buying lumber advice

[jussi]

Don't have much experience in buying lumber. Is this a good deal. He's selling it for $2.50 a square foot (supposedly half of what they paid for it).

" This is raw TENNESSE Hard White Maple wood. 1inch Thick, Random lengths, and width as well. "

[Woodwerker]

Do you have to buy it all?
What is the quality like?
Maple is not too expensive or hard to come by, can you haggle a bit?

[gwyneth]

Are you sure it's square feet, not board feet? If so, grab the thickest stuff.

[jussi]

No I don't have to buy it all. He said it was per square foot. Not sure of the quality yet. Planning on checking out on my way home this afternoon. Of course I'll try to haggle

[MikeMcCoy]

No I don't have to buy it all. He said it was per square foot. Not sure of the quality yet. Planning on checking out on my way home this afternoon. Of course I'll try to haggle

I've never seen it sold by the square foot so I would make sure I knew what I was buying.

[Garasaki]

The ad states that it is 1" thick, therefore a square foot and a board foot would be the same thing.

It's not a super smokin deal on hard maple, but if it is good stuff (not a lot of waste, ie knots, bugs, etc) that's a pretty good price.

[Ken Massingale]

Acer saccharum, the sugar maple isn't common in Tennesse. There is 'some' there but it's the extreme lower reach of the Sugar Maple.
Even if it's so called soft Maple I still like it. I agree with John, it's an o.k. price but nothing special.

[footprintsinconc]

i would have thought that it was a good deal. hard maple sells for like 5.50 bf. i just bought 5/4 for 2.50 just recently and though i got a good deal. now you all make me want to know how much does maple cost in your areas (those who say that its not a great deal) for knowlege sake?

thanks

[Ken Massingale]

i would have thought that it was a good deal. hard maple sells for like 5.50 bf. i just bought 5/4 for 2.50 just recently and though i got a good deal. now you all make me want to know how much does maple cost in your areas (those who say that its not a great deal) for knowlege sake?

thanks

$2 to $3 bd/ft. The $3 stuff is really nice, completely clear. It's not uncommon to find curly boards. All nice curly and birdseye Maple is ~$5

That's why I said $2.50 is o.k., just not special. For being in AZ you got a real good price, Omar.

[burrellski]

The mill I frequent has "soft" maple @ $2/bdft and "hard" maple for $3/bdft

[gwyneth]

i would have thought that it was a good deal. hard maple sells for like 5.50 bf. i just bought 5/4 for 2.50 just recently and though i got a good deal.

Omar, 2.50 for 5/4 hard maple in Arizona is a great deal...it would be a pretty good deal up here in northern Wisconsin, where there are a whole lot more maple trees.

[ragswl4]

There are not mills around me so I have to buy retail. Normal cost is $6.50 to $7.50. I did find some Calico Maple (that's what the guy called it) for $2.50 on clearance. It had dark streaks running through it and appeared to split rather easily so I passed. I have not found any inexpensive hardwood in SoCal.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

All depends on the quality. Even for FAS that is average, particularly when you are buying what appears to be a few hundred board feet. If it was clear stuff and I had to buy the whole stack I would try to get it at $1.50 bf.

[big tim]

Just checked one of the mills in our area(Toronto) and they want $6.00(can) for 4/4 hard white maple. Wow1

Tim

[affyx]

Online lumber?

Do any of you use online sources to buy lumber? The extent of my sophistication is Lowes and HD - so I'm probably paying way too much.

Any advice on where to find good wood for good prices? (Advice in general, but if anyone knows PA/MD, some local source info would be great!)

Thanks! Really glad I found this forum!!!