Least expensive lumber for cabinet?

[trs80]

What is the least expensive 4/4 (3/4 thk) wood type that lumber yards would carry as planks or precut to 1 x 4?. Something clear and dry for cabinet door frames to be painted. Is it poplar? Thanks

[Leon]

In most cases, white pine would be cheaper than poplar.

[Swingman]

In most areas of the country, you are correct ... poplar is generally the cheapest "hardwood".

[Doug Miller]

Depends on where you are. In much of the eastern half of the United States, it's likely to be poplar. In the western US, might be aspen.

[trs80]

[Nova]

The last time I bought white pine it was more expensive than white oak.

[efgh]

Is pine that turns blue during the drying process very expensive? If it's cheap go for that. Knotty pine can be painted provided you put a coat of shellac over the knots.

[Leon]

Wow. In Houston it a bout 1/3 the price of Oak and probably 1/2 the price of poplar. Location, Location, Location. LOL

[Doug Miller]

That's it exactly. Here in Indiana, where we have lots and lots and lots of poplar, but not a whole lotta pine... poplar is definitely cheaper.

[dpb]

What about relative grades? When looking for _clear_ white pine for window/door construction a couple of years ago, it was essentially unobtainable for. Story was w/ the housing boom the large manufacturers had basically the whole market cornered. How true the reason I don't know, but I gave up the search and went to alternatives. Maybe it's eased somewhat now? Of course, here where there isn't a tree of any sort for usable lumber within several hundred miles, one is always at the mercy of distributors/wholesalers, but everything else I could have wanted except the clear pine was readily available.

[B A R R Y]

Check it out:

Good pine is more than hickory, red oak, and almost the same price as plain sawn white oak.

[Leon]

I believe you. In SE Texas however that is not the case. I suspect that because we have an abundance of the stuff compared to most hard woods it is cheap.

[J T]

Tue, Jan 30, 2007, 3:54pm (EST+5) [e-mail] (Doug=A0Miller) doth sayeth: Depends on where you are. In much of the eastern half of the United States, it's likely to be poplar. In the western US, might be aspen.

Exactly. Always depends on where you are, and what you're after. Whenever I see a question like that makes me wonder why they don't just pick up a phone and call around in their local area. As far as cheap goes, free wood is pretty much always cheapest.

JOAT Only those who have the patience to do simple things perfectly will acquire the skill to do difficult things easily.

- Johann Von Schiller

[Larry]

It would vary from one area to another. Around here, mid-Atlantic/East coast, absolute cheapest would be some kind of pine. For not too much more money you could use poplar which is hard to beat for stability, workability & taking paint.