Solid Hardwood Flooring Wood - Sources

[jewellmd]

I often get solid flooring wood from a local store (generally exotics, but sometimes domestic as well). I've had relatively good luck with it and the price can't be beat. I'm constantly on the hunt for new species of wood, however I can get it.

Recently I thought, how can get I get flooring wood from other suppliers? Hardwood flooring places only want to sell by the box and not by the piece. Assuming the new customer will want to use such material for putting down new floor in their home. I discovered that many of these places will send you free samples, generally no more than 5. I'll probably be saving these small samples for nicer kits.

I ordered up some and pleased with what I received. The pieces generally run between 3 - 5" wide and long enough to get pen blanks out of. My question is, where could I go (besides eBay & Amazon) to get a few like pieces of this material?

 

[SDB777]

So you took advantage of a companies willingness to give you some samples, but you don't want to purchase the stuff from them?


Nice....




Scott (glad I don't have flooring wood) B

 

[jewellmd]

LOL - yup! If they are willing to send me free samples, I don't have to hunt for it. The wood just magically arrives in my mailbox. I'm itching to make something with it, but it's of course "very limited supply". Each sample will probably yield 3-6 pens before I run out.

 

[SDB777]

LOL??

You are cheating a business! If you'll do it to one, why not the grocery store or your church!




Scott (not cool dude) B

 

[joek30296]

Lowes sells samples for $.25 cents a piece. They're about 5"X5". Just bought some Taun and Tigerwood last week.

 

[thewishman]

Go to a store that installs as well as sells wood flooring. They usually have leftover pieces that they cannot sell. Tell them what you do with it and offer to make pens for them out of their own wood. You'll usually get free wood, and often, a new customer.

I visit a flooring wholesaler. When I told them about, and showed them my pens, they started saving really nice pieces for me. When I brought them pens for free, they made a save pile just for me.

The pallets that the flooring is shipped on is usually nice stuff - purpleheart, Brazilian cherry... That just gets thrown away, unless they have someone who is willing to cart it away.

 

[CaptainJane]

If you have a Floor and Decor store, they sell any 1 plank of flooring sample for $5. I bought 2 planks to make a little top for my rolling toolcart

 

[jewellmd]

There are only so many places who will send you free samples - add the fact that they will probably be calling as well. I didn't do it to get a huge stockpile of woods, just some that are difficult to come by. I'll check around my local flooring and hardware stores and see what they have to offer. I don't mind paying for wood, but the stores I've stopped at so far will only sell it by the box. I'll keep looking.

I appreciate everyone's input on this one.