Avoid Bad Lumber at Home Depot with These Tricks!

[@michaelinminn]

re: shuffling through the pile of wood at Home Depot. "If they had better lumber, I wouldn't have to do that." Nice dig!

[@VineV-Dutch]

You even need to do that in the lumber yard.

[@bombocropper5142]

Please be considerate and restack neatly after you've selected the boards you want.

[@Wheeler590]

That is one of the most informative videos I have seen in a long time! Direct, Too the point, and no stupid background music. Well done Sir!

[@simonr6793]

The one thing you forgot to mention is the wood with less moisture content will feel much lighter than the wood with higher moisture content. As always buddy 💯% 👍 🇬🇧. P.s I just bought a full ash tree that came down in a storm in 1989 and was sitting in a farm building after being milled, I've got 9 board's and each is between 4 and 5 inch thick and between 48 and 57inch wide in approx 12 to 15 ft lengths cost me £600. Upon checking the Internet I've saved a fortune!!!

[@EveningWoodworker]

Nice! Now you need a portable mill!

[@simonr6793]

@@EveningWoodworker don't go there I've been thinking about it on and off for the past several months 🤔

[@jeffcampbell2256]

From a former lumber guy, if you pick through the pile put it back together. The lumber that is wasted as a result of tumble stacking is legion.

[@brettbarager9101]

From a frequent lumber customer: I don't have time to pick through the pile for straight wood but do it out of necessity! I certainly don't have time to put the pile back together! If you don't want a pile of twisted lumber on the floor, get a better supplier!

[@VineV-Dutch]

​​@@brettbarager9101 you need to pick through the wood at every store or lumber yard. It's considered arrogant, rude and impolite to leave a pile behind messed up. It depends on the project if you need square or quarter sawn wood of course. And when you have a knot in a board, I'm pretty sure you also need 2 smaller pieces, so you can cut the knot out. This way; you can ask for a discount on that board. That's how you behave as a professional word worker. You sometimes also pick the junk when you can use it. Don't forget: wood is a natural product. Brett: You behave and act like a millennial or genZ person...

[@bloodleader5]

​@@VineV-DutchHome Depot and Lowes do not offer any discounts on bad lumber and if you ask for one they will not help you. If you order materials to be delivered, they grab the ugliest pieces off the top FIRST to get rid of them, leaving you with a pallet load of unusable trash. Those employees don't care about the difficulties contractors have to deal with. You obviously do not work in the trades. Restacking the bad boards on top of the bundle does nothing except put them in the way of the next guy who now has to pick over all of the crap that's already been picked over, and if he restacks, then the NEXT guy has to pick over them again, in an endless cycle... this is why I throw my cull pieces all the way to the back, or if there's open space in front of the bundle, put them all the way at the bottom in front. So the worker after me can reach straight to the untouched lumber without the termite food in his way. No responsible person would ever put them back in the stack.

[@anvilsbane]

Brett and Blood,👍🏼. Vine👎🏻. I PAID FOR GOOD LUMBER, AND I’M ONLY TAKING GOOD LUMBER. If you’re giving it away, then sure, l’ll take trash. Nothing else, I can burn it…

[@johnf8877]

As a former HD customer, if they didn’t try to charge top dollar for crap wood, I might.

[@BrianSiano]

Planning a project and edge-gluing 2x4s is my cheapest bet. This video came along at the right time for me. Thanks!

[@robertwehmeyer9684]

Your correct in pointing out if all else looks the same the lighter board will have less moisture. But also keep in mind construction grade lumber is usually only dried to a moisture content of 13 to 15 percent moisture content. As long as you design and build your (Indoor) projects with that in mind it will work out fine. I really like the way you present your information it's just a good stright forward presentation. Hope this helps. Thanks RCW

[@rds333]

I typically don't use construction lumber for furniture. It's not made for that. The moisture content is usually too high. However, if I were to being using this, I would first let it dry out a bit and check it with my moisture meter until it reaches around 9 to 12 percent moisture content. Secondly, I would cut my pieces into rough length and recheck the moisture content. If I have a lot of lumber, I would stack and sticker it for the drying process. This could take time, so be patient with it.

[@user-rg9jd5ws1m]

I was totally unaware of this. My approach was eye line sight only.. thanks 😉

[@derekrobertson1548]

Some great tips thank you. I was really lucky and managed to get 300 full lengths of 2x4 from a builder that was taking down internal walls in an instrial building, had to chop a few inches of each end but the stuff is amazing quality compared to what you get nowadays. He also through in a load of rafters think they are 2x6 all for free, gave the guy £40 for fuel as he dropped them off at my house.

