Don't Make These Lumber Mistakes! | Tips for New Woodworkers

Watch our latest video : "From Old Firehouse to Woodworking Wonderland | Shop Tour 2024"
• From Old Firehouse to ... -~-
I imagine most people think wood is a fairly simple material. But the more you work with it, the more you can appreciate the subtle peculiarities of wood and what it takes to work with it effectively. Over the years, I've made a number of mistakes with regard to purchasing and cutting lumber and plywood and hopefully this list of tips will save you some heartache.
+ Wood Moves After Milling
+ Wood Can Move During a Cut
+ Plan for Expansion and Contraction
+ Don't Cheap Out on Plywood
+ Crap In, Crap Out
+ Buying Thicker Lumber and Resawing Is Not Cheaper
+ Shop Around for Best Price
+ Finish Doesn't Forgive Crappy Wood
+ Learn to Paint With Grain
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @woodwhisperer
Check out our new short-form videos on Facebook! / thewoodwhisperer
For more information, free plans, and helpful links:
SUBSCRIBE!
www.youtube.com...
Take a woodworking class online with The Wood Whisperer
thewoodwhispere...
SUPPORT US ON PATREON!
/ woodwhisperer
PRODUCTS RECOMMENDED BY MARC
US - www.amazon.com...
Canada - www.amazon.ca/...
UK - www.amazon.co....
CHECK OUT OUR BBQ CHANNEL
/ twwbbq
WOOD WHISPERER en Español
/ wood whisperer en español
CHECK OUT OUR SHOP TOURS
www.thewoodwhis...
GET INSPIRED BY OUR VIEWER PROJECT LIBRARY
www.thewoodwhis...
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE APP
iOS: bit.ly/177u4An
Follow me on:
TWITTER - / woodwhisperer
FACEBOOK - / thewoodwhisperer
INSTAGRAM - / woodwhisperer
Pinterest: / woodwhisperer

[@woodwhisperer]

*Attention NOTIFICATION CREW!* If you get here within the first hour you have a chance to win a FREE Wood Whisperer Guild project. All you need to do is go here and fill out the form: thewoodwhisperer.com/notification-crew/ If you're too late, be sure you're subscribed and have all notifications turned on so you don't miss your chance when our next video drops.

[@JGV_IX]

Every single new woodworker needs to see this video! As an amateur woodworker myself I’ve seen this happen first hand. Even today on my table saw I saw the off-cut wood bow out as I was cutting it. If only I had left enough margin on the stock to joint it again 🙄 But I’ve learned very early that a project is very fluid - the design has to change with the wood sometimes. Love your channel and thanks for teaching an amateur all the way down in South Africa 🇿🇦 all these great lessons!

[@TheOldJarhead]

Another option for woodworkers is to find a local sawyer! :D We can mill up logs you find (or might have logs in stock, or lumber in stock) to whatever dimension you want them to be. Of course, they have to be dried before use and this can take time but meeting a local sawyer to secure a steady supply of material can be a great option!

[@williammoore4101]

I had to go back and attempt freeze-framing like, 15 times to land on that high school photo. Good stuff. r/blunderyears ?

[@patrickbink4617]

That was fun to see!

[@patrickbink4617]

All your points are important but I quite appreciated your last section on "painting with the grain". I need to pay more attention to that.

[@woodandwheelz]

Agreed. I literally thought, "Wow! What a difference that makes." I'm still very new at furniture making, but I never would have thought of that.

[@varsitynoodle]

So appreciative you explained the 8/4 v 4/4 resaw "myth." I was under the impression that 8/4 was the best way to go to maximize yield, and its just not practical based upon cost, let alone the time, effort, and toolage cost to be able to resaw wide boards.

[@ryand7242]

Most of the time thicker wood has to be a higher grade to make the same size boards. You can start with 5/4 and mill the imperfections out of it for a 4/4 board, but it is alot harder to do the thicker you get. We had to explain this to a customer once that wouldn't understand that 8/4 juniper is impossible to get without bark/wane/knots.

[@joshjacobs2306]

Yup unless you need smaller boards

[@starfishsystems]

Yep. If you put yourself in the mind of the mill operator, it makes total sense. Delivering a lovely big timber is quite an achievement. Resawing flitches to get some residual value out of the smaller material is a good way to produce inexpensive lumber IN SMALL DIMENSIONS.

