Hey Midtown here. Check out Houston Hardwoods - they are located on the route out to Cypress - not a very long drive. The prices seem reasonable but I'm no expert.

There is also Clarks which is located in the Heights. My experience with them has been poor. Very expensive and walking in there I felt like a complete idiot. Also they don't have a yard. You basically walk in and tell them what you want.

 

I've had OK experience with Clark's, but getting there through traffic from the western 'burbs seems even more painful than the drive to Houston Hardwoods. I have, on occasion, price compared the two yards by phone when I knew what I wanted.

 

Thanks guys! I checked out Houston Hardwoods and it was fantastic! I got lost in there for about 45 mins. Thats exactly what I was looking for as it is close to a customer of mine so its convenient for me!

 

Thanks guys! I checked out Houston Hardwoods and it was fantastic! I got lost in there for about 45 mins. Thats exactly what I was looking for as it is close to a customer of mine so its convenient for me!

 

At Clark's, you are free to walk around through the assorted buildings on the lot and find the pieces you want. I agree that it can be intimidating due to the vastness of it all.

I also don't really like that they don't have the pieces priced, so you have to ask.

There is no disputing the location is a tough source to use, unless yo live in the Heights. Most of us suburban woodshop guys are not in that part of town.

 

error, repeated post

 

So my input:

Clark's:
The good - Lots of good wood and often have stock for things that are harder to find other places). You are free to walk around pretty much anywhere and look at what they have. They often run a monthly special which can be a pretty good deal for 3/4" S4S. They're open until 1 on Saturday. Also they tend to have a good selection of live edge slabs.

The bad - They don't have a price list which you can just pick up and scan. Generally their prices are on the high side. Getting into midtown can be a challenge with traffic.

Houston Hardwoods:
The good - Printed price lists available at the counter. Good available of lots of different wood types. Probably the best overall pricing on true rough cut lumber. Some discounts on quantities of 100 bf or larger. Open until noon on Saturday. Depending on the guy you get, they're usually pretty good about knocking off bf for knots, defects, etc.

The bad - Some of the prices can be on the high side. If you need 8/4 or thicker they'll have limited stock sometimes.

Hardwood Products:
The good - Printed price list available at the counter. Reasonable availability on 'normal' mix of hardwood species. They stock a lot of S2S thicknesses stock at a pretty reasonable price. I often find that paying a little bit more for their S2S end up being a better deal that buying true rough stock if I take the planing time into account. Reasonable pricing on S4S hardwoods if you don't want to prep rough lumber.

The bad - Small supply of true rough lumber compared to their S2S stock. Labeling of the wood bins is hit and miss, so you need to either ask someone or be able to identify by sight some of the stuff. Not open on weekends.

So my normal logic is Hardwood Products S2S for most of my wood, Houston Hardwoods for 6/4 or thicker or more exotic stuff and then Clarks when they have a monthly special of interest.

Mike

 

Excellent write up, Mike. You captured all the characteristics of these places.

I also watch the sales at Woodcraft. Not for rough cut, but sometimes I find really good pieces on sale.

 

Have any of you guys tried M&G sawmill in Huntsville? Their website shows pretty good prices for red cedar. I was thinking of making a trip up there with a trailer and buying one of their lots.

 

I have not. It's new to me, ... I didn't know they existed. I'll google for their info.

 

I can only speak to two places- Clark's and Mason's Mill. I have not been to Houston Hardwoods or Hardwood Products but will definitely be giving those a try soon.

Mason's Mill is quite a bit cheaper than Clark's, and seems to have similar availability and quality of rough lumber. The downside of Mason's Mill is that it is really hectic in there with lots of fork lifts and noise, and they don't have bins where you can easily pick and choose your boards like Clark's does. They have to pull a bundle of what you want to look at with a fork lift, then you pick through it. Seems to cater more to the businesses vs. individual woodworkers.

Clark's is a little more what I expected for a woodworker's source… well-labeled bins and you can pick through whatever you want. They have some really good stuff in there and several species that I don't think Mason's has. But, the 2-3 times I've bought from them I got major sticker shock.

Between the two I've come to the conclusion that Mason's is better for me if I'm doing a project for a customer or really trying to minimize cost. Clark's is better for me if I want to take my time looking at various species to build something special for my own use. I'm hoping that I'll find that Houston Hardwoods and/or HP might be a happy medium!

