Plywood Prices... argh!
- Thread starter RMDavis
- Start date
Sheik Maboutie
Member
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2016
- Messages
- 17
Think of us in Ireland, here it is $123 for an 8 x 4 sheet of 3/4 Birch plywood 
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2007
- Messages
- 10,355
Sheik Maboutie said:Think of us in Ireland, here it is $123 for an 8 x 4 sheet of 3/4 Birch plywood
It is that much or more here in the USA if you get the good stuff as opposed to from a big box. I recently was quoted $180.00 for 3/4" birch and that was furniture grade veneer, not Baltic Birch.
Oh, BTW, it's 4 x 8, not 8 x 4 [wink] [big grin]
Seth
smorgasbord
Member
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2022
- Messages
- 1,061
The A1 Cherry plywood I just bought measured 1232 x 2451, fwiw.
tjbnwi
Member
- Joined
- May 12, 2008
- Messages
- 7,041
SRSemenza said:Sheik Maboutie said:Think of us in Ireland, here it is $123 for an 8 x 4 sheet of 3/4 Birch plywood
It is that much or more here in the USA if you get the good stuff as opposed to from a big box. I recently was quoted $180.00 for 3/4" birch and that was furniture grade veneer, not Baltic Birch.
Oh, BTW, it's 4 x 8, not 8 x 4 [wink] [big grin]
Seth
When I order 8x4, the supplier knows I want the grain running in the short bias.
Tom
GregorHochschild
Member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2020
- Messages
- 69
Interesting. I just payed $200 per sheet of 3/4 rift-sawn white oak in the Boston area. That was a little drive though. The closer lumber yard was around $250 as well.
4nthony said:
squall_line
Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2021
- Messages
- 2,921
I've been watching Romex prices lately because I have a project coming up soon. I made the mistake of looking at price history (250' of 14/3 for under 20 cents/foot only three years ago seems insane), but it was mainly because I wanted to see if it was on its way down or up.
In any case, some of the more specialty stuff like 14/2/2 is all over the place, and has jumped 25-40% in the last two weeks at one of the big boxes (it's really not even in stock almost anywhere), but at least stuff like 14/2 and 14/3 have been relatively stable.
Even OSB is still kinda crazy.
In any case, some of the more specialty stuff like 14/2/2 is all over the place, and has jumped 25-40% in the last two weeks at one of the big boxes (it's really not even in stock almost anywhere), but at least stuff like 14/2 and 14/3 have been relatively stable.
Even OSB is still kinda crazy.
GregorHochschild said:
Curious where you got yours at $200 per sheet. My go-to for plywood is Boulter Plywood and I see that they are around $250, so I'm guessing that's the other place you referenced. I'm at the southern end of Boston proper.
How was the quality? Boulter's is usually A-1 which means the back is pretty good (sometimes as good as the front).
Around here, plywood has gone down a little, in general, so its not too bad.
But for a project I am working on, I really wanted Baltic Birch. Its going to get veneered, but I wanted the stability and flatness of the BB.
Unfortunately, the only place in my town that sells Baltic Birch is Home Depot in the 2x4' size, which results in an incredible amount of waste for the sizes I need.
So I drove 2 hours there, and 2 hours back, for the privilege of paying $C178 ($US 134) each for a couple of 5' x 5' panels. Let me do the math - that is only 25 square feet rather than 32 sq feet of a 4x8 panel. And that place won't cut it for me. So I brought my circular saw and cut it in the parking lot so it will fit in my car.
But for a project I am working on, I really wanted Baltic Birch. Its going to get veneered, but I wanted the stability and flatness of the BB.
Unfortunately, the only place in my town that sells Baltic Birch is Home Depot in the 2x4' size, which results in an incredible amount of waste for the sizes I need.
So I drove 2 hours there, and 2 hours back, for the privilege of paying $C178 ($US 134) each for a couple of 5' x 5' panels. Let me do the math - that is only 25 square feet rather than 32 sq feet of a 4x8 panel. And that place won't cut it for me. So I brought my circular saw and cut it in the parking lot so it will fit in my car.
GregorHochschild
Member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2020
- Messages
- 69
Boulter is the “close by” place I was talking about. They are great but pricy, I think. They also mainly have surfaced hardwood, which again is expensive if you have access to a jointer/planer.
