I get asked all the time where I get all the fancy wood used in my projects.
I source my building materials from a variety of local suppliers. The project I’m doing determines where I go to get wood. Am I building something rustic? Do I need just a few boards?
- Parkerville Wood Products
- Armster Reclaimed Lumber
- Rex Lumber
- Connecticut Plywood
- Cut Once Hardwoods
Parkerville Wood Products stocks over 60 species of hardwoods from around the world. They will sell you one board (or length of board) and offer machining services. They are a busy millwork shop as well and offer a selection of offcuts from completed jobs that are too small for them to sell as bulk board footage so they offer deep discounts on these ‘shorts’. I buy lots of ‘shorts’ to build products with, but also to try out a species I’ve never worked with and test machining properties and finishes.
Armster Reclaimed has easily the largest selection of reclaimed wood and barn wood in New England, with great service and price. Looking for large beams for mantles, or rustic lumber with a rich story? Then this is the place you want to go. They are also a full-service shop.
Rex Lumber supplies mainly rough lumber to professionals/businesses (bd ft quantity minimums apply. they also offer machining service for a very reasonable price). Their inventory selection is wide, the materials are top grade, and with an excellent price.
Connecticut Plywood provides high-quality building materials (sheet goods and engineered woods) at very competitive pricing. They’re also a major distributor for Blum hardware at exceptional pricing compared to online.
I’ll occasionally make my way to other local specialty mills for things like slabs, bulk purchases with friends, and deals on character-grade lumber. I also make trades and purchases from friends.