Tips For Buying And Storing Lumber For Your Beginning Woodworking Projects
Posted on: 2 October 2020
If you want to build a dog house, chicken coop, or other beginning woodworking project, it's important to understand a few things about the lumber you need to buy. There are so many options when it comes to boards and plywood, that you may need help from the lumber supply shop to make the best choice. Here are a few tips for buying lumber and storing it once you get it home.
Check The Label For Details
Boards should have a label that identifies the type of wood and provides other important details. Supply mills sometimes have their own labels, so if you don't understand what the label means, be sure to ask. The label contains information such as the grade of the wood and its moisture content.
Select The Appearance
The great thing about wood is that different species have different appearances. The appearance of the wood may not matter too much if you're building something for the outdoors, but if you'll be building a shelving unit for indoor use, you might want something with beautiful grains and knots.
If you think you'll be working on many woodworking projects, you might want to familiarize yourself with different wood species so you can buy lumber in bulk and use the same type in several projects. However, the more rare and attractive the wood is, the more it costs, so you might want to stick with less expensive wood while you're still perfecting your woodworking skills.
Look For Quality Boards
Boards aren't always uniform, so you don't want to load up the cart at a lumber store without examining each piece. Rotate the boards as you look at them to make sure they are level and not split. You don't want to buy defective boards that you won't be able to use when you're ready to start building.
Store Lumber In A Dry Place
Boards can warp if they're not stored properly. Store them inside so they stay dry or at least cover the pile of boards with a tarp so they don't get wet if it rains. Storing the boards horizontally is the best option as long as the boards have support on both ends and in the middle so they don't sag. You can store boards vertically if it's necessary, but make sure the storage area is dry so the boards don't warp.
You might even consider making a lumber cart or wall shelves as a beginning woodworking project so you have a safe place to store your boards and plywood scraps while waiting to use them.
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