After buying wood for dozens of DIY projects, you realize that you can save money because wood is so expensive. Where to get free wood for woodworking?
Can you perform your task without spending lots of money on wood?
Lumber oak can be prohibitively expensive. Usually, wood is the costliest part of woodworking. Your project can cost a lot of money when it requires a large amount of wood.
It’s not necessary to splurge that much on those materials. You can even get free wood if you know where to get free wood for woodworking.
We’ll share with you the ideas below:
- Construction sites
- Recycle pallets
- Unused/old Furniture or Buildings
- Burn Dumpsters and Piles
- Craigslist, freecycle, woodworking forums
These secrets will help you find some free wood for your DIY jobs, whether you’re building furniture, a wooden plank wall, or creating farmhouse decor.
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Why Is Some Wood So Expensive?
The scarcer the tree, the more expensive the wood.
When buying materials at a local home improvement store, you will find some cheaper lumber and some that are much more expensive. There are some prime reasons for this difference.
Board Size
You’ll often but not always notice the price dissimilarity linked to the board size.
Exceedingly broad planks are much more expensive since the tree selections are more limited. Meanwhile, some tiny planks come at lower prices.
However, the wood of small board size is also super costly as it takes extra processing and effort to cut into more petite strips.
Type of Wood
Some hardwoods, like walnut or oak, are always costlier than others. They take a lot of effort and a very long while to grow, so it’s no surprise they cost dramatically more than pine or other softwoods.
Wood Quality
The cheap boards and furring strips usually feature lots of flaws and rounded edges and are pretty rough. Quality materials are more expensive but have straighter edges, a smoother, more even finish, and less warping.
Where To Get Free Wood For Woodworking?
There are plenty of free hardwood opportunities for home DIY woodworkers. We’ve compiled five ideas so you can reach out to these places to get materials for your projects.
Construction Sites
The easiest way is to visit the local construction areas.
One of the most straightforward ways is to reach out to nearby construction sites. These areas have mountains of plywood and scrap lumber pieces.
Particularly, if one of your acquaintances frequently works in these places, it’s a lot easier to find a construction area with tons of free oak.
Construction happens everywhere, be it new homes or businesses. Don’t hesitate to meet the workers there and tell them what you need. Because they’ll throw the residue materials away or burn them anyway, you’re helping them clear up the worksite.
Recycle Pallets
Another tip on finding free hardwoods is to look for pallets. Instead of giving the pallets away or recycling them, many businesses just trash them. It’s such a huge waste.
You should wander around areas like automotive centers, small restaurants, or nurseries and ask if they can donate pallets weekly.
We’ve made different contacts of these accessible wood sources and successfully saved a considerable fortune on materials using this method.
Unused/Old Furniture or Buildings
It’s a brilliant idea to extract lumber from old furniture.
If something is not mostly salvageable, it can still be helpful. Keep these things in mind when you need a free plumber source for woodworking.
For instance, when getting rid of an unused bed, just throw the mattress away instead of tossing it all. Even when you can’t take advantage of the entire wooden frame, it’s still possible to tear some pieces down for later use.
Wooden furniture is a great idea to find some extra hardwood that is still in good condition. The same goes for an old shed, or stuff like that. Look at the objects around you and take advantage of any unused lumber still looking good.
Burn Dumpsters and Piles
A burn pit or dumpster is the best place to find someone’s wooden “garbage.” If someone is not a carpenter or doesn’t need plywood for their projects and throws out their furniture, you can find it there.
It’s a good idea to visit a dump because it’s normal to check the deposited trash in the public dump areas for what you might be able to reuse.
Usually, you will find the things that you can extract the lumber from. Please remember to wear eye protection and heavy-duty gloves when going through the dump.
Also, we suggest wandering around your neighborhood the day before garbage pickup or on that day to see whether some neighbors intend to throw out usable lumber in the trash bins.
If you notice some, ensure to ask for the owner’s permission before taking it. It might be unnecessary for them because it’s trash, yet it’s still their proper. So, talk to the owner in advance.
Craigslist.org, Freecycle.org, Woodworking Forums
Many home carpenters prowl Craigslist every day for free or cheap lumber. Similarly, Freecycle.org is a helpful website that connects users to free things.
If you go around your neighborhood or nearby construction sites the whole day and can’t pick up any necessary materials, go online and visit some crowded woodworking forums or real-life woodworker club meetings, too.
It’s possible to meet and talk to those giving hardwood away with a return of other stuff sometimes. There are many competitions there, though.
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Final Thoughts
Finding free lumber or inexpensive hardwood for your home improvement projects seems like an out-of-the-question task, but it turns out to be easy.
There are plentiful ideas to locate where to find free wood for woodworking. Our helpful tips can save you a lot of money over time.
After all, woodworking isn’t necessarily that expensive, alright?
