• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Canadian Woodworking

Canadian Woodworking

Resource for Canadian woodworkers

  • Project Plans
    • Furniture/Cabinetry
    • Shop
    • Jigs
    • Outdoor
    • Turning/Carving
    • Toys/Puzzles
    • Home Improvement
  • How To
    • Know Your Tools
    • Know Your Woods
    • Workshop Posters
    • Wood Finishing
    • Wood Joinery
    • Woodturning
    • Shop Safety
    • Home Improvement
    • Videos
      • Woodworking
      • Woodturning
      • Home Improvement
      • Tips/Techniques
      • Tools/Accessories
      • For Subscribers Only
  • What’s New
    • Woodworking News
    • Product Reviews
    • Top Ten Lists
    • Contests
    • Events
    • shopNEWS eNewsletter
      • Email signup
    • shopTools eNewsletter
      • FREE Sign Up
    • Small Shop Essentials
    • Tool of the Year Awards
  • Community
    • Forum
      • FREE Registration
    • Rob Brown’s blog
    • Reader photos
      • Share Your Photos
    • Courses
    • Clubs
    • Lumber Directory
    • Canadian Woodworkers Directory
  • Connect
    • Magazine
      • Current Issue
      • Free Digital Issue
      • Back Issues
      • Digital Library
      • Where to Buy
      • Custom Care
    • Our Writers
    • Sponsors
    • Contact us
    • Advertise with Us
  • Subscribe
    • New Subscription
    • Renew Subscription
    • Give a Gift
  • Log in
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Home/Woodworking News/Sourcing Quality Lumber

Sourcing Quality Lumber

Head to your local home improvement or building supply store and you’ll likely find dimensional softwood lumber more suited for construction and renovation than cabinetry or furniture. Lumber yards are generally a better choice because they specialize in lumber. You’ll find a somewhat wider selection of lumber, including some domestic hardwoods, typically at better prices.

For a wider selection of domestic and exotic hardwood lumber, including live edge or flitch cut lumber, cabinet grade plywoods and veneers, you’ll want to visit a specialty lumber dealer.

Specialty lumber dealers

There are a lot of specialty lumber dealers spread right across Canada. A quick google search will list those in your area. Or, you can search the Canadian Lumber Directory, a comprehensive list of just about every lumber supplier in the land, from large lumber yards to specialty hardwood dealers, veneer shops, small custom wood mills and dealers in reclaimed and salvaged lumber.

A&M Wood Specialty has the largest selection of veneers in Canada, along with a huge inventory of exotic lumber. Exotic Woods provides premium and unique woods from around the world, while KJP Select Hardwoods has an inventory of over 70,000 board feet of domestic and exotic lumber. And The Wood Shed has a vast inventory that you have to see to believe.

Townsend Lumber is an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified and Rainforest Alliance Certified producer. They harvest, mill, and kiln dry lumber from private and public landowners throughout Ontario, delivering high quality domestic lumber to both DIYers and wholesalers.

Canadian Lumber Directory
The Canadian Lumber Directory lists lumber dealers big and small

Not everyone will be within a reasonable driving distance of a specialty lumber dealer, or have a suitable vehicle to transport lumber. Fortunately most of the companies listed in the Canadian Lumber Directory ship across Canada. Many use “Less Than Truckload” carriers and know which carriers provide the lowest possible freight rate.

Wood recovery programs

Some woodworking clubs, like the Vancouver Island Woodworkers Guild, have wood recovery programs. Working closely with municipal park services and private donors, they process trees that might end up as firewood. It’s good for the municipality and a great way for woodworkers to acquire good quality, well-priced lumber. Find out if your local woodworking club has such a program (and if not, maybe you can start one).

Wood Recovery
Wood Recovery at the Vancouver Island Woodworkers Guild

Municipalities are getting into wood recovery as well. In Huron County, Ontario, lumber is salvaged from trees harvested as part of trail maintenance operations in local forests. Proceeds from auction are reinvested into the management and improvement of the County forests. The lumber is sold through a bidding process on the GovDeals website. Right now Huron County has 16 lifts of conventional and flitched white ash, pine, and black cherry lumber posted on GovDeals with the auction closing between January 15th and 17th, 2021.

The lumber from wood recovery programs is green wood and will need to be air-dried (unless you have access to a wood kiln). Still, it’s a great way to get hold of high quality lumber at very competitive prices.

Live Edge, Flitch Cut Black Cherry Lumber
Live Edge, Flitch Cut Black Cherry from Huron County
Carl Duguay

By Carl Duguay on January 14, 2021

Last updated: March 3, 2021. Published on January 14, 2021

Get ShopNews

Woodworking Shop News

Receive our FREE weekly shopNEWS newsletter with the latest woodworking news, product reviews, free project plans, events, videos, and more. No spam, no annoying offers, and you can unsubscribe at any time. We do not share your email with anyone.

privacy policy

Thanks for signing up. You will receive a confirmation email from [email protected]

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Explore more

Footer

Magazine service

Go to Subscriber Service online or call toll-free 1-800-204-1773

Go to Subscriber Service online or call toll-free 1-800-204-1773 | Copyright ©2021 Inspiring Media Inc. | Log in

Keep In Touch

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Email signup
  • Email preferences
  • ShopTools e-newsletters
  • Share your photos
  • Woodworking Resource Guide
  • Workshop Posters