[@DonsWoodies]

I first learned about "case hardened" wood after resawing a 5/4 piece of cherry that was supposed to become the frame for a box. It bowed so much that the last 1/2" of the board split on it's own before it got through the bandsaw blade. Made one hell of a sound - like a gunshot. Scared the crap out of me. The board was about 36" long and 9 Inches tall. Putting the two pieces together afterward there was a 1-1/8" gap in the middle. Talk about wood movement! :-(

[@silentnights777]

Phoenix people, the 1/2 priced lumber store he speaks of is Spellman's hardwoods.

[@woodwhisperer]

That's the one! :)

[@normgraham6658]

Cheaper than Timber Woodworking in Mesa?

[@silentnights777]

@@normgraham6658 More 'n likely. They only deal in lumber, and only your standard species, nothing exotic. Last I checked which to be fair was 2018, 8/4 Walnut was $9.30 a board foot.

[@Woodworking-Pastor]

My dad owned a small sawmill when I was in high school. I remember trying to tail behind the head rig when someone logs had so much tension they would either bind the saw blade and cause it to want to lay over or they would curl so far away from the cut it was almost impossible to keep the board on the roll cages. Having been in woodworking for almost 30 years I can attest the same is true to the wood we use. Another thing to pay attention to when purchasing wood is grain direction. Is it quarter sawn or plain sawn and understanding how the wood moves accordingly. Great advice on getting wood that is sized to the project instead of reading it.

[@Woodworking-Pastor]

@@Robo.1776 if you're trying to purchase wood to resaw for projects instead of the right size you will waste more than you try to save from tension in the wood and in some cases due to case hardening from the kiln process. And understand the way wood moves (expands and contracts from moisture variances) will make a difference on whether you get quarter sawn or flat sawn wood

[@Nordrir]

I did not see the nipple twister coming, and nearly choked from spontaneous laughter. Thanks man, after a workday like this, I needed that X-D On a more on-subject note, I'm still fighting heavily to find any lumber around me - I'm in the Swedish south, and nearly all the places that sell lumber to private people are associated with DIY shops, which are... Not great. Both price and quality wise. Heck, finding anything that isn't pine or oak is like winning the lottery. It seems often that the greatest challenge I find, is just getting the basic materials to work on WELL before applying what meager skills I have to a project.

[@JasonRSpenny]

Nothing frustrates me more than trying to pick pleasing grain, and realizing that without buying more stock, it's jot gonna happen right. "OK well I'm not buying more so looks like we're going to alternate cathedrals and quartersawn. 🤷🏻".

[@al1843]

It’s been a while since I’ve heard you say “stack the cards in our favor”. Good to have you back!

[@joshuahellriegel3354]

My hardwood dealer has 4/4 mahogany for $11 per and 8/4 for $6.75 per; MADDNESS!!!

[@elishasfire1969]

Thank you ,I thought it was me cutting the wood wrong, or that my table saw had something wrong , I was why is my wood bending or curve lol😂, i m new to this so

[@draintheputt9517]

You mentioned that in AZ you found a store that sold lumber at a better price vs your original source. What is the name of that store/business?

[@MCsCreations]

Really priceless tips, dude! Thanks a bunch! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@benmooreman]

Marc "Sweet Nips" Spagnuolo - preach

[@micahk606]

Can any Colorado folks or Marc, recommend a store that has a good selection of walnut at fair price? thanks!

[@VladDonkov]

I am just starting out with my first trips to the lumber yards and living in a small country like Bulgaria where there are not exactly the type of businesses that cater to high end woodworking - your videos are a life saver for someone who bets almost all his cards on woodworking since my other field of work nearly vanished during the pandemic. Many, many thanks!

[@TimberBiscuitWoodworks]

Great point on buying boards for specific parts of the project. I do this every time I go to the lumber yard and yes it takes a little longer but man is it with it! Awesome tips Marc!

[@swiwswiw]

Packed with good stuff! Thank you.

[@j1ones11282]

Wood!… the final frontier, these are the voyages of TWW🙂

[@stinker9028]

Great tips, thanks for sharing. When you were in Arizona where did you purchase your hardwoods?

