic representative of the entire building industry. Great sales man as well. You can tell he is still passionate about the trades and appreciates what a high quality small business supplier can provide on quality and customer service!! Keep up the great work.

[@acrazydurian]

He's a practical man. Hes the sort of dude that would tell you never do this, this is dangerous, but if you have to know, here is how to do it. Hes the sort of man that would not tolerate sub-par work, but at the same time recognise you dont need perfect material to do an outstanding work. Life doesnt always go his way, but its ok.

[@MikeHarris1984]

When I was a kid, HD used to sell Kiln Dried lumber. Now they sell wet lumber that as soon as you get home, you must lay flat and put weights on the pile to keep from twisting. Otherwise in hours it is a twisted mess. Most lumber yards do not cater to individual buyers. Only to large companies with large orders

[@chrismoody1342]

Absolutely; I use a family owned full service lumber yard. So many benefits. I can walk in and head to a contractor counter and make my order to someone who knows what I’m talking about in five minutes or less. I walk out with order ticket and the lumber is pulled and loaded for me. If my order is big enough it will all be delivered to the job still bundled. I’m free to cull any bad lumber and any overs will be picked up and refunded. Generally the lumber is much better grade, much straighter to begin with. I hate the big box stores.

[@WoodchuckCanuck]

13:20 The hemlock here in eastern Canada is completely different. Splits very easily and when it's dry, you only got to say the word split and it will split apart on its own. As for moldings, not this stuff. Too many small splitters remain on the wood surface to be worthy of anything other than beams, fencing or board and batten. At 14:22 the FD probably means Full Dimension. And yes, please support your local businesses.

[@grannydeen1586]

We have the same hemlock in New York. As it dries it splits but it's still pretty strong. You want to be wearing leather gloves handling the dry lumber. It's nothing but slivers. It was commonly used for home building back in the 19th and early 20th centuries and for lathe. In my area hemlock was logged to near extinction in the 1800's for the tanning industry.

[@WoodchuckCanuck]

@@grannydeen1586Very true about wearing gloves. Those small slivers are the devil. Still some big hemlock here. I have two truck loads in the yard to saw up this spring, average 10 to 27 inches in diameter, 12-14ft long.

[@grannydeen1586]

@@WoodchuckCanuck That's nice stuff. You could sell every stick of it here. I have a few nice sized hemlocks and white pines on my property. My neighbor has a beautiful stand of old, straight white pines but it's so steep, it's difficult even walking to it.

[@WoodchuckCanuck]

@@grannydeen1586 The more difficult the terrain, the larger the trees. A lot of people notice them in the yard, but I bought them myself and lucky to get them. Not about to let them go :)

[@TheTedsterr]

As someone who is starting out in DIY this is exactly the sort of video I need. I'll be saving this to refer back to. Thank you!

[@ishington]

I recently decided to get into woodworking (as a hobby) and these videos are so enjoyable. I’ve watched Essential Craftsman for years but now the carpentry related videos mean even more to me. Thanks!

[@amosbackstrom5366]

Thanks for this, super informative. I think it's an especially great point to put the weaker part of the board in compression. I will keep that in mind from now on

[@dwats250]

As a saw filer I love watching these videos. Never knew just how complex lumber could be before I started working in sawmills

[@mikewatson4644]

Years ago we had 7 lumber yards in town. They couldn't all make a living. Some started to go out of business. Then the first big box store came and more couldn't make a living. Now we have 2 big box stores and 3 lumber yards. 1 lumber yard makes most of their money selling kitchen cabinets and cutting counter tops (yes they still sell some lumber). 1 lumber yard sometimes purchases their stock of lumber from one of the big box stores. They build houses, so they are competing with the local contractors. The 3rd lumber yard got it's start when we had 6 yards (they were the 7th). They sold surplus items and lower quality lumber for lower prices. They have upped the quality/price over the years but aren't generally considered to be top quality. So where do I go? My choices are 3 lumber yards that don't really sell top quality lumber or the 2 big box stores. 1 of the box stores lets you pick through the lumber, has the employees remove the poor grade lumber from the pile and recycles it on a regular basis. That is my pick for the best lumber. Oh, they have a good price too. And they employee more people than the 3 lumber yards put together. And have benefits and bonuses for their employees. And contibute to local charities. Thanks for the video. It's interesting to read through the comments. Not everywhere is the same

[@SuwanneeHomestead]

Wonderful instruction, Scott. I got a great education in just a few minutes. Some of it I knew already, but there were several nuggets that make me a better consumer. Thank you.

