Broad searches find more suppliers.
Woodfinder has suppliers for just about every conceivable type of wood, and we now have suppliers in every state, many Canadian provinces and several foreign countries. But there's a chance you won't get results every time, especially if you're searching for several things at once, such as a species name and one or more "specialties" checkboxes. Try broadening your search by eliminating one or more of your search criteria.
Quick Searches ("Specialties")
Our growing list of checkboxes lets you go straight to the list of all our suppliers who offer those items. Likewise, if you pick a state from the State/Province box, then click the Search button, you will get a list of all our suppliers in that state. To narrow your search, fill in any combination of checkboxes and other search parameters.
If you know the company name
Type in the first few characters of the company's name to display their listing. Woodfinder acts like your personal rolodex for wood suppliers.
Keywords are the key to finding a species of wood!
Type a keyword into the Keyword box and Woodfinder displays all the suppliers who include that term in their product listings. So if you need a certain species, size or thickness of wood--or a specialty such as flooring, siding, millwork, moldings, beams, etc.-type it here. HINT: Try different spellings or shortened versions of your keywords. For example, many of our suppliers offer "birdseye" maple, but some spell it "bird's-eye" or "bird's eye." To find them all, simply type "bird" in the keyword box and see what turns up.
Search locally first.
It pays to buy your wood locally, or at least within a reasonable driving radius. You save on shipping costs, and you can visit the supplier in person to see what you are buying. With Woodfinder's unique "Search for Nearest Suppliers" function, you can find all the suppliers within a specified distance of your ZIP code. (Sorry, this doesn't work for Canadian postal codes.) If you fill in your ZIP code without selecting a mileage radius, Woodfinder will automatically deliver the ten closest suppliers for the item you are searching for. Each of our member's listings includes a "Get a Map" link so you can print out driving directions to that member.
Local sawmills--a valuable resource.
The cheapest way to buy lumber is green (not yet dried). Most sawmills offer green lumber, and many will gladly saw your logs for you--at your place or theirs--for a very reasonable fee. To find your local mills, select your state or province, then click on the "Custom sawing" or "On-site sawing" boxes for a list of mills in your vicinity. A friendly local sawmill can be a terrific ally in your search for inexpensive, local wood.
