What to Know Before You Shop for Materials
Picking out materials at your local lumber yard can be the most exciting part of your DIY project. Whether you’re building a new deck, patio cover, garden box or fence, purchasing your wood and other materials means you’re ready to get to work.
However, it’s important to take some time to prepare for your trip to the lumber wholesaler. Heading straight to the lumber yard without a plan can set your project back. You may end up with the wrong materials, wrong measurements, or wrong assumptions about what you need to complete your project. It’s a simple lesson, but an important one: Be prepared!
The following lumber yard checklist will help you get ready for your trip – and get your project started off right.
Bring Your Measurements
The first thing to do before heading to the lumber yard is to measure the area you plan to build in. Measuring helps determine the amount of materials you’ll need and the best way to create a structure that fits comfortably. Defining what your project looks like can also help the experts at your local lumber yard offer tips and advice on the best way to execute it.
Ask Questions!
Lumber yards are more than a place to buy wood. Established yards, like J&W Lumber company, are staffed by experts who are ready and willing to give you advice on whatever project you have in mind. Consulting with a professional can help you determine the best materials for your project as well as help identify any potential roadblocks standing in your burgeoning ideas way. Our lumber specialists are always ready and willing to help you execute a successful home project. Just stop in and say hello!
Bring a Sample
If you want your wood or other outdoor building materials to match an existing part of your home, bring a sample of the material into the lumber yard. Matching wood types and styles on memory alone can be a major challenge. Even if you know what type of wood you want to match – say Redwood or Cedar – it’s still a good idea to bring in a sample. Each piece of wood has its own look, grade, and characteristics. Bringing a sample ensures you will find the closest available match for your project.
Have a Budget
Determining your budget before you start your outdoor building project is paramount. A budget – or at least a budget range – helps you set limitations and determine a plan for purchasing materials. Lumber yard pros can help you gather the right materials for your budget and offer suggestions on how to use your budget wisely. There are plenty of great projects that can be accomplished on a modest budget. It’s all about how you use your resources.
Call Ahead
It’s easy to get distracted at the lumber yard. The smell of fresh-cut wood and the abundance of choices can make you feel like a kid in a candy store. Before you know it, you’ll have spent an hour wandering around, only to discover that the thing you came to buy is out of stock. If you know exactly what you’re looking for, call ahead. Even if your local lumber yard is out of stock, they can usually let you know if other locations have what you’re looking for, or order it for you and call you when it’s ready for pickup.
Get a Transportation Plan
It seems simple, but people often overestimate what they can fit in their car. If you’re going to the lumber yard to pick up outdoor building materials, make sure you plan ahead and consider how you are going to get them home. Many cities have laws requiring any material hung out of a vehicle or tailgate be tagged with a red flag and tied down. Randomly Hanging 2x4s out of your hatchback is not a good idea and could end up in a nasty ticket. Many lumber yards, including J&W Lumber, deliver materials for a nominal fee – which is a far better option than making multiple trips and hoping you wood doesn’t spill out all over the freeway.
The lesson, as always, is be prepared.
My husband really needs to get some wood for a project that he is working on, but we have never bought so much wood before and don’t know what to do at the store. That is a good idea to make sure that we bring the measurements of my husband’s project. It would be nice to get some tips from the lumber yard about the project too! Thank you for the tips!
I appreciate how you mentioned that consulting with a professional can help you determine the best materials for your project as well as help you identify any potential roadblocks standing in your way. I think that’s important because professionals know exactly how long their materials will last, and which ones would work better with others, and therefore can help you avoid any irreparable mistakes while building before you even start. My friend is thinking of building a home on his property but isn’t sure what materials would best withstand the storms that often pass through his neighborhood in the winter. I’ll have to recommend that he consult with a professional building supply service in his area that can use their knowledge and experience to help him choose supplies that will protect his home from harsh weather.
You mentioned that it is important to have all your measurements, and a list of the supplies that are needed for the project before you get to the lumberyard. That would be such a help in making sure that you are most effective with your time spent there. I will have to take this into consideration the next time I start one of my projects.
Thank you Shaylee! Measure twice cut once is a rule we live by here 🙂
Happy Building!