[@danielflanagan9673]

Just want to say thank you from a newly appointed head sawyer at my lumber yard. I try and take my profession as serious as possible and your knowledge through the years has helped me tremendously. If I need to know how to make it through the day comfortably to research on wood grain characteristics I come to you.

[@JW-mx3qg]

You are a brilliant educator and your wisdom will hopefully help so many others in the trades! Well done once again!

[@MrLookatmyhat]

Your old video on this topic was a life saver. I have my boys go through the stacks and pock out the best boards now!

[@espltdrcart]

Finally someone who explains how to lookout for good lumber. Not many people know about this. Thank you for posting!

[@choimdachoim9491]

When I built my house in California I sourced all wood from a 2-location lumber company and had to stack all the studs with spacers out of the weather for a month because they were dripping wet and twice as heavy as a normal stud. My 2 X 10 joists for the second floor varied a 1/2" in width plus had severe crowning...caused me tons of trouble. Just because a company is small doesn't mean they are better. I'm glad you explained about looking at the end-grain; that's a question I've had for many years as to which cut will deform the least.

[@choimdachoim9491]

@karlwithak.I bought supplies at 10 different Home Depots in the Los Angeles area for 28 years and I watched the lumber quality diminish drastically. I left for Louisiana 12 years ago and shop at 2 H. Deps. and one Lowes with the same problem.

[@dethmaul]

My mom and pop shop actually has kinda bad lumber. I went to home depot and that stack of 2x6 studs looked like a movie prop. 100% perfect boards stacked perfectly. White, straight, hardly knots, DAMN it was a pleasure plucking them up lol

[@danreger8924]

Great to learn about lumber in the PNW. Here in the southeast we just have yellow pine lol. Besides oaks, hickory, and popular in most lumber yards. Cedar is expensive and I have to drive a long way to get it to trim cabins with. Thanks for sharing!

[@joseph7105]

Used to work at home depot and my biggest pet peeve was people coming in and complaining about the lumber. Literally drive 5 minutes down the road and pay 5 cents extra and get better lumber. Why are you wasting your time going through home depot lumber to save a couple bucks?

[@mickey533]

Great information. My son and I recently built a 10' high wall. Couldn't find straight boards. We ended up finding LSL 2x4's. Expensive yes. That wall is perfecto!

[@stoneyj1a1]

After 20 years of woodworking i learned a few new things about lumber. Thanks again.

[@jimanderson4495]

Thanks Scott. I live one mile from HD in PA & drive 30 minutes to get to a full service yard that will cut sheets of plywood and load it my car. Their price is maybe 10% above HD. I don’t have to search for someone to help and they are helpful. During Covid, they did not layoff a single person. Hats off to Neice Lumber in Lambertville, NJ.

[@Sawtooth70]

This message is so important. Thank you for making this video. Really, thank you for all of your videos, this is truly a genuine channel. Good will abounds here.

[@johnjones7829]

Thank you sir. The information you have given me was very informative. I learned a lot about lumber selection from you in this video. As you say, some things are intuitive, Others are learned by experience or by instruction by experts like you. JJ

[@dallenloder9901]

Thank you for creating and posting this. I've been a general contractor for 35 years and a woodworker all of my life. I really like your realistic approach to picking out lumber and the fact that you can use boards that are less than "perfect". I don't want to leave my local lumber yard stuck with all of the less than perfect boards, they have to make a living as well.

