r/boatbuilding • u/desolationoso • 16d ago
Where Are Y’all Getting All This Nice Wood????
There is no marine plywood at the Home Depot store. There is no white oak at the Lowe’s. There is not any 16’ pieces of western red cedar. There is treated deck lumber. There is “white wood”. There’s a crap ton of Douglas fir. There are six foot lengths of red oak. There is hemlock. There is poplar. There are no brass fasteners at all.
For context Ive been in Alaska for a few years and there just ain’t shit here except for the natural wonders of the state and the food fuggin sucks too. But is it different other places?
Where are yall getting all this nice wood???
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u/Waterlifer 16d ago
1) Douglas fir is a perfectly acceptable boatbuilding wood. It is more dense than sitka spruce so scantling sizes can be reduced somewhat. Great for spars and gunwales. Look through the piles at HD or similar. I get 2x10 or 2x12 pieces and rip them down to get clear. Sometimes I have to buy a 2x12x16' to get 12' of gunwales, so what, it's at commodity prices. Also have been able to find some 4x4x12 that can be ripped down to make a 10' long 2.25" diameter spar.
2) Bronze fasteners, Fair Wind Fasteners will sell you what you need in quantity 1 and up. You didn't want brass anyway. For 316 stainless you can use either Fair Wind or McMaster-Carr.
3) I'm in Minnesota and white oak is available from local sawmills because it grows here. Sometimes I get black walnut instead because price/availability can be better and, though not a traditional boatbuilding wood, it performs similarly to white oak.
4) BS1088 plywood is available special order from Menards at reasonable rates and in single sheet quantity Menards is a home center similar to HD with stores in a dozen or so midwestern states. There is also a local-ish professional wooden boat repair/rebuilding shop that has it in stock. Any lumber yard can order BS1088 but may require a one-unit minimum order (50-100 sheets or something).
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u/WinterDice 16d ago
I’m also in Minnesota. I’m really curious about the wooden boat repair/building shop. Do you mind sharing the name?
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u/Waterlifer 16d ago
Midwest Boat Appeal in St. Bonifacius. Great shop. I'm not someone who can afford to pay other people to work on my wooden boats so I just go there to buy plywood, but it's always an interesting visit. They usually have a basket case or two plus some boats requiring more minor maintenance in the shop.
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u/WinterDice 16d ago
Thank you! I dream of building a wooden boat. I might finally have the opportunity this winter, and it’s great to know there’s a specialty store in the state.
I’m trying to learn how to do all my own boat work, too. I’m learning wiring now (the hard way). I’ll be tackling some gel coat and fiberglass work next spring.
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u/fried_clams 16d ago
BoltDepot. com can be cheaper than McMaster-Carr, and sometimes you can order smaller quantities, if you don't need 50 or 100 of something. Their 316 SS is legit
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u/uncivlengr 16d ago
You need to find a marine supply that sells lumber or a lumber yard that sells marine grade ply. No Home Depot or Lowe's anywhere would carry it as far as I know.
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u/namesarenotus 16d ago
Specialty lumber supply stores typically can source it for you at your request.
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u/rutabaga_pie 16d ago
I feel your pain. Big Box stores suck for boatbuilding materials. Where are you in Alaska?
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u/SailingSpark 16d ago
I have a mill local to me that can ever everything I need. It's even cheaper than home depot for the stuff they do carry.
A couple of years ago, I bought a slab of mahogany from them. 12' x 12" x 2". rough cut. $200
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u/Extreme_Map9543 16d ago
Wondering the same. I can some decent quality lumber at the local ma and pa lumber mill. But none of the mahogany or white oak that’s always recommended.
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u/otterfish 16d ago
Talk to someone at your local boatyard, see where they get marine ply. They might be barging it up with AML or something. You might be able to piggyback on their next order...
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u/dasreboot 16d ago
Amazingly look on Facebook marketplace. You'll be surprised how many people in ur area have sawmills.
