those of you who shop at menards

[boundarybunnyco]

just out of curiosity, what is your opinion of their lumber? does it compare to lowes? okay, I'm a geek, but I grade lumber for a living, and have always wondered about this! if anyone has any input for me, I appreciate your time!
shannon

[upnorthlady]

Menard's lumber is bad. Lowe's lumber is bad, too. It's difficult to find any good lumber or plywood products at Menard's - you have to sort through a lot of junk just to find a few good ones. We get all our lumber at the local lumberyard if we're building something good. If it's something like a shelf in the garage or some unimportant project, Menard's is ok for that.

[boundarybunnyco]

where does your local lumber yard get their lumber from?

[haypoint]

Menard's buys its lumber on the open market just as HomeDepot and Lowes does.

What sets Menard's apart is that they do a lot more "in house" Menards runs their own Treated Lumber Plant in WI. Also, they make their own trusses. They form their own pole barn siding, too.

I've seen the logs that Potlatch buys to make 2 x 4 and 2 x 6. It is amazing they can make any money buying logs that barely have 2 2x4s in each one.

[geo in mi]

I think you have to do lots and lots of sorting these days, anywhere you go. I was at Menards just yesterday and someone had brought back a one by six ten feet long that had warped into a quarter moon shape(hey, I could have used that on my soffitt a month ago--just right for the curve on my hundred year old house) One thing I have noticed with all of them is that they bring in the lumber, OSB, and plywood from the outside humidity to the really dry indoor air--and of course, it warps...... On the other hand, the treated lumber in outside storage, you have to get it nailed or screwed down pretty fast, or it, too will twist and warp, because it picks up moisture from the rain. And of course, I plan my projects ahead and wait for the enevitable sale.

I just resign myself to sorting piece by piece to get what I want for my own house and projects. But, shhhhh, don't tell them I always check the discount bin for good four foot pieces that make it there because of waste, splits, and employe damage. I have a garage full of cedar for planter boxes, window trim, bird houses, fencing and a whole stack of pine siding that will be going into my man cave next month--I can use four footers for ten cents on the dollar........

I think Menards just factors in the waste, just like Paul hitting the wall once in awhile.....

geo

[Kevingr]

I always buy my lumber at Menards, there's more of a selection and most of it is stored covered outside where it can breath properly. They're also usually cheaper than Home Depot or Lowe's and they have more different types of nails/screws/hangers etc than the other two.

[fantasymaker]

I have looked at them and and home depot and very carefully calculated the differences its is
6 of one, half a dozen of another, and six for the last one....

I do buy lumber from Menards. You have to sort through it to get good straight pieces of 2X and good plywood. I would never order lumber delivered from Menards. I expect I would have to return half of it.

When I built the chicken coop this spring, I bought the 2X from the neighbor 2 miles away with the sawmill. The price was the same and I didn't have to drive 50 miles to Menards. The downside was that the lumber was rough cut and measured a real 2" X 4". I got splinters working with it and the wall thickness was not standard so windows and doors would have to be modified. For the chickens I built my own door and windows so it wasn't a problem. The neighbor's lumber is air dried, Menards is kiln dried. I have not noticed any difference in warping. I will do business with the neighbor when practical.

[fishhead]

Originally Posted by Nimrod

I do buy lumber from Menards. You have to sort through it to get good straight pieces of 2X and good plywood. I would never order lumber delivered from Menards. I expect I would have to return half of it.

When I built the chicken coop this spring, I bought the 2X from the neighbor 2 miles away with the sawmill. The price was the same and I didn't have to drive 50 miles to Menards. The downside was that the lumber was rough cut and measured a real 2" X 4". I got splinters working with it and the wall thickness was not standard so windows and doors would have to be modified. For the chickens I built my own door and windows so it wasn't a problem. The neighbor's lumber is air dried, Menards is kiln dried. I have not noticed any difference in warping. I will do business with the neighbor when practical.

Maybe next time ask your neighbor to cut it to store bought size if it's going to cause you to modify the doors and windows.

[Macybaby]

I have not found that any of the Big Box stores has decent lumber. We watch, and there are a few mills that if we see a pallet of 2x4's from, we'll see if we can get 40-50 of them.

Lately it's not uncommon to only find 20% of the 2x4's are worth buying. I'd never let Menards fill an order for lumber, you'd get what someone like me has already picked through.

We have been buying from Menards for over 30 years. They use to be total joke, then they got really good for several years. In the last 3-4 they've gone back to thier roots- junk lumber that you really have to watch.

We have always bought most of our building materials from Menards, and we've done a lot of building. I love that I'm only 12 miles away - so far the most trips to Menards in one day has been three.

[PNP Katahdins]

Originally Posted by geo in mi

I think Menards just factors in the waste, just like Paul hitting the wall once in awhile.....

Nice to have daddy as primary sponsor, isn't it?

We get our lumber from a local building supply place with two locations. They loaded up some 2x4s one time that Paul was going to use as hay feeder runners. He should have inspected them. What junk. They went back.