[@FearsomeWarrior]

My big score was when I worked at a ski resort. We hosted a gladiator run and they built several large obstacles on the hills. Couple hundred crazy people, covered in mud, going over very simple climbing walls. People came and filled trucks and trailers with all the wood when tearing it all down. I was able to spend my lunch break and stowed a small stack. To get it home I spit it with a friend with a truck but it was all 12-15 foot 2x4s.

[@Erik_The_Viking]

Great tips! Using larger lumber is also cheaper from my experience. HD/Lowes can be cheaper for hardwood depending on the quantity you need as well, especially for smaller amounts. I go to the hardwood dealer when I need a significant amount.

[@EveningWoodworker]

Yeah my hardwood dealer is a lot farther away too so sometimes I don't wanna go that far for one board.

[@JohnClark-tt2bl]

You can actually buy small amounts of hardwood on Amazon for pretty reasonable prices. Although you don't get to see it before buying.

[@mircomuntener4643]

I'm going to be that pedant and point out that the board end you portrayed as quartersawn was actually riftsawn, which is a great choice for furniture legs since all 4 sides will be edge grain, no face grain. The main advantage of quartersawn is that it tends to dry well with little warping, and shows rayfleck on woods that have it, especially oak.

[@EveningWoodworker]

Yeah technically you're right but that was the closest thing I could find in the stack!

[@mircomuntener4643]

@@EveningWoodworker fair enough.

[@robertbamford8266]

Time is the key. Picking takes time. Knowing when you can work around a defect expands the pool of acceptable boards. One other trick I use to avoid checks is to hold the board upright and bounce it on the floor. Listen for a “solid” sound (not a “twang”)

[@EveningWoodworker]

That's a good one! I need to try that!

[@taher_farid]

*تسلم ايدك يا فنان بجد تحفه*

[@samsw1029]

I’ve found quite a few nice looking vertical grain quarter sawn boards in the 1x3 and 1x4 furring strips. I dig through the pile most times when I’m there.

[@EveningWoodworker]

Nice! If you are okay digging, they're there.

[@bskelly]

“Maybe we can get them to stock better lumber” 🤣😂🤣

[@robertbamford8266]

It’s scary to think of what is inside the walls of some of the tract homes.

[@danhunik7949]

The reality of big box lumber is that grading rules allow up to 5% under grade in each lift. When the lift is put on the shelf at the big box store it is picked through by DIYers until all that is left is the 5% garbage from two or three lifts. When you buy a whole lift of lumber you get the all the boards not just the ones that were left after being picked over. But not many of us can afford or even need anywhere close to a whole lift of lumber.

[@dllion3196]

Our good Canadian lumber is going to Japan and the USA. We are left with the oversupply

[@Pocketfarmer1]

You tube needs a button to acknowledge irony, cuz dammmm!

[@tinysparky]

Great advice. Thanks

[@bobstan5503]

Recently I have noticed the S4S hardwoods at Lowe’s and Home Depot are not all the same thickness. I first ran into this a few years ago when building a toy box for my granddaughter. In gluing up the top couldn’t get the boards to align, then figured out why. Each was a different thickness unless from the same original longer board. I had to thickness plane all down to the thinnest which was quite a waste of time, and in some cases changes the fine dimensions of joinery.

[@EveningWoodworker]

That's a good reminder to never trust the thickness unless you verify it

[@danpatch4751]

Months ago I was in one of the big lumber stores and was looking through the 2x lumber and noticed how crooked and twisted most of them were and the high prices. I asked an associate how much for a straight one and he said we don't have any. Today I was there and most were straight and even the plywood looked good. No voids even in the exterior grade plywood and no forklift damage.

[@EveningWoodworker]

Ha yeah some days are good and some days are crap!

[@robertrohler3644]

Good advice, well done. Cheers

[@craigshackleton4310]

Some great information my friend 👍

[@bridgetb505]

I started off woodworking following low-cost craft tutorials, and I would dig through so many 2x4s and furring strips probably drove the employees nuts!

[@EveningWoodworker]

Yep I'm sure I'm on a list somewhere for that same thing!

[@tonyn3123]

I have recently found a "prime" stack of 2x4 in a big box store. It's rare, but it happens. A little more expensive, but much dryer and straighter to work with.

