Chipboard grades and where to buy square-edge flooring grade for delivery

In article , James Harris writes

Cutting a very log story short, I don't think you will find square edge boards meeting your specification as it is not possible to meet those specs without tongue supported edges.

If you (understandably) wish to use square edge boards then you will need to use thicker ones and/or additional edge support.

I have just laid a deck of 18mm square edge USB3 for roofing (as I could not get T&G in time) and I had to use additional plates of usb underneath (in place of noggins) to get the rigidity that the deck required.

It took an age for me to drive the screws required for those extra plates so I would suggest you consider going T&G for your application and cut the tongues if you need access in the future (with attendant reinforcement as required).

On the trade supplier requirement, if you are buying enough then you don't need it. You simply call (or email) for a quote against a supply list and argue the toss if you don't get the price you want. First call is to the supplier you least likely want to deal with (say travis perkins), practice your script and ask for a quote (for James Harris Trading). Work up to your favoured supplier and you will have ironed out your previous inevitable mistakes in the script. My local small outfit has 'cash1' for walk ups and 'cash2' for at approx 30% discount for those that have a bit of volume (say 200quid) and make an effort. Haggles are dealt with on the basis of, "Your price for OSB3 is fine but TP will do 12mm PB at 10% less, will you do a price match?".

Actually, around Cambridge, phoning up and asking for a price before you walk in the door will get you a 20% discount. (No haggling, trivial amount).

Thanks. That turned out to be accurate: I could not find flooring-grade (P4 or above) 8x4 sheets and had to for T&G, much of which I'll have to rip the edges off.

I have a bathroom to floor (which will be T&G) but apart from that all the rest is for areas above new pipework or to replace sections of old flooring so needs to be square-edged. I want to leave the areas above central heating and gas pipes so that the boards can be taken up later - hence the square edge rather than T&G for much of the job. Although this is for square-edge sections the boards will be well supported including all the edges.

As you mentioned, I had to opt for T&G boards. Having got a shopping list ready on the Wickes web site their server kept experiencing an error when asked to go to the checkout section. I eventually phoned the order in but, unfortunately, they then said that Aberdeen does not qualify for free delivery and the cost to deliver would be ?80. That was a little on the high side!

Understood. I personally hate both haggling and the companies who vary their prices according to what they think they can get away with. I once had a salesman in a local store which I won't name try to charge me ?75 for something I eventually got him to come down to ?25 on. That's ridiculous and exploitative. Some people pay such figures and the companies get away with it.

In the end I got the products I needed from B&Q. Even for small bulk orders (5 or more) their prices dropped markedly. From their web site I didn't think they stocked what I wanted but to my surprise they had a bigger range in store. As the order was over ?300 delivery was free and should arrive today. I have to say that the staff in the Garthdee warehouse were especially helpful. So as long as the order arrives in good condition, this time it's thumbs up for B&Q.

James

/In the end I got the products I needed from B&Q./q

Snip tale.

B&Q?

You bother to think & write & ask about good suppliers for your many & varied list of gear, get replies telling you what to do, then go to B&Q? Now you are gushing with praise even tho you haven't received anything yet?

Do I smell a rat here?

Jim K

In message , JimK writes

I rung around for prices on some plasterboard recently. Wickes were as cheap as the best price from a local BM's (list prices, with whatever discount it is for bulk orders).

I hadn't planned on buying it from them particularly, but was buying some other stuff (flooring mostly), and this also meant I could get it all delivered free.

Another advantage was that whilst a BM delivery driver would have plonked it on the drive, it came in a van with two chaps from the local store and they unloaded and carried it into my house and put it where I wanted. Good service and I'd use them again.

And their ply was better than the similarly price stuff from a local timber merchants