Don't Trust Menards S4S

Thanks for the reminder! I’ve not had that particular experience, but I’ve encountered enough others that it’s a good tip – and a potentially huge labor saver.

One other thought – I’ll bet that no matter what the store manager said, that corporate hq would like to know how they’re irritating customers.

-- Bob www.singularengineering.com - A sideline, not how I earn a living

I don’t want to seem out of line at all but is that not to be expected when you buy lumber off the shelf at any store? With the lumber on the racks at the store its right there for anyone to touch. You have to keep in mind that there are many different people from the employees to the customers that are touching the wood. Even though its S4S and very expensive I think a good sanding and close inspection is still a must. I also use mineral spirits but I make sure to apply on everything before I finish. Not just to make spots stand out but to clean any dust or dirt off before I apply the finish.

-- Dan - "Collector of Hand Planes"

I have had the exact same experience. Another problem I have had with big box lumber is when running it through my table saw it puts a death grip on my splitter a bit too often. Sometimes I wonder if they are selling wood cut from the limbs of trees. This is why I shut down my shop until I could get a planer & joiner an mill my own wood. Sure it coulda been wet wood, but the pucker factor got to me, not to mention the price.

Randy

Dan,

The challenge though is the Menards S$S is wrapped in plastic off-site, which means the board came in contact with wax at some point during production.

Even given TheDane’s bad experience of the three big box stores in my opinion the Menard’s S4S is consistently the best in terms of quality and appearance. The price is the same as HD and Lowes, but the plastic wrapping does help reduce twist and curve since the moisture content is sealed.

At the Menards I go to they also sell random oak. It is around the corner and you have to know where it is. It is not wrapped and it is only semi-smooth on 2 sides. It sells for about $2.50/bf. It takes a little more work but, in general, I have had good luck with it.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.

I wish we had a Menards in Phoenix. I used to go there all the time when I lived in Minneapolis. Now I am forced into HD or Lowes. That’s why I go to Woodworkers Source, because it’s real wood and only 2 miles from my house.

The only time I use wrapped wood is for shelves. I agree with Rich, the random oak works great and I like to do the extra work anyway. (Something about controlling your own destiny.)

Sorry for the problems, but glad to hear that the final product works.

-- - DQ in Phoenix -

What a story!
Best thoughts,
Mads

-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.

Dan—How closely can you inspect a board that is labeled and shrink-wrapped? And once you take the plastic off, the store’s attitude is ‘Sorry … you bought it’.

Rich—Neither of the Menards big boxes here had any random oak in stock.

-- Gerry -- "I don't plan to ever really grow up ... I'm just going to learn how to act in public!"

I’m with dq2, wish we had a Menards where I’m at.
Wish I could find some of that “random oak” Richgreer was talking about.
Sorry about your bad experience and rightfully so it agravated you(would have me too) but I still have had better experience at Menards than the other two big box stores.

-- Life is good.

Thanks for the tip. sorry about yoiur trouble ;-(

-- Bob in WW ~ "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence

I should add … NOBODY DIED! I was able to finish my project (albeit a week later than I wanted to get it done), and the end result was satisfactory.

The only reason I posted this little rant was to (hopefully) help others avoid making the same mistakes I made.

-- Gerry -- "I don't plan to ever really grow up ... I'm just going to learn how to act in public!"

thanks for the heads up dane … another one to store in the back of the old melon

-- Its not a crack, its a casting imperfection.

What it comes down to is that dark stains are very tough to do right but look great if done right. You should not assume anything if you want a great finished result. Dark stains telegraph every potential issue. Red Oak is not to bad but Hard Maple and Soft Maple can be the toughest to work with. Menard’s has the best selection by a long shot.

Find you a local sawyer..or mail order stock for cheaper than you can buy @ the mentioned store for less including shipping.

-- Kyle Edwards, http://www.sawmillnc.com, Iron Station , NC (near Charlotte)