[@EveningWoodworker]

Did you buy the whole thing?

[@tonyn3123]

@@EveningWoodworker No, but I would love to, but I don't use pine that often in my humble hobby work. They had 3 big bundles in stock.

[@justinbanks2380]

You can get walnut and maple at Home Depot or Lowe's near you? I've never seen either in any of my stores or where I grew up another state over. I had no idea any of them carried them. My local hardwood section in Home Depot is red oak and popular.

[@EveningWoodworker]

I guess it depends on exactly what they choose to stock... some places have redwood lumber, but I've never seen that in my store.

[@markfredericks9892]

Great tips, thanks!

[@cottydry]

Try and shop HD and Lowes on a Thurs or Friday. They usually replenish the wood for the weekend crowd. Don't expect good wood late in the weekend or early in the week because it'll likely be all picked over.

[@EveningWoodworker]

Good tip...I didn't know that

[@hohenstaufen.1010]

Thanks. Good tips 👍🏻

[@cowboycamping]

Great info. Thanks

[@kcthorne5969]

Good tips! Also, take gloves, stack onto a flat cart if you can, and put everything back nicely when you're done. Don't just toss it to the back of the pile as you go.

[@EveningWoodworker]

That's some very good big box stores manners... I salute you sir!

[@sniper60605]

If you do shuffle through the stack, please make sure the board you leave behindr are left flat.

[@EveningWoodworker]

Good point, don't leave it in a disheveled pile.

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

Great tips. Thanks for sharing.

[@EveningWoodworker]

You are welcome!

[@somdov]

11/10 video thank you.

[@thesplinteredfinger]

Great information!

[@foxmoulder7724]

I had to dig to the bottom of a stack to get some dry fir pickets 😅. Stuff was literally just stained, probably not even ready to put out, so i had to find the stack from the previous shipment at the bottom.nobody wants to bend down to floor level repeatedly, so odds are, the bottom row may be both dry, and un-picked through

[@EveningWoodworker]

The bottom can be a good place to find good lumber!

[@David.M.]

Thanks, great info

[@Slightlysalty1]

Great advice. Picking through big box store lumber drives my son crazy. I’m sharing this video with him. Maybe he’ll give me a pass next time. Better yet, actually use the knowledge and stop saying “just pick some boards already Mom” 😁🤞🏼

[@EveningWoodworker]

Ha! You gotta get your money's worth!

[@Stanley-o4f]

Do a video on 4x4 using that principle

[@barryirby8609]

The lumber that has the pith in it comes right out of the center of the tree, known as Juvenile wood. The part of the tree that grew like a weed when the tree was young. Very poor quality and very different than the part that comes when the tree is more mature. Avoid juvenile wood if you can. Another good idea is as you pointed out, buy larger boards but buy them ahead, take them home and store them indoors a while and let them acclimate for your next project.

[@EveningWoodworker]

Thanks! I've never heard it called juvenile wood before but that makes sense.

[@VineV-Dutch]

I pick out some juni as well. If everybody only gets the cherries, prices will go up in the long term. So I take a note of al the boards I need. Because most of the times, you can cut around the knots. When I picked the junk; I go to a employee or that store and ask: " Hey, I've got some junk from your pile as well, what's the discount? I varies between 10-60(!!)%. How about that?

[@EveningWoodworker]

That's not a bad idea especially if you only need smaller pieces!

[@usatrooper5045]

Boss : I sent you to get lumber four hours ago ! Employee : Oh I was watching a video on KZbin on how to pick lumber so here's the three 2/4s and a moisture meter....😳

[@Bigdog1787]

Someone has to sell the bad stuff eventually. + I don't recommend buying anything from the big box stores it's always better to go out of your way to get the better lumber. Only wood I needed for my big project is done 4x4s I went through the pile to get some most of the dry ones was all warped so I just brought good wet ones home and put bricks under and in top of each one and let it day for 2 weeks they all came out perfect hardly any warpage and fully dry ready to use. Just be sure to add some kind of weight on top as that is what's going to help the most to prevent warping wile it's drying.

[@EveningWoodworker]

Putting the weight on top while it's drying is a great idea to reduce the warpage!

[@danielhutchinson6604]

I used to haul Lumber into a Home Depot Distribution Center. The Lumber was taken from a separate area from the regular lumber, destined for honest Lumber Yards. There is a reason the stuff is cheap......

