I don’t know if this is the proper venue, but I thought I’d give it a shot.
I’m located in the Seattle area, Renton to be specific, and I’m relatively new to the area. I’m kind of lazy as far as shopping goes, so I’m looking for some recommendations on good (i.e., cheap and high quality) lumber suppliers in the area, so I don’t have to go out and research them myself. I realize that 1) sometimes finding the wood is half the fun, and 2) cheap and high quality are generally mutually exclusive, but my hobby time is severely limited by other activities, so I’m looking for a home run. Plus, I think that word of mouth advertising is the most effective and useful.
By lumber supplier I mean someone who will sell domestic hardwoods in relatively small quantities. I’m not really interested in sheet goods or exotic wood.
Thanks!
Replies
I live in the Tacoma area not too far from you. I buy from Tacoma plywood (more than just plywood) and Architectural woods both of which are on the tide flats in Tacoma. There is another good place on the tide flats, but I can't remember the name. Lumbermens is a good place for stuff like clear cedar. Rockler is Tukwila and Woodcraft just north of Boeing field. Sumner Woodworker Store (in Sumner) has a good supply you can pick through as well as a good supply of tools and frienly knowlegable staff. I bought my General International tablesaw there and they recently gave me a part to fix the fence handle for free even though the saw was out of warranty.
Blackstock
Compton
Crosscut
I second the reference to Blackstock and Compton.
Also, I know you said you mainly use hardwood, but Issaquah Cedar and Lumber is a great supplier for high quality, reasonably priced cedar. They're pretty close you too.
Check out the Crosscut store at 4100 1st Ave S. They carry a very good supply of your standard domestic and import hardwoods. They let you go through their stacks so you can pick out as much or as little as you want. The Portland store has a little better selection. For high quality figured lumber North West Timber down at Jefferson Oregon is hard to beat. http://www.nwtimber.com
I'm curious if the Crosscut store you are talking about on 1st Avenue is owned by the same people as the one in Portland?
There is also one in Salem that I think is on its own, or at least, it used to be.
Hal
Hal
The Crosscut store in Portland is their main store. They also have a store in Eugene and one in Seattle. I think they are actually owned by Emerson Hardwoods which is a wholesale outlet. http://www.emersonhardwood.com
Dick
Dick-2,
Well, I know that there were at least two Woodcrafters stores in Oregon in the 70's, and then I found out there was one in Eugene too.
The one in Portland was purchased by Steve Penberthy, of the Penberthy family that, as I understand it, owns Penberthy Lumber in California which is one of the largest hardwood dealers in the country. He bought the Portland store in about 1980 or 1981 and changed the name to Woodcrafters Lumber Sales, Inc.
As far as I know, he didn't buy the others, but it may have happened. I don't really keep up with all of that. I just buy tools there and it's a great store for that.
Emerson Hardwood owns Crosscut Hardwoods in Portland, which is their retail outlet, and is a really great place to buy hardwood lumber. Woodcrafters specialty seems to be the sales of tools, craft items, moldings, finishing supplies, etc. They are sort of the Portland retail outlet for everything that Garret Wade sells, plus a lot more.
Hal
http://www.rivercitywoodworks.com
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