Peg

[ErinP]

I have never bought much of anything from Lowes and Home Depot. They're pretty rare in the areas I've lived.

OTOH, I have bought a lot of lumber from Menards. As in, 90% of our house will end up being framed with Menards lumber.
Frankly, what I've brought home from Menards has been just as good as the stuff I got at the local yards. And it's significantly less in cost. Around 20-30% most of the time.

That said, I too would never let them deliver. I hand pick absolutely everything I buy. Even if it means spending a couple of hours in the board shed.
Seriously.
But the yard guys have figured out I'll tip well if they put up with me that long, too.

[upnorthlady]

Originally Posted by boundarybunnyco

where does your local lumber yard get their lumber from?

They have their own sawmill for some of it. Other stuff I don't know.

[plowjockey]

Many complain about the quality of Menards boards, but they often buy the cheapest ones they sell, which are grade 3 ( I think).

I purchased some 1x4" pine that looks pretty ratty and had some bows.

I purchased some more of the "cheapest" at a small lumber yard, which looked much nicer. Turned out that the worst one's they sell are grade 2. They were about $1 more per board, than menards.

The "good" and "premium" at menards are much better, but also priced much higher.

Perceptions and price might be in play here.

[elevenpoint]

I buy from a lumber supply yard and get near perfect lumber at a better price than big box.

[haypoint]

Originally Posted by boundarybunnyco

where does your local lumber yard get their lumber from?

Most bundles of lumber and plywood have the manufacturer's name painted on the side or on the cover wrap.

[rambler]

All lumber any more is pretty poor. We used up the old growth more or less, and now are using 'farmed' trees that are fertilized amd promoted to grow quickly. this makes weaker, more twisty wood.

If you compare th same grade lumber, it's going to be just as poor from any of the stores, including the local mom & pop lumber yard.

Menards does a good job of cost control, and if you're willing to sort your lumber as you buy it, you can get good enough wood at a good savings over the Lowes, HD, and mom & pop stores in my area. It is so much of a savings, that folks drive from Iowa to the souhern MN Menards to pick up a trailer of lumber - over their local stores. And I'm a good 100 miles north of Iowa...

We all complain & rattle about the quality of the wood, but - it is the same all over, and we mostly buy at Menards because of the vlalue we get there. That value does mean we get less knowledgable helpers, and more junk to pick through.

I'd be real scared to order a truck load of lumber that _they_ deliver, those bad sticks of wood have to go somewhere, must go to the people that don't pick out their own wood?

--->Paul

[fantasymaker]

Originally Posted by rambler

Menards does a good job of cost control, and if you're willing to sort your lumber as you buy it, you can get good enough wood at a good savings over the Lowes, HD, and mom & pop stores in my area. It is so much of a savings, that folks drive from Iowa to the souhern MN Menards to pick up a trailer of lumber - over their local stores. And I'm a good 100 miles north of Iowa...

We all complain & rattle about the quality of the wood, but - it is the same all over, and we mostly buy at Menards because of the vlalue we get there. That value does mean we get less knowledgable helpers, and more junk to pick through.
--->Paul

Really? I gotta wonder about that. yes Ive bought from them but its usaully about being handy,specially when it comes to lumber.
They have it and its there not a two week order...that attracts me.
But as far a savings? Right now around here there is about a 10 cent difference between them and the locals on a 2x4
But lets say its a full buck.
Now if your building a 32 by 48 house your gonna put about 120 2x4s in it. thats 120 bucks tops. Is it really worth that to drive a extra 40 miles one way to cut the local guy out? Thats 160 miles time you pickem up and take back any returns.

[dbarjacres]

Lumber from Menards is pretty crummy. Definately necessary to pick thru alot of boards.

We had a pole shed "kit" ordered from them about 7 years ago and they delivered it. They really dump a lot of junk then! One of our 4x6 was even sawn 1/3 of the way thru it.

[rambler]

Originally Posted by fantasymaker

But as far a savings? Right now around here there is about a 10 cent difference between them and the locals on a 2x4
But lets say its a full buck.
Now if your building a 32 by 48 house your gonna put about 120 2x4s in it. thats 120 bucks tops. Is it really worth that to drive a extra 40 miles one way to cut the local guy out? Thats 160 miles time you pickem up and take back any returns.

Got 2 mom & pop lumber yards left in my local town, got HD, Lowes, and Menards in the big town 35 miles away.

Don't know that the 2 local places have ever been within a buck on a 2x4, typically be $1.80 or so at Menards, and $3.20 at either of the local places. Prices go up & down, but about the same at either town.

Not such a big deal on 2x4, but you need some real lumber, and it only takes 12 sticks of wood and you can pay the gas and still save money driving over to the big town. Nails and screws are worse.

I'm all for supporting the locals, but when I got a pressure treated 6x6 loaded in the pickup from them, and _then_ got the price - I didn't get a whole lot of change from a $100 - I kinda got back to watching my own interests, not the local store's intrest....