[@clwest3538]

sad thing is, our local, rural lumber yard has worse wood than HD or Lowes. Most of another 'lumber yard' stores their wood under a roof but no walls .... gets all the weather - rain, summer sun .... edit: and it is premium cost.

[@danielhutchinson6604]

@@clwest3538 I have watched the US Lumber distribution system since 1972, as the sources of good lumber faded from availability. The production of profits, appears to have overcome the production of good quality Lumber. There are a few sources of good quality material, but they appear to cost more than most buyers can afford.

[@tywebbgolfenthusiast8950]

Next house I build I’m going to use engineered wood studs. Consistently straight, consistently sized. No wane, no knots.

[@scaresandsparks]

Interesting. I buy 2x3 mainly and I have to hunt to find anything. In fact if I applied ALL of your parameters I'd never buy anything in HD!

[@BadAppleWoodwerx]

Good tips. Now if we can just get lumber prices to come back down to Earth. 😒

[@EveningWoodworker]

Yeah especially that plywood too

[@billschmitzer9159]

Good advice, l do the same thing. But after sorting through a bundle I always take the time to restack what I moved around.

[@EveningWoodworker]

That's really nice of you... the Karma Gods will bless you!

[@RRE769]

Where can I find furniture quality 2x4s? I didn't know I had other options than lowes and home depot.

[@EveningWoodworker]

You just have to find the best/straightest ones you can at HD and then plane down at least 1/16 on each face. As long as the moisture content is low, they shouldn't warp too much.

[@threesonsrestorations4043]

I wouldn't completely avoid wide boards with the pith down the middle. If I can tolerate the waste, I'll sometimes seek those out, then rip those boards on both sides of the pith, resulting in two quartersawn (and thus fairly stable) boards. I'll then use such lumber for non-critical areas since it's not as structurally sound.

[@EveningWoodworker]

That's a really good idea... just cut out the pith!

[@utz3710]

My buddy was picking threw a pile and this worker told him not to pick ⛏ thew the pile only take from the top. I would have shown him my middle finger 🖕 and then introduced him to my fist 🤜. 😮

[@EveningWoodworker]

I always tell them if they had better lumber, I wouldn't have to go digging!

[@madeinfoxtrap5539]

With the rising cost of lumber It’s hard to believe that it GROWS ON TREES !

[@koei3920]

Pro tip, take off the sticker from a 2×4 then put it in the hardwood board.😂

[@EveningWoodworker]

Bwahaha that's a new one to try!

[@dennisholtby2140]

@@EveningWoodworker Also dishonest.

[@siriosstar4789]

There is no " best " lumber at big box stores . Construction lumber on the west coast is mostly from hybrid fast growing Doug Fir trees . Look at how far the growth rings are apart . this very unstable lumber and dry or not will always be less than furniture grade .

[@EveningWoodworker]

I think it just depends on what kind of furniture. If I'm building a bunk bed that I know the kids are going to be rough on, I don't usually want to use the nice hardwood. For fine furniture, hardwood is the only way to go.

[@siriosstar4789]

Yes , you are right . i should have made that clear . i got off on a tangent because of my distaste for the west coast lumber industry . apologies

[@brettbarager9101]

I have seen hockey sticks straighter than much of their lumber! They need better suppliers!

[@MrEldoradot]

It is all wet!

[@EveningWoodworker]

Haha... sometimes you get lucky!

[@pmdinaz]

It comes down to drying. Its expensive...so they buy whats available for the 'average ' consumer. The cost of better lumber comes down to paying for that drying process.

[@AvroBus]

Sadly no Home Depot or Lowes here in Dubai; lumber from the local Ace is expensive and a very limited supply. Anyone from HD or Lowes want to set up in the UAE???

[@EveningWoodworker]

Dang...I would guess there aren't a lot of local trees there either.

[@brettpeeloff2120]

Not a shocker wood at lowes and homedepot is junk when the railways leave pallets of it sitting on the ground for days and weeks

[@martyratcliff3134]

I like your videos and have subscribed to your channel, but please slow down your time lapse segments and include a pause for several seconds at the end of each segment or step in order to allow a moment for us to absorb what you just raced through. Some of your videos flash the final frames for less than 1 second and I'm constantly hitting rewind/replay trying to get ready to hit my pause button at the perfect time. This comment is not necessarily targeted at this video, but I figure you might notice it on one of your more recent ones.