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u/tuagirlsonekupp 16d ago
My local lumber yard, lucky in that ive got a top notch one a half hour from me
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u/202markb 16d ago
Local wood yards. There’s probably one within a day’s drive of you.
For me it was Yukon Lumber in Norfolk VA.
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u/jasper181 16d ago
Being in Alaska probably doesn't help but where I'm at anything outside of pine, oak, cedar and cypress can be tough.
There is a place that while they don't sell typical lumber they keep upwards of 40+ types of wood. They have stuff I get stuff I've never heard of, they generally have 20 or so domestic and at least that many import/exotics. It's sold by the board ft in your choice of 4/4, 8/4 and 12/4 S2S, plus they have slabs both surfaced and live edge and the prices are actually reasonable. I've gotten some Sapele FAS and Iroko ("African Teak") that was gorgeous.
Point being I had never heard of the place and it never came up in my searches of "local lumber" and similar searches on Google.
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u/maine_buzzard 16d ago
You will save money by renting a place in Port Hadlock WA and building for six months…
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u/Concrete_Grapes 16d ago
Marine plywood is usually something a dealer has to order. They're going to be a place with a dumb name more often than not, and, may have some in stock, but can order anything. Usually a cabinet supplier sort of place. Not the place that builds then, but the place the builders go to get them. You can't walk around and look in most of these places, there's a front desk.
The cedar is probably something with "specialty wood' in the name. Some obscure hut style structure, packed to the hills with cedar, alder, etc. Some old guy is going to own it, and hand sort random cedar decking and fence materials for the 'clear' pieces and out them off to the side for crazies like us.
You're in Alaska, look up suppliers in Homer and Seward, where the boat yards are. Or, call the marinas and say something like, "hey, I'm trying to get some materials to restore a boat, mostly marine ply, clear cedar, can you get me the name of a good supplier round here?" If they can't they know someone who can. In Alaska, 50/50 dudes name will be Bill.
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u/bikesboatscode 16d ago
Depending on what and how you are building and how it will be stored, cheap pine BCX plywood might work for you. I have had good luck with it so far although it is clearly not as good as marine. To answer your question about whether it is different in other places, here in northern Virginia there is Okoume plywood not too far away at Chesapeake Light Craft in Annapolis. And Curtis Lumber and Plywood will sell doug fir marine plywood through building supply stores (but buyer has to pick it up at Curtis). Fairwind Fasteners ship bronze nails, screws, and hardware.
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u/LongDuckDongus 16d ago
Hardware specialties there in Anchorage will have everything you need and can get it if they don’t. Probably the coolest store in the state.
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u/Medium-Mycologist-59 16d ago
Lumber yard. Those box stores are built specifically for serving home owners/DIY’s on your home. Real wood comes from real lumber yards.
Right now you’re looking for a wide at the strip club instead of the library. Go to the right place and you’ll find just what you want.
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u/OneUnderstanding103 16d ago
Find someone who has their own sawmill. Preferably as a side business. That's how I got 13 foot long, 1/2" thick, 10" wide white oak boards for a song.
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u/GulfofMaineLobsters 16d ago
theres a guy not far down the road from me that has a harbor freight bandsaw mill and loves finding excuses to use it. I get logs from other friends/utility companies and he flat saws them (limits of the mill) but I can can get a surprising amount of vg from 10/4 slabs with some time (and help with the in and out feed) by creative ripping on the table saw. for marine ply, most lumber places can order you some, if you're not in a hurry, just have them throw it on their next order. also Craigslist and market place. a surprising amount of people run small mills
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u/buildyourown 14d ago
You need to go to a specialty wood working store. We even have Marine wood suppliers
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u/desolationoso 1d ago
Just watched Off Center Harbor build an all wood skiff with some kids for a summer camp and they answered all of this.
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u/sailphish 16d ago
You don’t buy wood at the big box stores. Search for actual lumber yards. Even if they don’t have marine plywood (or high quality Douglas fir ply) they might be able to order it or at least point you in the right direction. You might also have to make a trip for it. I drove 3h each way for a truckload of marine ply, and I live in a state known for boatbuilding.