How much does wood cost????

[puredelite]

Normally when construction is slow( as in NOW) the price of lumber will drop. But... now that they are ripping us off with fuel cost the price of building materials is on the increase due to trucking cost. Maybe try and locate a surplus or salvage business or check out Craigslist for your 2x4's. Good luck on your coop!

 

[showme69]

Also, if you don't have one of Lowe's 10% off coupons, check out ebay. People sell them on there. I got 7 of them for $6 and when I made my big purchases for the coop, I used the coupon, plus I had gotten one of their tax refund gift cards they offered earlier this year. After purchasing the card, they added 10% of the original value to the card on a certain date. So I was basically getting a total of 20% off all my supplies, which really helped considering I'm up over $2,000 right now.

And if you have any other stores in your areas, compare prices. I bought a 50 foot roll of hardware cloth at Orscheln's for the same price as the 25 foot roll at Lowe's.

 

[motoclown]

2x4's also come treated or not treated.
The ones that are treated are more expensive.

 

[CapricornFarm]

When you go to the lumber yard, ask for some "skids" , I think they call them. They are pieces of wood used to ship wood, about 3 -4 feet long. I get them free, and they are useful when you need a shorter piece of wood. I also go to building sites and ask for scrap wood and scrap plywood. I have gotten some useful wood this way, especially for making nest boxes and such. Good luck.

 

[nnbreeder]

Also check with moving companies for shipping crates. Often time customers do not know that they buy those crates that they tail-gate on the backs of moving vans. So they are either resold or taken back to the yard and dumped.

 

[TreeHugger]

Motoclown mentioned the treated ones are more expensive, but I think the treated lumber is necessary if the wood is exposed to the weather. It might cost more but it will be worth it in the long run. I originally priced my stuff from Lowes but found out my local lumber store was cheaper. This actually shocked me a little and had one of my co-workers not suggested I check, I never would have. I assume "bigger" equals better pricing.

BTW if you go to the post office and ask for a change of address kit it comes with a 10 percent off coupon from Lowes or at least it does where I'm located. I'm sure my post office has caught on that I'm not moving.

 

[cooper38]

If you go to lowes take a materials list to the commercial sales desk. If you ask real nice and have a decent sized list they will give you a 10% discount. Also if your buying over $2,000.00 worth of stuff (I know taht would be a big coop) they can send the list off to their quote center and can save you on average of around 18%.

Another option is look for local sawmills. They may have what you need at a alot cheaper price, or have a "slab" pile they will let you go through for free.

 

[PapaChaz]

Quote:

but yes if you're building the run, and the wood is going to be exposed to the weather and esp if it's on the ground, it needs to be pressure treated! and they'll tell you quick, lumber is a commodity and the prices do change daily, sometimes they'll change throughout the day.

i blame most of it right now on the fact that we're getting raped by the oil companies and nothing is being done about it...

 

[patandchickens]

Remember there are 2x4s and then there are 2x4s. Sometimes you will encounter super-deep-discount ones, but they are generally either twisted like a propeller, auditioning to become the letter J, or splitting and splintering badly. For some purposes these characteristics are not a problem, but for other purposes (e.g. framing stud walls) they ARE a real problem. Sometimes you can pick and choose, but sometimes (esp. with the super cheapies) you are not allowed to. (If you CAN pick and choose, sight down the end of each board to see how crooked/twisted it is, and look for physical damage like bad splits)

So it is worth considering what your purpose is, and making sure you select wood that is appropriate.

I actually sometimes walk into the lumberyard and say 'hey, I need <some number of> 2x6's but you know what, you may as well give me the messed-up ones that nobody else wants b/c they're all going to get cut into 4' lengths to make gates and sheep-shed sides, so it really doesn't matter what problems they have". OTOH if I am buying wood for framing a the roof of a big shed, it needs to be reasonable quality structurally; and if I am buying wood for building trusses or fencing in my ram, I want the good straight solid no-edge-spikes stuff!

(e.t.a. -- 2x4s of arbitrary shorter-than-8' lengths are actually some of the easiest material to scrounge. Ask at construction sites or houses being remodelled/renovated/built; ask at the lumberyard if they have any bits and bobs; and look for suitable pallets or packing crates that can be disassembled)

Pat

 

[patandchickens]

if you're building the run, and the wood is going to be exposed to the weather and esp if it's on the ground, it needs to be pressure treated!

If the wood will be in contact with the ground, yes it needs to be p/t (or rot-resistant in some other way).

HOWEVER there is no particular point in using p/t wood for totally aboveground not-going-to-sit-wet parts of the run, for instance a horizontal top board. Plain ol' lumber is entirely adequate for that (also cheaper, lighter and better quality!), especially if primed and painted first.

Pat​