[@Gruin]

Great Video Great Explination Thanks Fully agree, less than Perfect Can be Distributed Throught the job. If You Pay Attention, When You Cut the Piece Needed You Will begin to Understand and Plan where the left over Piece will Fit. In Time the Imperfect Piece will Get Fully Used, believe that. Don't become a Perfectionist, it's not Needed, you Will understand pretty Quickly. Attention to Details of all of Your Craft, Especially Waste. One Cut on plywood for Gable End Sheething, difference Fits on Opposite side Gable End. Peace ~♡~

[@swampwhiteoak1]

That cedar is beautiful! Once had a bunk of SPF 12’ delivered and needed all 12 footers. They were all mistakenly cut at 11’-10”. Oops! The lumber yard had a new bunk out in an hour. Good service is valuable.

[@troop311]

Great video. I’m searching for lumber at the moment for my shop build and this video has helped me immensely.

[@DuffyHomoHabilis]

If you buy really wide lumber with the center of the tree in the middle, you can rip that out and have 2 nice pieces of quartersawn. Might be a cheap way to get quartersawn if you need it.

[@drsnooz8112]

Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience.

[@darkerbinding6933]

Its fun listening to an honorable man. Thanks for the info.

[@rhekman]

One tip I appreciate about selecting box-store lumber for projects you want to look nice and stay straight is to buy 2x8 or 2x12 and rip it yourself into 2x4s and 2x6s. You're left with two boards with little or no heart-wood, and the larger parent boards are more likely to have tighter growth rings.

[@rd-ch1on]

Exactly. A local fruit and vegetable store told me not to pick the rotten oranges out of the box and replace with good ones. So I'm supposed to pay for rotten food? I never went back.

[@The_Pennsylvanian]

It's more expensive like that, a 2x12 cost more than two 2x6

[@logsdongarage]

Ive tried that before with a straight 2x 12. After i ripped it in half i had two really crowned 2x6s. Didnt even finish the cut before they split from internal forces

[@rhekman]

@@The_Pennsylvanian It's more about getting better quality wood than saving money. You're already investing more time in handling and ripping larger boards, so if you just need sticks that will hide in stud walls, get the cheapest stuff that is structurally sound. Fortunately the cost isn't that far off. At my local Menards a 2x4x10 is $5, a 2x8x10 is $8. So cheaper to rip. Conversely a 2x6x10 is $7, while a 2x12x10 is $20. That extra $3 a board wouldn't make sense in a large project where a 40% increase in material cost makes a difference. However for a single bench, or deck railing, etc where I want things to look nice and be straight, it can make sense.

[@rhekman]

@@logsdongarage That sucks. Was the wood really wet?

[@user-sk9er8zf1b]

Hey thanks for the info. Some things I didn’t know but I’ll look for next time I’m in the market for wood. Thanks for the video. 👍👍

[@214rwoz]

Thanks for all your time and effort.

[@thadstuart8544]

Extremely educational. Thanks!

[@lw8882]

Just starting to look into wood species' and grades and things, and this video is perfect. Thank you!

[@mychaelleesly]

Nice explanations. Brought me back to the 1960s and 1970s when my grandfather (master carpenter) explained these sorts of things to his very young grandson. Here in SoCal we still have Jones Lumber which I grew up close to. My grandfather's company did almost all of their business there. And in the valley we had Northridge Lumber (now under the Ganahl flag). Both of these treasures had the train tracks run straight into their yards. Ganahl Lumber has many locations in Orange County -- they are the go to spot for the OC. And in San Diego it is Dixieline Lumber and J&W Lumber. Cheers.

[@finders-keepers1518]

Your channel is one of my favorite on you tube and the reason why is you have a way of showing people who may not be in the trades just how much knowledge and skill it takes to be a craftsman and a pro in your field. Much respect from SW PA

[@enmitygauged44]

Ditto. And also from SW PA.

[@MartinMMeiss-mj6li]

Wonderful video, informative and entertaining. You say of the wane: "That's where the forest started..." Nice. Yes, the big-box stores don't stock the best lumber, but on the plus side, they let you hunt around as much as you want to find the better pieces. Non-chain lumber yards that cater to contractors usually disallow that; one must take run of the mill. I have even had a guy at one of these yards sense that I wasn't a pro and he "helped" load my vehicle by piling on all their junk lumber, which I just as quickly loaded off. Here in the East we don't lump our eastern hemlock in with white wood. As far as I know it isn't cut much anymore, but it's reddish or brownish rather than white. It is strong and quite rot resistant, and I like it (my house is framed with it). However, it is very splintery. If handling it before planing, you'd better be wearing gloves. BTW, I like that you recommend supporting the independent lumber yards.

