Cabinets - Materials Supply - Woodworking Talk

ChooChoo · 04-30-2007, 01:56 PM

I need some help finding where or who I can contact to obtain cabinet materials, lumber and plywood in general. I have usually gone to the local finish lumber supplier, but obviously I'm paying as much a premium for this as most walk-ins do.

I need to get to someone like GP or LP, a large warehouse who supplies truckloads. I don't know if this is a good thing or bad, but I'm going to need about 6000 sheets of plywood, and most of it will be the generic type you see in the Home Depot. I have a few kitchens to build to say the least.

I'm not even sure what the plywood is really. It has a plywood core and veneer of something on the outsides. Inside looks like maple, but obviously, it's something like melamine with a printed pattern on it. Outside looks like stained oak, dark brown, but I have my doubts that it is real also.

Then if anyone has a suggestion to a place that supplies doors. I don't want to get into that. Too much for me to handle. Casework is fine, doors, not. I can find hardware, knobs, slides, etc. fine. Just the wood is bothering me and I feel I'm going to have to be extra careful pricing this because 2 months down the road these prices won't be the same.

Thank you for replying to the first time poster noober.

BULLHART · 04-30-2007, 07:46 PM

coffeetime · 04-30-2007, 11:08 PM

I would go out for competive bidding. I would want qoutes for 6000 sheets delivered to my door. If I spent a week running this all down and saved a dollar per sheet I would be happy. I think $6000 is a reasonable weeks wage.
Okay, well this is how I buy steel when I have a big order. Maybe the wood world is totally different.
Just my 2 cents worth. (free of charge)

Mike

Jeremy E · 05-02-2007, 10:54 PM

6000 sheets?!? How many kitchens are you building?

ChooChoo · 05-03-2007, 10:51 PM

Phase 1 is 350 units.

I figure that going through the local lumber yard, they would want their cut also, so I figured they would want a buck or two for their services, when I can go around them and save it for myself.

I'm assuming like a lumber broker, but have no idea how to get to one. Someone suggested BlueBook which is a pretty good start.

Big Dave · 05-03-2007, 11:13 PM

There are wholesale suppliers who can provide that kind of volume. We have one called Huttig. I don't know what you have to do to get an account but I've got a friend who owns a garage door installation complany and he has an account. I would say you have to have a legitimate business.

Here is their website. http://www.huttig.com/

**joasis** · 05-03-2007, 11:44 PM

Around here, that kind of volume would get you in with Cedar Creek, and they supply only lumber yards and major builders, but 6000 sheets is a major purchase....like 60 or more "lifts" (units) depending on thicknesses. I would do a google search for lumber brokers, and see what you find. There are people that will compete for that kind of order.

**TexasTimbers** · 05-04-2007, 09:49 AM

When Katrina was coming and "possibly" headed to NOLA, I ended up buying several thousand sheets of OSB. I Speculated. I finally ran across an outfit that was cheaper than anyone and would send as many flatbed trucks full of OSB, pywood whatever, that you could pay for right to your door.
Of course my computer crashed since then and i lost all those contacts. I had called Norbord and asked them to give me the name of one of their distributors is how I finally found the best deal.
Call wholesaleplywood.com and see how good of a deal they can give.