My new favorite place is Readers (see below). About 1 hour south from Boston. They are awesome!! Huge selection of rough sawn hardwood, some surfaced as well, very good selection of plywood. Top quality. Really nice family business. The rift sawn WO was A1. They can also make cuts for you if you need that. Highly recommend them.
Readers hardwood supplyhttps://readershardwoodsupply.com
(508) 301-3206
250 Cape Hwy, Unit 9
East Taunton, MA 02718
Hours: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM
My new favorite place is Readers (see below). About 1 hour south from Boston. They are awesome!! Huge selection of rough sawn hardwood, some surfaced as well, very good selection of plywood. Top quality. Really nice family business. The rift sawn WO was A1. They can also make cuts for you if you need that. Highly recommend them.
Readers hardwood supplyhttps://readershardwoodsupply.com
(508) 301-3206
250 Cape Hwy, Unit 9
East Taunton, MA 02718
Hours: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Mark Katz said:
And try buying 1/4” thick MDF.
My lumber supplier no longer carries MDF. Said he can’t make a profit on the stuff.
Home Depot and Lowes only carry 2’ x 4’ sheets.
If you want to use MDF for the center panel of a shaker door, you can get one door per sheet (assuming 40” wall cabinets.
1/2” is available in full sheets and costs less to use than 1/4”, but involves an extra step to reduce the thickness around the perimeter.
MDF bead board (primed) is available in full sheets and I see some people use that with Shaker cabinets, but it looks wrong to me.
My most recent doors were made using 1/2” thick plywood, which would still be cheaper than using 1/4” mdf.
Addendum: Also note that MDF used to come with a “calendared” finish on both sides. This is a final hard roller finish achieved by rolling between smooth steel rolls in paper production and I assume the same process is used for MDF. The result was that the flat surfaces were shiny and smooth and accepted paint exceptionally well.
The stuff I am finding now is slightly rough, and looks even worse when you apply a water based finish (looks like sandpaper). I used to like using MDF for painted projects because it accepted water based paints so well. Nowadays, I prefer to use plywood and if the edges are to be painted, then use filler and sand smooth (too much work).
My lumber supplier no longer carries MDF. Said he can’t make a profit on the stuff.
Home Depot and Lowes only carry 2’ x 4’ sheets.
If you want to use MDF for the center panel of a shaker door, you can get one door per sheet (assuming 40” wall cabinets.
1/2” is available in full sheets and costs less to use than 1/4”, but involves an extra step to reduce the thickness around the perimeter.
MDF bead board (primed) is available in full sheets and I see some people use that with Shaker cabinets, but it looks wrong to me.
My most recent doors were made using 1/2” thick plywood, which would still be cheaper than using 1/4” mdf.
Addendum: Also note that MDF used to come with a “calendared” finish on both sides. This is a final hard roller finish achieved by rolling between smooth steel rolls in paper production and I assume the same process is used for MDF. The result was that the flat surfaces were shiny and smooth and accepted paint exceptionally well.
The stuff I am finding now is slightly rough, and looks even worse when you apply a water based finish (looks like sandpaper). I used to like using MDF for painted projects because it accepted water based paints so well. Nowadays, I prefer to use plywood and if the edges are to be painted, then use filler and sand smooth (too much work).
GregorHochschild said:
This is really interesting. For a long time my source for hardwood was Downes & Reader in Stoughton, but I hadn't been there for a long time. Then they got bought out by a company called Rugby ABP and a friend said it wasn't as good anymore because they didn't let you pick your own boards. I'm not sure if that was a pandemic restriction or a permanent change.
I wonder if Reader's in East Taunton is a reincarnation of Downes and Reader. It would be a 45 minute drive for me, compared to 25 minutes to Rugby ABP but seemingly worth it. Will definitely keep them in mind as I much prefer rough lumber to the surfaced stuff at Boulter.
GregorHochschild
Member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2020
- Messages
- 69
Yes, I think that is correct. I don't know the name of the previous place but the owner of Readers hardwood supply used to own a different lumber yard, which was sold. He opened Readers after the sale contract allowed him to start a competing business. Based on what you are saying, I assume that was Downes & Reader.
You can certainly pick your boards at Readers and take as much time as you want!
You can certainly pick your boards at Readers and take as much time as you want!
Mark Katz said:
woodferret
Member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2020
- Messages
- 1,090
Transport and glue prices seem to be pulling everything up. Everything is oil-based despite how green wood is ;P