[@Wordsnwood]

Dude. That high school photo. You are a brave man.

[@ohasis8331]

One mistake to avoid was @8:08 - I can no longer take you seriously due to crack up.

[@cavetroll]

Wood moving during a cut is something I have learned the hard way....

[@Codeyellow]

Wood moving during a cut in mind blowing. This whole time I thought my table saw was just out of square.

[@jnix112]

I just came here to say how much I appreciate your sense of humor, Marc! I imagine your thought process (or maybe you even said it somewhere) “ugh I hate clickbait-y videos, but they work, so fine, I guess I’ll try it. But darn it I’m going to poke fun at the whole concept at the same time”. Your thumbnails are awesome.

[@mimibecks7049]

Hello, WW Thank you for this excellent video and I greatly appreciate what you have described as i have encountered most if not all of these conditions. Worst part is when you start with perfect pieces and after machining you end up with nothing but warped and twisted pieces. There are a lot of things that we still don't understand about wood like: 1- How long does it take for lumber to acclimate? 2- Why same wood pieces expand and contract differently? 3- Not sure I agree with calculation of how much oak piece of certain width should expand and contract. A good example is wood flooring. In my mother old house, the humidity various from 19% in winter to 85% in summer. The floor violates every rule with heavy coat of polyurethane on one side and nothing on the bottom side. If I follow calculation of expansion and contraction, that floor should bust and smash into the walls in the summer yet every year I measure less than 1/4" movement. Again, thank you for excellent video and for recommendations. They help but not always effective. Regarding plywood, plywood warp over time and changes in thickness in contrary to common belief that plywood is a stable material. Anything made out of wood is never stable if humidity is not under control. I follow all the rules and sometimes still end up with warping, twist, and anything but flat and square.

[@rwoodard2]

Thanks for the resaw comparison. I have frequently resawn thinking I was saving money. Also, with re-sawing, for me at least, you have to deal more frequently with cupping and twist. After the board is resawn now the resawn side is now exposed to the air and any moisture or internal is stress released. From experience, this can result in a board that looks like a potato chip.

[@413DaveRN]

I've made a lot of mistakes with my wood...

[@A6Legit]

You love them all equally amirite?

[@Thesaltymaker]

I really appreciate the “what I’ve learned” series of videos. Thanks Marc

[@snake530]

These were wonderful tips...thank you! Out of curiosity, where do you tend to get your hardwoods and plywoods in the Denver area?

[@inthewoodworksco.9041]

These tip videos are great. Thanks for posting it. Please keep them coming.

[@squirrelsrus1]

The bit about ripping long lumber. I first learn of that while splitting 2x10s for my bench top. Wow! Some of them looked like pretzels after that. A few of them had so much tension they could not be safely cut all of the way.

[@pennyroyal3813]

That's a lot of tips in nine minutes. Hopefully I can remember two.

[@WayWorthRacing]

I just got a gift, and old woodworker has been sitting on cherry oak walnut and cedar for years, he lost his eye sight and can no longer work. He offered me the wood, I could not except for free so we agreed on 3$ a board foot probably close to 1000 BF, some of it is not what I would call furniture grade but most is, Gifts come in all forms.

[@davidream136]

Dont leave your lumber directly on concrete.."mold and stains". Dont adjust your mixture ratio for epoxy when building dinning room chairs. " I filled a knot and that thing still leaks."

[@justavian]

"Don't cheap out on plywood" Psshhh - i'm building some cabinets out of sheathing. Once i get all the bows and twists out of it, i'm gonna put some really nice finish on it and it will be fine.

[@firesurfer]

Don't laugh. I've seen that. Literally. There are treated sheets that look good as is. (for the shop)

[@kevinwhiteaz]

Great video Marc! I’m in Arizona and pretty sure I know what store you’re referring to with high hardwood prices. Where did you go to get your wood cheaper?!

[@zyzzx8262]

I would also like to know that. I go to several hardwood stores around the valley and prices are fairly close to each other.

[@woodwhisperer]

Spellman Hardwoods

[@zyzzx8262]

@@woodwhisperer thx for the info.