[@BluegrassFiddler812]

Your videos are incredibly well done! You have a voice for radio, they’re well produced, and full of great information for those of us who are wanting to learn. I don’t work in construction; I’m a paramedic, musician, and horse person, but I really enjoy getting to build things at home and your videos give me that much more inspiration to try new things. Thank you!

[@turbotransporter]

My favorite “local” lumberyard sold out to Builders FirstChoice. Whereas my local lumberyard used to be my preferred lumber source, their customer service, knowledge and expertise didn’t transfer to the new operators. I’m old enough to have had the convenience of loading what I want, then going inside to pay. That’s long gone!

[@1320fastback]

Dixieline?

[@timstark3312]

Thanks for this info! Its helpful to be made aware of how much I don't know about wood selection and oodworking.

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

Thanks for the in-depth education. Now I know the terminology for what I’m looking for.

[@codylaxton3287]

This is brilliant. Thank you!

[@OrangeeTang]

Always a learning experience, thanks.

[@merrick51]

Great rundown. Thanks!

[@dodgersfnshepard8673]

Thank you! 15mins of pure in depth information on a new topic. Just started woodworking and only knew to find wood at big box. Knowing nothing even I could tell how crappie the wood is there

[@HomeImProveMentHow]

Excellent information thank you for sharing God bless you.

[@patrickcowan8701]

Tip. If you need goods framing studs get the precuts as they're always better than the lift lumber.

[@imaginitivity7853]

I feel this. Love the secret forest pic. I get some looks, when I've basically got the entire stock on the shop floor, trying to find even one that isn't a banana or full of knots. On the other hand, you can often get discounts on the board stock as they routinely damage the edges through poor handling. But there must be a huge amount of waste due to these outlets

[@trawlertravels6376]

Great video Scott, sometimes taking the "junk" isn't bad. Like you said backing, blocking. etc. If you have to tske it and can ys it ask for a discount. Local yard or big box. Odds are they will give it to you. Keep up the goid work Jeff

[@mikemichelizzi2023]

Thanks for the tips and your insistence on supporting the local businesses 👍

[@tonyrooke]

Really good informative video. Thanks for sharing a lifetime of knowledge.

[@jraybye]

I'm with you on cedar. Here in S. Indiana we have an abundance of Eastern red cedar. Fast growing, sustainable, rot resistant and oh, the wonderful smell!

[@chrislambert9435]

Thankyou for this Lesson. . . Chris . . . Norwich, England

[@captainnathan1164]

Wonderful video as always, I bought some tools on Black Friday and have been trying to learn basic carpentry. I've been making some basic shelves for a storage unit and trying to get straight legs has been interesting. I appreciate all of your videos though, great information.

[@MrGrzech7000]

Thank you! You explained a lot to me.

[@charlessullivan5370]

Great and useful information! Thank you.

[@jfabiani]

Thank you for your educational information. Much appreciated.

[@markp6062]

THanks for the info! As to the FD, I believe it stands for Full Dimension, meaning a 2X4 is actually 2" X 4", not 1 1/2 X 3 1/2.

[@joshgay2385]

This is the answer.

[@michaelg.stranestrane1465]

Good Video! I actually learned from it. Kinda knew some of that. But now I feel more informed. Thanks

[@garretthayes5859]

I hit up a big box store yesterday and hit the jackpot. They had just set out a new unit of KD D-Fir 2x4s. About half the boards were damn near perfectly straight. At $3 a pop, I bought 40. Sometimes you just get lucky!

[@Faruk651]

Very rare but that is what i also do. Whenever i go to bigbox store i take a quick look at their lumber stacks if i see a good pile, i buy them and store them away for future projects. I have some douglas fir 2x10’s that are so tight just like old growth timber. I just don’t want to use them they are so good. I also have a 14” 2x12 douglas fir from a very old historic building it weights like it is a steel beam lol.

