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All About Buying Wood

01/29/2010 17:13:00 Roger Schroeder
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A handy reference guide and inside tips from 30 years of buying carving wood

Buying wood—be it pine, basswood, or something exotic like rosewood—can leave you scratching your head wondering about the mathematics and vocabulary. When I first started purchasing wood, I fell in love with a piece of mahogany, ideal for an exotic fish I had in mind. The owner of the lumber yard told me the best deal was to purchase several board feet of 8/4 “undressed” and plain-sawn stock. I’m sure he recognized my confusion, but he simply wrote up the bill and took my money without explanation. At that point, I decided to demystify the process that leads to owning a great piece of wood.

Having a basic knowledge of the terminology used, and methods of wood preparation, will enable you to purchase the stock best suited for your project. Many lumber yards have a price list, which can save you a lot of time otherwise spent looking for a favorite wood that isn’t in stock.

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Author info
Roger Schroeder
Roger Schroeders success as a writer began when he gave up trying to write the great American novel. Instead, he turned to writing about his hobby: woodworking. Sharpening his skills and his photography and expanding his interests, he went on to author 16 books and nearly 200 magazine articles. Ranging in scope from woodcarving to house building, the books include such titles as How to Carve Wildfowl, Carving Signs, Making Toys, and Timber Frame Construction, which has over 77,000 copies in print. Founding editor of Wood Carving Illustrated, Roger is past president of the Long Island Woodcarvers Association and active in the Long Island Wood Workers club. He is a retired English teacher who specialized in teaching writing and research, Roger currently lectures on topics such as how to make wood into furniture, houses and sculpture. In the remaining time, he is an amateur cabinetmaker who enjoys constructing Victorian reproductions, and is an amateur carver who has won a number of blue ribbons for his natural wood sculptures.
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