Where to get unfinished hardwood?

I’m having my living room and hallway done and I need about 325 sq ft of unfinished hardwood, 2 1/4", most likely oak. I decided to go unfinished because I can’t find the look I want to match what would have been original to the house. I have an installer but finding the wood is up to me. I’ve been to a few places but don’t have time to call and drive all over WNY trying to find the best deal on some quality hardwood. If anyone has advice on where to start please let me know.

National Lumber - 716-681-0048.

I went there last week. The guy was extremely knowledgeable and helped steer me in the right direction. It was $3.95 sq ft delivered. I’m just wondering if there is any cheaper option out there. I’m paying an installer plus paying him or someone else to finish it so I have to consider cost. If I don’t find anything else I’ll go that route. I’d consider finishing it myself if I wasn’t in the middle of a dozen projects and waiting to move in after the floor is done.

Try Quaker Millwork in Orchard Park.

Will do, thanks!

National will probably be the cheapest you will find.

I tried a few places, that either didn’t carry it, or it cost more. I’ll try a few more, otherwise I’ll get it from National. I have a reputable installer who did a great job on my dad’s floor. His rate is $2.95 sq ft for install and another $2.95 for finishing it. That seems high, but maybe just a case of ''you get what you pay for"? I guess he provides everything but the actual hardwood, finishes between rooms, brings samples to put on the actual floor before choosing a finish, and then does 3 coats.

also try scott perry auctions … they always have a few pallets of unfinished

http://www.scottperryco.com/buffalo_auctions/?az_feed_pos=http%3A//www.auctionzip.com/cgi-bin/auctionview.cgi%3Flid%3D2031172%26feed%3D129%26group%3D0%26state%3D%26kwd%3D%26zip%3D%26category%3D0%26nojava%3D0

I’m sorry. I missed the part that this was flooring.

Try ebay, I was browsing strip flooring and found some on there. Let me know how it goes, I want to evenutally get my kitchen done to match the existing flooring in my living room and dining room which is strip flooring from the 50s 2 1/4 inch.

You’re going to pay $4/sqft + $3/sqft for install AND $3/sqft for finishing? That’s insane.

Are you patching a floor or installing a whole new floor?

When I did the upstairs of my house I got a finished hardwood floor for less than $2/sqft (clearance sale). There’s no reason why you should be paying this much. Find a sale on pre-finished floors.

The prices he listed are actually very good prices. I have been in the hardwood flooring business for 7+ years and I can tell you there is no comparision between prefinished and unfinished flooring. They both have there pros and cons but I can promise you that if he gets the unfinished floor it will look 1 million times better then any $2.00 sq/ft floor (and I mean no disrespect here at all) The company I used to work for would charge anywhere from $3.25-$10.00 a sq for unfinished flooring depending on the species, then it was $3.50 a sq to install and $3.50-4.00 a sq to sand and finish it depending on the stain and finish. To the OP if you need any help at all just pm me and I can send you in the right direction.

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National lumber and MP Caroll are both local and can get you the old 3/8"x 2 1/4" and usually have it in stock for a reasonable price.

Thanks guys. I’d LOVE to get pre-finished but I haven’t found a single one that has the coloring/general look that I want, and have been told that I won’t. The look I’m going for is kind of a shellac coloring. I currently have no hardwood flooring in my house at all and I’m going cheap on the rest of the rooms if I do install flooring elsewhere. I’m doing the living room and down the hallway. The house is a 50’s ranch and I’m doing sort of a restoration rather than modernizing. I haven’t moved in yet so now is the time to have it done.

home depot has it

Not trying to thread jack but a piggy back question.

Do any of these local places stock older style thin planks? My house has oak planks that are I believe 1/2" height and just shy of 1 1/2" wide. Been trying to get a idea of cost, I want to refinish my downstairs but there is 2 sections that need patching one was where a old wall was the other is tiled where they use to have a wood burning stove.

I’m almost positive the guy at National said he could get even smaller than the 2 1/4 planks. If not he’d probably know where to get them. I helped a friend replace a few planks in their old house last year and could see where they got them.

I will have to check National out, let me know about your other friend.

I checked, they did buy it from them.