Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 8/4?

This is the way we measure the thickness of the lumber. If you think of this like a fraction, 4/4 would equal 1”, 5/4 equals 1 ¼”, 6/4 equals 1 ½”, and 8/4 equals 2” thick. The way you say this is “four quarter”, “five quarter”…

2. Is your facility open to the public and can I visit?

Yes, we have a very large warehouse facility that is open to the public on Monday-Friday from 8-5 PM (EST) and on Saturday from 9-1 PM. We have included driving directions that you can print out on the ABOUT US page.

If you are coming from a long distance you may want to contact us first to be sure someone will be free to assist you, and we can always arrange to meet you outside of normal business hours if needed.

3. Am I allowed to select my own lumber?

Yes, we have no problem with customers selecting their own material. We only ask that you put the lumber back the way you found it!

4. What are my payment options?

We accept all forms of credit card as well as money orders and cashier’s checks. Please do not mail in personal checks as they will have to be cleared before we can ship, and this will delay your order.

5. Can you mail me a catalog?

We are sorry that we do not produce a written catalog at this time. All the information you will need can be found on this web site and it is updated frequently. If you are not able to find what you are looking for, please call us at 1-888-636-9663(WOOD) and one of our salesmen will be happy to assist you!

6. How do I calculate my shipping costs?

Shipping cost is most often calculated by the weight of the package. Some of our packages have the shipping included, but most of the time shipping charges are based on the specific order. You can use our shipping calculator to figure your shipping cost or feel free to call us at (716) 373-6434 and we will be happy to help you.

7. How do we ship this wood?

For smaller bundles under 70 lbs, we normally ship by Fedex Ground or USPS Priority Mail. For larger pallet orders, we generally use Con-Way Freight and the pallet is delivered to your local terminal. It is possible to have the pallet delivered to your home, but there is usually a fee.

8. What sizes does the lumber come in?

This is a difficult question, but one we are often asked. Generally our material comes on pallets where the width of the boards is from 4-7” random and the length is 6-8’. But it is always best to call and speak to one of our salesmen when you are inquiring about a specific species.

9. What other services do you offer?

Our lumber is rough-cut. We have the capability to surface the lumber for a fee. Please refer to ABOUT US for specific fees. We do not dimension lumber or cut certain sizes for orders. Also, we no longer offer jointing as a service.

10. Do you have a minimum order?

Yes, we do. There are two options:

• you can order at least 10 board feet, mix and match
• we will sell smaller quantities, but will not cut a board. We will select the smallest board we have to fill the order.

11. Do we buy logs/lumber?

We buy our material by the truckload or by the container load. We generally do not buy logs from people’s back yards. For this you may want to contact your local sawmill.

12. Why are most of the Turning Stock pieces covered in wax?

***PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT MOST EXOTIC TURNING STOCK IS GENERALLY GREEN/WET DUE TO THE TROPICAL CLIMATE FROM WHICH IT COMES. WE FULLY WAX OUR TURNING STOCK TO PREVENT CRACKING IN THE DRIER NORTH AMERICAN CLIMATE. DO NOT REMOVE THIS WAX UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO USE THE MATERIAL. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGE/CRACKING DUE TO IMPROPER HANDLING.

The best way to handle this material is to rough turn it, place it in a plastic zipper bag and wait until it dries out a bit before proceeding to finish it.

Also, the wax will easily turn off when you start cutting the wood on your lathe. In some cases the wax needs to be removed without turning...the best way to do this is to heat it and it will melt off.