[@mrstephentgarrett]

So, you are telling me that instead of buying a 2x12 at $9 and sawing it down to my 2x4s and 2x6s that I need for a project, that it's better to buy 2 2x6s at $8 a piece.... in the words of Al from Home Improvement...I don't think so Tim. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@botch3936]

Heh. Watching you saw that long, thin board on the tablesaw brought back memories of my only injury at the table saw. We ran out of 1x2s (trailer manufacturing) so I had to cut up some 2x4s to make them. Of course that saw's kickback pawls were lost years ago. Started slicing a badly case-hardened 2x4, which started warping badly, and it caught the blade and kickback city. A standard tablesaw is 36" tall, my inseam was 37". Guess where I got "punched"? Coworkers and foreman got a great laugh out of it, I didn't think it was quite so funny!

[@derrickschultz6871]

Ridiculous pricing you must be talking about woodcraft

[@glencrandall7051]

Woodcraft, Rockler, etc will always be higher because they are selling S4S lumber. You are paying for the extra labor. Find someplace that will sell you rough sawn or skip planed lumber. Then surface it yourself.

[@martyfarrell9459]

Your thicker is not cheaper scenario is not accurate and just demonstrates a 2:1 comparison in board thickness which is never a consideration for any woodwoker. I am making 1/2 inch T&G verticals, 34" lengths in cherry, and resawing 5/4 lumber is FAR cheaper than buying all 4/4 stock. You obviously are going off of basic stats and not experience. With one side viewed only perfect pieces are achieved at a huge cost reduction. Similar with thinner baseboard and casings. You should make another video, your subs need to know.

[@2smoothku]

Just noticed your Joe's KC BBQ shirt while you were pleasuring yourself lmao. Have you been to KC and had Joes... Can't go wrong with the Z-Man or Burnt Ends!

[@tiagofino]

Wow! Nine tips AND a high school picture! My week is complete!😆

[@davidjennings9253]

You could have also mentioned that it is worth going through the stack to find the quarter sawn boards and those with a grain direction that is likely to stay stable. It is also worth taking a moisture meter with you to the lumber supplier to check the actual moisture level of the board. It may have been kiln dried to below 10 but you have no idea how long ago that was and the wood can take on moisture in the rack unless the supplier has a humidity controlled building.

[@bentswoodworking]

Great tips Marc!

[@woodwhisperer]

Thanks buddy!

[@Zav]

8:08 Great nips Marc!

[@ThorAgtarap]

@@Zav hahaha 🤣

[@10FingersWoodworking]

Great info. Thanks for the awesome videos. And I think you should go back to the high school haircut. 😀

[@jaswoodwork]

Awesome tips Marc! As always very informative and bloopers are funny too!!

[@trolleyproblem7195]

Thanks, some very useful tips there. BTW, the auto subtitles were in Vietnamese. Can you help out a slightly deaf viewer?

[@woodwhisperer]

Sorry but I don’t think that’s something I have control over. Closed caption settings are on the user end.

[@TheCyberDeaf]

@@woodwhisperer autocaptions are dependent on language used in the video, but you have to specify it in the settings for that video.

[@A6Legit]

@@TheCyberDeaf sounds like this guy knows

[@TheCyberDeaf]

Try again: they've fixed the captions. 🎉

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

Lol, can’t wait for the “You copied, Marc’s video idea, you hack!” comments after my video is released Sunday. So, sorry in advance for me copying you when I filmed it last week. Hahaha. Great vid, bud 👍

[@woodwhisperer]

Spying on me again?!

[@nogardniwt]

Now I'm curious about the lumber supplier your found in AZ...

[@slowburnwoodworks7626]

Been studying up on wood movement and this was a great bit of info to add to the knowledge bank. As always, thanks for sharing 🙏

[@mfcosi]

Thanks for sharing. Sorry to say but that WWII patch is hidden below the Powermatic plate. If think it deserves to be in a better place - maybe framed.

[@darkmagna9004]

Liked, subb'ed. That was some next level advice. Never thought about grain so much. Thanks

[@joehanes8923]

Hello Mr. Whisperer....What was the expensive Arizona store? And what is the store you found to be cheaper. I am here in AZ

[@theeddorian]

It is worth just keeping in mind that even in antique and "vintage" furniture you see these and similar mistakes made. I've seen old pieces where the wood working and moving had gradually torn the pieces apart over time. The original maker had ignored or underestimated the movement the wood would be susceptible to.

