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It’s important to know your options for where to shop for wood. Chain home improvement stores generally offer a basic variety of framing lumber and nominal softwood but very little hardwood. What they do carry is often priced lower than specialty yard stock, but the grades and dimensions are limited. Here are a couple of other options to consider:

Contractor yards, where framing and finish carpenters buy their materials, usually offer a wider array of lumber options, including an assortment of millwork products and custom moldings. Often they can special-order materials that the chain stores simply can’t supply. The quality of the stock here is better, and the prices reflect the quality you’ll find.

Specialty yards: Most metropolitan areas have specialty yards that sell only hardwoods and veneered sheet goods. Their primary customers are commercial cabinetmakers, architectural millwork shops and professional furniture builders. While the salespeople here are used to dealing with pros, they are usually willing to take a few minutes to explain the finer points to an interested amateur. However, time is money for these folks, so they won’t appreciate spending too much time on what they by necessity must consider a minor sale. The stock sold here here is normally S2S or roughsawn, so you’ll need a jointer or planer to prepare the lumber further. Be aware that, when buying roughsawn lumber, you can’t tell much about the color, grain or quality of the board until after you expose it to the planer knives.