Had a close call with a bad batch of lumber from the west end Home Depot

I was building a set of shelves last month and grabbed some 2x4s from the Stony Plain Road location. The wood looked fine, but after cutting, I found a huge hidden knot and a twist that threw my whole project off. I mean, I lost about $40 worth of material and an afternoon. Anyone else run into this and have a better spot for decent framing lumber in the city?

3 comments

3 Comments

lane.cameron3mo ago

Hidden twist is the worst. That's not just a bad knot, it's internal stress from how the wood dried. I've had luck asking to hand pick through the bunk at Totem on the south side. Their guys usually let you sort for the straight ones if you're not in a rush.

the_avery3mo ago

Yeah, the "internal stress from how the wood dried" thing explains so much. I built a garden bench last year that looked perfect, then after a month it looked like a twisted pretzel. I mean, my measuring was probably off too, but it's nice to blame the wood.

the_laura2mo ago

Actually, that twist was probably the wood all along. Wood moves with the seasons, not just from how it first dried. Even perfectly straight boards can warp when the air gets wet or dry. Your bench likely twisted because one side of the wood took in more moisture than the other after you built it. It's a different kind of stress than what's inside the wood when you buy it.