buying timber cut to size

browneyedbazzi

I'd like to build some planters/raised beds for the garden but don't have a suitable saw to cut the wood to size. If it's possible I'd like to go into a builders' merchants or DIY shop with a list of cuts, buy the timber and have them cut it for me. Do places do this? If so, is it expensive?

phill99

Find a local timber merchants. Avoid the sheds etc.

Local independent timber merchants will sell you the quantities you want and cut it to the sizes you need.

Stooby2

I'll have to challenge that - both of my local woodyards charge to cut wood to size and they're not cheap. One wanted to charge me £1.50 just to cut a sheet of ply in half. However the local B&Q superstore doesn't charge a penny and the (same) wood is cheaper.

browneyedbazzi

Thank you phill, any idea what I should expect to pay to have them cut the timbers for me? Do they usually charge per cut?

Edit - cross posted, I'll try B&Q!

phill99

My local timber do all cuts for nothing. It's part of the service. Also with a timber merchants you can buy the lengths you want. If you want 3' of 4" x 2", you can buy just that - not the 8' lengths that b & q sell you.

You'll also find the B&Q timber of a very poor quality and their stock control is sporadic.

Additionally, b & q only don't have bench saws. This means that if you want a length of, say, 4" x 2" ripped down to say 3.5" x 2", they can't do it.

john.h

Im sure B&Q only cut sheet materials.

John..

MX5huggy

You only need a £8 jack saw oftern on 3 for 2 offer. they are basically disposable.

Blue264

Shop around and visit a couple of timber yards.
I feel like we spent most of last summer in timber yards, as we were building a huge log store and and fencing. The place I ended up using charged 35p per cut and stocked the tanalised timber I wanted. They were great with the free advice also, which proved very helpful in keeping my costs down

The best thing you can do is write an exact list of the cuts you need and take the advice of the timber merchants.

phill99

MX5huggy wrote: »

You only need a £8 jack saw oftern on 3 for 2 offer. they are basically disposable.

Not for cutting swan timber lengthways.

cyclonebri1

phill99 wrote: »

Not for cutting swan timber lengthways.

But he doesn't want in cut lengthways, or if he did he could buy narrower timber. It seems the OP wants the supplier to make him a DIY planter kit, that won't happen.

The 2 timber yards near me will cut a sheet or a length in half, any more than that and it's £1.50 a cut.

Makes the hardpoint saws look good value, and I would saw the 1st money from anyone wanting to build planters should be spent there.;);)

phill99

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

But he doesn't want in cut lengthways, or if he did he could buy narrower timber. It seems the OP wants the supplier to make him a DIY planter kit, that won't happen.

The 2 timber yards near me will cut a sheet or a length in half, any more than that and it's £1.50 a cut.

Makes the hardpoint saws look good value, and I would saw the 1st money from anyone wanting to build planters should be spent there.;);)

How do you know the OP doesn't want it cut lengthways?

And getting thinner timber isn't always the solution, especially if you need something that falls between widths.