[@wesleymitchell3486]

Hi! I’m currently working out of Phoenix. Would you mind sharing the name of the business you got your wood from?

[@Madmoody21]

Good video. Many woodworkers know wood moves. High quality laminated plywood's dry or not do have "board memory". The edge has a different moisture and stress levels than the center. On a long rip you will see the space where the saw blade passed through close up or spread out. To combat things like this on panels cut out over sized. Rest time to acclimate. Trim all edges as close to same amount as possible to finished size. There is another place carpenters can misunderstand properties of wood and moisture. Rough framing lumber and fasteners relationship. Attaching something like dry wall use the shortest screw or nail within reason possible on install to avoid pop. Longer nails or fasteners that go deeper into the lumber will pop more than shorter due to the ratio of shrinkage changing from low at center to more at surface on all sides. Pop happens cause the tip stays put and the surface to tip area shrinks. the longer the fastener the more this happens.

[@glencrandall7051]

All good points Marc. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.

[@David-hm9ic]

Your discussion of plywood was spot on. I bought a lot of birch veneered plywood that was apparently from Vietnam. The veneers were paper thin and came off easily, the cored were irregular with voids/overlaps and poorly glued causing lots of issues. I have never had so many splinters from any one material in my life! Fortunately, most of it was used to cover the walls in my shop rather than building something from it. I got a bunch of Baltic birch from the same source and it was very nice to work with. Recently I bit the bullet and bought some Purebond maple veneered plywood from a local home center. It is almost as nice as the Baltic birch. The core is all poplar. My good sawblades are out for sharpening so I'm using an inexpensive Diablo at the moment and still had no chipout from the Purebond ply. The veneer is much thicker that the cheap birch veneered import ply and it handles beautifully. My wife was even impressed with how nice the French cleats looked in maple veneer.

[@kristilbilyeu7682]

And your experience with the plywood is the reason why my biggest pet peeve is suppliers, and even woodworkers, calling ply Baltic Birch when it isn’t TRUE Baltic Birch 😂

[@uncleronny6748]

Well done. Can you name the place in AZ where you purchased wood since Im moving there? Thanks

[@joshuamason4246]

Ughh that "picture day" joke was so bahhhd. I hope you don't sleep well for a week lol quality video otherwise.

[@bandols]

Best trick I've learned in my life is treat whatever you buy the same way as the people who sold it. If it's food from the grocery store, wood, finishes, or even plants. Pay attention to how they are storing it and mimic that. The reality is these multi million or billion dollar companies are pros are knowing how to store the things they sell.

[@bambuminatto]

Hi...i am from Brasil and begining with woodworking. Do layer of any finishing can avoid wood movement?

[@ibrahimaldossri2646]

Hi….. what about the teak oil use it before you safe the cut wood do you think 🤔 will save the wood please give us your suggestion. Thanks 🙏

[@natswoodworking9455]

Where was that place in AZ for buying cheaper wood(less expensive)

[@CleverWoodworks]

Sir, I love the sponge example and it is far too true to call around to get the best price. Those two tips alone should be an eye opener that can make a difference.

[@researchandbuild1751]

I'm more shocked by the cheap prices of the wood per BF in this video

[@justonsvoid]

*laughs in Cremona*

[@terrytillman3598]

My wife is wanting a floor cabinet 3' long with 2 adjustable shelves with no divider is this to long everything is going to be milled oak

[@mshaltot]

So what store did you end up buying cheaper lumber from in Arizona? 😁

[@sunalwaysshinesonTVs]

Loved the Kyrsten Sinema curtsy when ya said, "work".

[@markkoons7488]

What finish looks best on a crappy project? How about oriental stucco?

[@skimark8275]

Great advice my friend !! BUT @8:08 it got a little disturbing

[@davidwarren340]

Easiest way to avoid lumber/plywood problems is to knit instead.

[@shieldwolf8093]

I'm in Phoenix Arizona I would love to know your suppliers out here

[@cerberus6654]

The cool T-shirts this guy has! I'm going to break into his house and take at least 50.