[@Fnu-ex1tc]

Like all your videos. They contain a wealth of knowledge for someone who is starting out in this hobby. Thank you for your time and effort.

[@jonl559]

Some great tips, thank you!

[@jameshargan2786]

Great video! Lots of useful information - thank you!

[@jeff95050]

That was a lot of growth rings per minute video. Certainly NOT a crap video. A very tight, strong and quality piece. Thanks for helping me build my education on lumber.

[@starsixseven9259]

"A store like this [wain] is the exception" My brother in lumber, nearly half of the boards there have wane on one side - at least

[@tomstevensiii1681]

Outstanding! Well said!

[@sixpotshot]

Thank you for bringing yet another amazing piece of insight about this trade ✨ ✨ ✨

[@MrKww900l]

This book is a comprehensive guide for anyone who wants to create various types of garden buildings. The book provides clear and detailed instructions with numerous photos. kzbin.infoUgkxBE-xSmFU7PIaMFUmmhnFxE035s5svtxeAs a novice, I appreciated the book's step-by-step approach to the basics of building. The book also appeals to the more advanced DIY enthusiast with projects ranging from simple to complex. The book is up to date with the latest trends, such as solar panels, green roofs, and sweet chestnut shakes. The book has inspired me to pursue more projects in the future.

[@tc9148]

Great tutorial on lumber.

[@davemusial5621]

Thank you for the information. some I knew some I did not!

[@hiitsstillme]

Great advice, we learned something today! 👍

[@tips4truckers252]

Scott, I love the videos. I just make small things out of 2x4s in my backyard for my friends. But what you taught me I'll pass on down. Nice seeing your friends eating off a table knowing you made that.

[@deltasquared7777]

Even with a Home Depot or Lowes where they do not stop you from picking through the lumber it is often necessary to wait until a new shipment arrives to find anything that you can use...the other day I spent a couple of hours going through inventory of both of these in order to buy lumber decent enough to build a couple of bookcases (at a cost of $200. for 8 1x8'x3/4" common grade I refuse to buy boards that are totally unsuitable)

[@raybod1775]

That’s my experience, leave and come back when they’re better boards.

[@countrycraftsman5110]

Thanks for the drone shot of the forest here in Oregon. Far to many people think we are a land of stumps.

[@roccoconte2960]

Couldn't agree more about the big box store lumber , I go to my local lumber yard always. You have a much better and bigger selection on the west coast than we do on the east coast.

[@gtbkts]

Thanks for the awesome content and all the amazing videos!!

[@bcole6502]

enjoyed the truly authentic knowledge sharing. Fantastic recap! Very educated

[@Goalsplus]

"Don't be a jerk." Good advice. Pick the good ones you have to have and help the next guy out and help keep the prices down by accepting a few lower grades for where you know you can use them.

[@clutteredchicagogarage2720]

Sometimes it's not just accepting lower grades. You might find an 8 foot board that has a defect across just a few inches at the end. Well, if you know you need to cut a bunch of cripples and jack studs that won't be 8 feet and you will have scrap off-cuts anyway, those boards with the defects only at the end are just as good as the ones that are perfect across the entire 8 foot lengths. In that case, you're being a better citizen by taking some of the ones with end-defects. It's better for the environment since ultimately less will go into the scrap pile and fewer trees will have to be cut, and it also creates less work for the guys at the lumber yard who have to tidy up the pile when people pick through it.

[@Goalsplus]

@@clutteredchicagogarage2720 well said

[@dalehair2400]

Very very well done, great info.

[@eladlutz]

So very true, support those who do their best because they know you do your best!

[@richzimmerman4010]

Great video thanks!

[@FTFO_Media]

Thank you for your time and wisdom good Sir!

[@My12521252]

FD Full Dimension Thanks for another great video

[@mikect05]

What a quality video! I wasn't sure about clicking. Glad I do. Please support local lumber yards because when they're gone we will lose so much!!

[@damonbeddingfield2958]

Good info , thx for your content.