The WORST home centers for wood (Home Depot vs. Lowes vs. Menards)

I compare wood quality, selection and price at three major home centers.
▼EXPAND THIS SECTION FOR MORE RESOURCES RELATED TO THIS VIDEO▼

★THIS VIDEO WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY★
ISOtunes Bluetooth hearing protection (Save 10% when you use this link):
*Please help support us by using the link above for a quick look around!*
(If you use one of these affiliate links, we may receive a small commission)

*Links promised in this video:*

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE CHEAP TOOLS★

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE HAND TOOLS★

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE POWER TOOLS★

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE OTHER TOOLS★

(If you use one of the affiliate links above, we may receive a small commission)

[StumpyNubs]

▼EXPAND THIS SECTION FOR MORE RESOURCES RELATED TO THIS VIDEO▼

★THIS VIDEO WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY★
ISOtunes Bluetooth hearing protection (Save 10% when you use this link):
*Please help support us by using the link above for a quick look around!*
(If you use one of these affiliate links, we may receive a small commission)

*Links promised in this video:*

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE CHEAP TOOLS★

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE HAND TOOLS★

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE POWER TOOLS★

★SOME OF MY FAVORITE OTHER TOOLS★

(If you use one of the affiliate links above, we may receive a small commission)

[tlv]

Home Depot in my area is awesome. If you want to make an arch, a bow or maybe a wooden leaf spring just buy a home Depot 2x4. It's already pre shaped!

[azpcox]

“… for garage shelving, or for firewood”. Made me laugh. Did some remodeling on my bathroom and the pine they used as studs 40 years ago is cabinet grade today.

[markklein]

I have both Menards and Home Depot nearby. I shop primarily at Menards because I nearly always find what I need and I find the way the store is organized more comfortable.

[solowfrful]

As a professional cabinet maker, I rarely go to the home center for hardwoods but do buy sheet stock given the supply challenges recently. The one thing I have found with the hardwoods is that while it’s already milled, it is milled to different thicknesses depending on the supplier, so you may pick up two boards thinking they’re both 3/4”, but in reality one may be 3/4” and the other is 11/16”. As you indicated you can’t joint or plane the stock unless you’re working with very thin material. I use to think that the higher price at a home center evened out the labor cost of milling rough sawn stock into dressed material, but when you do doors and your styles and rails don’t match because of thickness issues, you quickly appreciate the milling process.

[mfsolutions]

a great topic... I discovered during a pandemic lumber shortage in Canada that the 16' 2x4 were less than twice the price of a 8' 2x4 ... As a former logger and log scaler I know that 16' lumber is much straighter and knot free than 8' 2x4's that are often "gang sawed" and banded before being kiln dried. Within a couple of days after removing the bands these sticks will twist like a pigs tail. The 16' 2x4 remain straight for weeks after bringing them home. I know as things get back to normal the price of 8' and 94 1/2" lumber will drop but I will stick with the 16' lumber bringing my cordless makita saw to cut it to length in the parking lot.

[pfish]

Lived on the west coast most my life without ever know what a Menards was. moved to Nebraska a year ago and LOVE Menards. Always has a better selection. Price tends to be a little better, but more importantly to me, If I ask an employee where something is they either know or they guide me to the person that does and they bring me right to where its as. Superior service at my local Menards is the main reason I think to go there than anywhere else.

[cjsan]

I work in lumber at HD and it's pretty interesting seeing the general impression of products at different stores. The butterknife station was a good joke, I'm going to start using that lol

[BillGoodman]

For wood I usually go to my local Menards. I like the variety of species and because it's S4, it saves me time. The only time I looked at Menards and then left to go to Home Depot was when I was looking for a 4x8 sheet of maple plywood. Menards was $20 more for the same sheet. I had to dig about 3 sheets in but I came across what I think was a mislabeled A grade and bought it right up.

[erich]

A quick tip for Menards. Just buy your items online and choose the "customer picks" box when checking out. Then you just print out your order pickup barcode/receipt. Then when you get to Menards you just drive straight to the lumberyard and the guard scans your printout to confirm you have paid. Easy as anything. I almost never even go into the store or even get out of my truck until I am parked next to the pile of lumber.

[jonathanmemole]

10:26 "butter knife station" had me laughing! Thanks for the informative vid Stumpy!

[madjackgamingandfitness]

Glad it’s a professional observation that’s explaining quality. Because I was going nuts a few months ago trying to find just 2 2x4s in a lowes. I tossed nearly 20 out the way just to find 2 straight 8fts

[charleshirst]

Here in Watford, UK, we have a timber merchant and a couple of stores (large by our standards, small by US standards). For timber I use the timber merchant, BUT, if I were building a small aircraft I would definitely use one of the stores for wood to make the propellor - it comes pre-twisted which will save me a ton of time!

[aristotlepeters]

I am in Wisconsin and love Menards because they carry rough sawn Cedar 2x4’s, which means they are actually 2” by 4” before milling :)

[ceasar]

I pull a flatbed semi and have had a contract with Menards shipping to their stores for 8 years now. I love them and they treat me awesome. I think they have the most control over their products because they manufacture so much of it themselves. They own their own concrete and truss plants; block, countertop and plywood factories, they pressure treat their own treated lumber etc.

[b.a.]

I love how it's ok for them to record us in the store from every angle but if you want to record them they lose their mind.

[powdertrax]

I recently replaced my 25 year old cedar fence and I couldn’t believe how much thinner the new boards are, they might be 1/2 and my old ones are 3/4”

[kevinshea]

I was at my Home Depot getting a sheet of Birch for a project and mentioned to the employee cutting the sheet for me that their only sheet of Oak was damaged. He happened to be the millwork manager. He sold me the 4 x 8 sheet of red oak for $10!!! Even with the damaged corners there was a lot of good lumber left. I make it a point to say hello to him when I am in the store. It pays to make friends with the milk work manager.

[nathandurrett]

I recently had to go to Lowes for some Top Grade Red oak. I only needed one 8ft 1x6. This board was $54! However, I needed it so I digress. Got it home and noticed the board was actually 1x's edge glued to make a 1x6! I took it back. Wasn't happy about their shenanigans.

[gmgmtl]

This has probably been mentioned, but the having to mess with the mail-in rebate from Menard's is a deal killer for me. It is like Menard's is stuck in the 1980s. Just give us 11% off or handle rebates digitally.