I'd like to buy some softwood, specifically I'd like a length of planed "1x6"s but this is a more general question and depending on the answers I may actually want to buy a mix of wood. I don't drive. I can cut wood to length.
Previously most of my wood has either come from my dad or from deconstruction of stuff the previous occupants of my property built, but my parents are getting increasingly frail, so sooner or later I'm going to have to figure out how to buy this stuff myself. Trying to get information out of my dad has not proved terribly fruitful and unlike me has has a car so our situations are somewhat different. He often manages to pick up wood that other people are throwing out (which results in some pretty nice wood at times, but also results in a rather random selection of sizes and shapes)
Several questions.
1. What grades are there? what should one ask for if one wants reasonablly straight wood? (lets say something good enough that you'd be happy to use it as a floorboard).
2. Roughly how much should one expect to pay per meter? I'm seeing prices all over the place and have no idea what is "too good to be true" vs "normal" vs "ripoff. Is there a good source for "benchmark" prices?
3. Where do people buy? It seems many places will only deliver locally and many don't post any prices or details online which would seem to make comparison shopping rather difficult, I'm in the greater manchester area.
4. What is the minimum reasonable amount to buy at once to avoid delivery being an excessive part of the cost?
Previously most of my wood has either come from my dad or from deconstruction of stuff the previous occupants of my property built, but my parents are getting increasingly frail, so sooner or later I'm going to have to figure out how to buy this stuff myself. Trying to get information out of my dad has not proved terribly fruitful and unlike me has has a car so our situations are somewhat different. He often manages to pick up wood that other people are throwing out (which results in some pretty nice wood at times, but also results in a rather random selection of sizes and shapes)
Several questions.
1. What grades are there? what should one ask for if one wants reasonablly straight wood? (lets say something good enough that you'd be happy to use it as a floorboard).
2. Roughly how much should one expect to pay per meter? I'm seeing prices all over the place and have no idea what is "too good to be true" vs "normal" vs "ripoff. Is there a good source for "benchmark" prices?
3. Where do people buy? It seems many places will only deliver locally and many don't post any prices or details online which would seem to make comparison shopping rather difficult, I'm in the greater manchester area.
4. What is the minimum reasonable amount to buy at once to avoid delivery being an excessive part of the cost?