[@EveningWoodworker]

Thanks for the great constructive feedback! That's something I can definitely implement in my future editing.

[@georgevanvalkenburg2560]

you can control video speed. check the icons at the bottom of your screen, I use it all the time,

[@whizzywoodworks5011]

They don’t charge any extra for the straight ones. Lol

[@scottsimpey2965]

Several years ago I had a Home Depot employee come up to me after fumbling through a stack of 2x6’s for like15 minutes, he asked me if I needed any help finding anything. I told him that I was just trying to find some good straight boards. He said “well they should all be good and straight since that’s the select grade A lumber. I told him that the select grade A didn’t mean squat as far as them being straight and that yes they should be straight but I had just handled over 3 dozen boards to find 6 decent ones. Needless to say that guy wasn’t particularly happy with me but it was clear that he didn’t know a thing about wood.

[@EveningWoodworker]

They always ask me if I need help finding boards and I always say no because my standards are much higher than theirs!

[@rds333]

You are absolutely right, just because the lumber is a premium grade, does not mean it won't change shape when it dries out or takes on moisture. As far as people being knowledgeable about wood, some people don't know a 2 x 4 from a donkey's tail.

[@justayoutuber1906]

"fewer" knots, not "Less knots"

[@alejandrocantu4652]

The best trick to avoid bad lumber at Home Depot. DON'T BUY LUMBER THERE.

[@EveningWoodworker]

Haha, well I suppose that works too

[@MrSubliminalStudios]

Menards gang here

[@EveningWoodworker]

I don't have any of those by me, but I've heard they're good too

[@stevesiefken6432]

I recently moved to the Midwest and found Menards to be muuuch better than Lowes or HD for lumber. Decent selection of hardwood too.

[@joshuasmith1215]

Went to Menards by me today to get some 2x4s and 2x6s because I have seen a few people online mentioning they're pretty good...WRONG. Not for those boards anyway. The stuff at Home Depot was way better.

[@siriosstar4789]

so now we know who the jerk is that picks through the pile leaving all the crap pieces for the rest of us .

[@EveningWoodworker]

Bwahaha... now you know my secret!

[@berninme]

The most annoying thing is when the employees start hovering around like you are committing a crime.

[@EveningWoodworker]

I know, right?

[@CayoBuay]

The lowering of CO2 is causing trees to not grow as strong as they were before. Vegetation, including trea used for lumber, needs CO2 to grow stronger. The less of it, the worse they will be. Think about what happens to humans if they do not get enough oxygen. CO2 is only 0.04% and we want to, as per Mr Gates, innovate that to literal zero. Thank a tree and give them some more CO2 to grow strong and healthy. It's like Flintstones vitamins for them.

[@wthomas5697]

Why would you build furniture out of construction grade lumber in the first place? That's not what it's for.

[@renedayhoff7629]

😓 ᴘʀᴏᴍᴏsᴍ

[@dennisnolan2544]

The only way to avoid bad lumber at Home Depot is to not to buy it there.

[@TM_Stone]

The only wood anyone should be buying there is to toss in your fireplace.

[@jamesgullo8240]

Shame you even have to do this.

[@christophermcdonough3466]

I don't get how ppl who make videos can just talk to a camera like it's a real person.

[@EveningWoodworker]

It takes lots of practice and starts out really awkward. You have to develop the mindset though that someone is behind that lens!

[@freeflyer6170]

I have a better idea, stop supporting these big box stores. Of course that will be challenging for the general public as many of your independent lumber yards have lousy customer service. It’s almost universal with them. They expect everyone to be a builder or carpenter with total knowledge of the building materials industry. So I guess the general public will have to get better educated as to how lumber is sold. This probably won’t happen.

[@freeflyer6170]

In addition, lumber is typically more expensive at the independent yards. Of course the quality is typically better and treated lumber will be dry. I was at Home Depot the other day and numerous builders picking out treated lumber were complaining as to the quality and moisture content. I suggested the independent yards and their response was they were too expensive. So there you go. You can’t win for loosing.

[@EveningWoodworker]

It's a catch 22. We just can't win!

[@georgevanvalkenburg2560]

shared on gettr, truthsocial, twitter, and linkedin. . . . . . . Merry Christmas

[@EveningWoodworker]

Thanks man! I appreciate it!

[@robnewburn3684]

Great advice, thanks

[@creativelife9871]

Thank you for this video!!