 

My comments are generally in line with others:

Clarks is expensive, and the fact that they don't publish their price list (even on site) is super annoying.
BUT, they have really, really nice wood, and a very wide selection of species and widths/thicknesses, and a lot of it available quartersawn. Most of the employees are very nice.

Houston Hardwoods is cheaper, but the employees are very gruff and don't want to give you much of their time. Their selection is much smaller (species, but especially widths/thicknesses).

Both will allow you to pick through the bins as much as you want. Clark's is much quicker to help you with crosscuts to fit stuff in your vehicle, if needed.

I find myself going to Clarks now (I used to go to Houston Hardwoods) because I invest way more valuable time in my hand-tool-oriented projects for myself and my family than I do in dollars into the wood. If I was trying to do this commercially, I might try to get cheaper wood.

The higher quality wood (all heartwood, no knots, no cracks) does save some money from reduced wastage, around the edges.

Finally, we should count ourselves as lucky to have quality suppliers, and I want to reward Clarks for having what I need and relatively good service, despite the higher price. It's also much closer to downtown, so that has an impact.

 

I agree with everything Mike said also.

Houston Hardwoods is my favorite followed by Hardwood products.

I have been out to M&G and I bought a few pieces just because I drove so far to get there. I would buy from them if I lived in Huntsville but it's NOT worth the drive from Houston. They only had Red Oak and Cedar when I went out there and the pricing was approximately the same as Houston Hardwoods. Maybe the lots are priced a little better though.

 

I have been to Houston Hardwoods, clarks and hardwood products now so far. I have to say Houston Hardwoods is my favorite. Clarks service is better if you need help but the prices are a bit high and not knowing what I'm going to be hit with is a bit annoying. Hardwood products doesn't have as nice of a selection and is a bit of a drive compared to HH for me. HH, the guys are not as outgoing but I'm not one that likes to really be bothered when I'm looking either. So for me thats actually a positive. Prices are good and selection for what I do is perfect.

 

^^^That's a plus for me too. If I need help I'll come ask you for help. Other than that, leave me alone. HH also seems to rotate their inventory pretty quickly so there is usually something new to look at whenever I stop by… Except for that bin of "antique pine" that has been sitting there for at least a couple of years. Seems like they would drop the price at some point and try to move that stuff out of the way!

 

I spent some time comparing Clarks, HH and Masons Mill. Like others my conclusion was that Clarks was great for harder to find species. HH was good for general needs. Mason was better for large quantities and access to the whole stack and not just what was in the bins (sometimes well picked over bins).

 

I've never gone out to Masons Mill, but it sounds like I need to.

Though I'm not sure if they really stock rough lumber, I did find a new place Dakota Premium Hardwoods. I was looking for some specific Blum slides and they are one of the local distributors. While I was there picking up the slides, I got to talking with the sales guy and he told me some of their prices on some on ply and face frame stock and they had what I thought were pretty good prices on some of the stuff.

Mike

 

We should start a petition to have Clark's list their prices SOMEWHERE so we don't have to waste our time asking a guy to look them up if we're just browsing.

I mean, they have their little binders with the prices. Just chain one to the wall somewhere in the office hut and in each of the outbuildings. Not that hard. What are they afraid of?

Actually, not a petition, maybe a protest. Or a march. Riot?

 

We should start a petition to have Clark s list their prices SOMEWHERE so we don t have to waste our time asking a guy to look them up if we re just browsing. ... ...

Actually, not a petition, maybe a protest. Or a march. Riot?
- gargey

Clarke's has a reasonably active Facebook page: Clark's Hardwood Lumber Co.

Anyone could begin to make the price-list request via posting in the reviews section of that FB page.
I can go place a comment with price request there.
If I recall, some posts are already there seeking price list transparency.

 

I have only been to Clark's and it's certainly an odd experience not knowing what you're going to pay. I usually only pick one board and then rifle through the shorts bins to find bits to practice with. I always end up spending far more than I thought I would…

 

Houston hardwoods has flatter baltic birch plywood, but poor selection of hardwoods compared to Clark's. The way Clark's stickers the plywood causes the entire stack to be warped.

Clark's hardwood selection is hard to beat and the price difference doesn't seem too bad, especially since more of the wood is usable.

 

I've been to M&G a few times and purchased small quantities of red oak (no cedar) and walnut; seems to be priced ok, maybe a little high but the guys there are friendly and willing to help/answer questions. Cash only business but lots of selection. Living outside of H'ville helps too