I recently relocated to southern British Columbia, south of Vancouver and near the Washington border. I am having difficulty finding a good source for hardwood. I like to work with oak but not exclusively. The retails stores I found sell mostly dimensional lumber, which is too expensive and is not what I want. I found some 4/4 shorts at a local retail store but the selection is inconsistent. I suspect there are other great sources that other wood workers in this area are using.
I would appreciate any tips on good sources for hardwood.
Thanks.
Replies
P.J Hardwoods, Vancouver
http://pjwhitehardwoods.com
and
Andy Jantunen - Abbotsford 604-504-5434
I haven't talked to Andy for a couple of years.
Don
I second PJWhite Hardwoods. Good folks and good variety.On a personal note, I would avoid Reimer Hardwoods in Abbotsford. They treat folks who only spend a few hundred $$ like sh*t. For instance one is not allowed to pick 5/4 cherry. You have to wait whilst an employee disappears into another warehouse to get you the dregs. On the other hand they do let you pick from sheet goods and they do have a very large selection of that.Cheers,Peter
Better life through Zoodles and poutine...
Windsor Plywood sells a diverse variety of hardwoods in the rough; selection depends on store. Prices are a bit steep, but good source for a hobbyist.
http://windsorplywood.com/locations.html
PJ White generally sells to the trade and the inventory is geared toward that.
Certainly different companies cater to different market sectors, but that is not a reason to not poke your head in the door.
My experience with PJ White in Edmonton is very good.
I walk in the door and ask if I can go look.
They do not care how much you buy, will willingly pull down any number of lifts for you to look at, help you hand pick you pieces. I always bring my gloves and do not hesitate in rolling up my sleeves to help.
The staff in Edmonton seem to enjoy keeping me smiling - and I am a long way from a big client.
PJ White's inventory is sweet. Not as divers as the offerings at Windsor but great stacks of jatoba, teak, tigerwood, oak, maple, ash....
I bought all of my teak to builds Russ Jensen's garden bench there. Over $12.00/board ft less than Windsor's prices. That is significant.Don
Thanks for the input. I will pay a vist to PJ White.
I'm not suggesting his custom isn't welcome, just pointing out another potential supplier and providing a little locality-specific background based on some first hand experience.
Thanks Don, I have never been to PJ White in Edmonton, but I will be checking it out the next time I am in Edmonton.
Jeff,
If you have the time and room (or access to a kiln) to dry wood, I have name I can pass on to you. Drying wood can save a good deal of change and more importantly, I can get full slabs with natural edges and wide slabs.
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
(soon to be www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
At the Edmonton tool show in 2007, Andy Jantunen told me that there are quite a few eastern hardwoods being grown to maturity on the west coast.
You may be surprised as to what is locally available in the lower mainland. Big transportation saving if this is true.
Don
I'm with Don01 - PJ Hardwoods. I use the Vancouver outlet because it is more convenient but always do my own picking with no complaints from the staff.
Give Dave Horn at call at "Allwood custom saw" 604 826 6155, he is located in Mission, you will be pleased with the prices, mainly western maple, but I have had cherry and walnut ,oak are available occationaly.
Keith
( I am located in South Surrey (531 1201) if you need any further info)
I saw some fantastic curley maple from BC. A local luther uses it. You live in a lucky place. try buying hardwood in Regina>>>>>
Google Peter Sawchyn and ask him the suppliers name.
Look at the BC wood web bet you have more suppliers than you realize.
Hello jeff . there is aplace called hardwoods inc. in langelly .like reimers they are wholesalers but there rough cut hard woods are of the best quality. Also if you do go to windsor plywood make it the main wharehouse in surrey,they have alot more rough lumber there.there also some great sourses for reclaimed timbers out your way,mostlly fir but I have come across huge oak and maple beams.
good luck .the woodbug
how about Stanley park after a wind storm ?
Jeff
Skip all the middlemen and go to smaller sized sawmills. That's where fantastic bargins are to be found!
the best way is to look up pallets/wood in the yellow pages and go there and ask where they get their wood from.
You will have chances to buy wood at prices you can only dream of..
plus you will get first shot at all the wierd wonderful stuff that grades poorly but looks beautiful..
Burls for example grades extremely poorly 3C or 3D often That just makes them cheap at saw mills..
Honestly I found a massive tree of solid burls.. over 2200 bd.ft. of planks up to 22 inches wide and 10 feet long.
Honestly they were set to shred it because it wouldn't grade well enough to justify sawing it..
I am going to complete the construction of my new home next month, And i have decided for having wooden flooring and other elegant wood work done , I am searching the web for some found many examples of good wooden work. However, can I get decent pricing range on web?
http://www.woodsmithhardwood.ca/
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