[@ilive4livemusic]

Some good tips I hadn’t focused on before. Thanks.

[@ziggystardink9389]

Where do I get $30 dollar plywood?????....... OH.....2021

[@Psychlist1972]

A few years back, I stopped buying plywood from the local big box stores. Even their expensive "cabinet grade" stuff was full of voids, had thin veneer, and would warp like mad. Now I drive a bit further and buy from a company that mostly caters to businesses. They do have minimum order quantities, but it's quite reasonable. Also, I'm getting baltic birch which is far more stable than what I can get at the local stores. Price is a bit more, but they also loaded my pickup truck for me. That alone was a huge deal when you consider 600-1200lbs of plywood :)

[@YancySmith]

This video speaks a lot to me. I ride that struggle bus every day! 😆

[@richmelchr]

what was the reasonably priced shop in Arizona!? lol.

[@830jps]

I've been using pallets to make furniture for the garden.

[@jacobkoppel4820]

I had to remember which channel I was on. Yours or Matt's.

[@AzRenobros]

Hi Mr.Whisperer I am from Phoenix AZ and I cannot find any affordable place here. Woodworkers source is very expensive. What is the lumber yard you found that was less expensive? Would really appreciate the info

[@woodwhisperer]

spellmanhardwoods.com/

[@morick11]

Thanks Marc!! This was really helpful! I have been meaning to post a question to the Woodtalk podcast in regard to this topic. Wood movement of solid wood intimidates me and causes me to use veneer plywood for my projects along with some solid wood. The estimator link accounts for grain orientation in the movement of the wood but what would be a good resource for taking grain orientation into consideration when it comes to building furniture projects? Thanks for what you do! Tell Nicole hi...I'm from Spfd. MO

[@properlynumb7092]

I have had much luck bending back lightly warped and twisted wood by over bending, clamping and heating a few days. On/over a large wood stove. The sun might take much longer. And it will move given time.

[@gbjones54]

Marc. Another great educational video. I’ve really understood just how much wood moves since I started turning, leave a project on the lathe overnight and it’s out of round the next day.

[@kristilbilyeu7682]

One thing you can do to help minimize that overnight movement is to cover your piece. Some folks will put a grocery store bag over it and tape it. Personally, I think it helps more to tightly wrap it with Saran Wrap.

[@Monuments_to_Good_Intentions]

I just bought a bunch of lumber from a auction, about $1000 worth for $60, had a lot of exotic pieces, and one split just on the way home and sitting over night in my tuck. Its crazy how wood does react.

[@christophermacier]

I am guessing the store in AZ with wild prices is Woodworker's Source... Just found this out not long ago and thanks to local guys I found Peterman and Spellman.

[@woodwhisperer]

Bingo! :)

[@elpaisaexplorador9981]

Love watching ur videos 😬👌🏽

[@michaellawson3222]

Care to share the location of that more affordable lumber store in Arizona? 😉

[@michaelthompson5875]

Marc, I'd like to submit my application for the position of intern at Kramerica Industries. My name is Darren and with my help, you'll get that chicken.

[@woodwhisperer]

I think you'd be perfect for our upcoming bladder storage project.

[@redrockcrf4663]

When milling pieces that are relatively fresh, and then stacking to air, it can help to paint over the ends of the boards, as that is most of the evaporation occurs, as well as splitting. Not a huge cure, but definitely helps.

[@ThekiBoran]

Yes, that's why when installing stain grade base I like to completely smear glue over the miters and scarf joints. It seals the end grain.

[@egbok07]

Great tips Marc..........you sure did open my eyes to some very important info.......I am now, not questioning my choice of purchasing Baltic Birch plywood for shop cabinets/carts rather that the other options............Thank you!!

[@TroyArmstrong]

best I found is Siberian birch plywood

Can you give more information on the Arizona place?

[@JB-xx2hl]

Use that thing three feet above your ( Y ) you can thank me later for the laugh!

[@victorgalvan4113]

w/ the 8/4, 4/4 resawing, it's even more obvious with white oak and walnut. It's like $6-7 a board foot for 4/4 and nearly $18 for 8/4! Definitely not cheaper to resaw