# Home Depot sells maple and poplar



## Muikoma (Nov 20, 2007)

One of the Home Depot's near me carries maple, poplar, and oak. I asked someone who works there and they said that it is kiln dried. Does that mean that it's good to use to make guitars that will last for a long time? Any advice or guidance would be appreciated. thanks


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## summitguitar (Jan 30, 2008)

bob benedetto in his books says hes worked with both naturally dryed and kiln dried woods, and he cant tell the difference, seeing as his guitars go for around 25K+ i wouldnt worry about it. Whats important is the moisture content, usually around 12% for an acoustic.


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## Hamm Guitars (Jan 12, 2007)

I actually tried a piece of 1/4" poplar from home depot for a top of a pine tele.

I dyed it dark chocolate using analine dye and the top started moving a few days later. The pine was still flat and level, the poplar had moved quite a bit.

I'm not sure that I the poplar was any cheaper than if I would have bought it through the regular sources either, so I would suggest that you locate a wood dealer. Mine is always trying to sell me mahogany....


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## Imported_goods (Mar 4, 2006)

Muikoma said:


> One of the Home Depot's near me carries maple, poplar, and oak. I asked someone who works there and they said that it is kiln dried. Does that mean that it's good to use to make guitars that will last for a long time? Any advice or guidance would be appreciated. thanks


I thought about buying maple from the Home Depot for a neck instead of ordering from Stew-Mac, but the wood from Home Depot was not quartersawn and it seems to be generally agreed that quartersawn wood gives a more solid, stable neck. I imagine that if you use the maple to make a laminated neck it will matter less whether the boards are flatsawn or quartersawn.

I'm lucky since I have a specialty wood shop nearby that offers woods for all types of projects, including luthier-grade stuff, so I have other options than Home Depot.


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## Greenman (Feb 18, 2007)

Both are Home Depot Poplar. :banana:


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## Muikoma (Nov 20, 2007)

I plan to go to A+M or exotic woods soon and pick up a bunch of stuff, I just thought it would be very convenient if i could drive 5 mins and get wood good enough to last.

anyway, thanks guys


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

I can't use their stuff. Their sheet goods( veneer ply melimine etc) is cheaper by a lot of money but the quality is so bad I won't use it on the inside of cabinets. 

Lot's of places to but the good stuff.


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## Greenman (Feb 18, 2007)

shoretyus said:


> I can't use their stuff. Their sheet goods( veneer ply melimine etc) is cheaper by a lot of money but the quality is so bad I won't use it on the inside of cabinets.
> 
> Lot's of places to but the good stuff.


I'm in the process of building a couple of cabs and will not use their plywood. I spent the extra and got 5'x5' Baltic birch.


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## YJMUJRSRV (Jul 17, 2007)

shoretyus said:


> I can't use their stuff. Their sheet goods( veneer ply melimine etc) is cheaper by a lot of money but the quality is so bad I won't use it on the inside of cabinets.
> 
> Lot's of places to but the good stuff.


I agree. Home Depot has terrible wood. Its hard to get a 2X4 for shop shelving let alone something that needs to look nice. I looked a few times for cabinets and was horrified by the crap they stock. When you get sap all over your hands thats a hint the wood is a little green 

Burlington Exotic may be a little pricey but you could spend a day there deciding which is the nicer peice to buy. Whereas in Home Depot you'd spend the day looking for one without 10 knots falling out.


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## summitguitar (Jan 30, 2008)

See this is why i try to stick to ply-wood for my guitars, the quality is Very consistant lol.


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## RavenT (Aug 5, 2008)

*Straight or warped*

The wooden planks are standing an lining against each other making the warped. And is it the right cut you need? Since most of these places uses a thought cut instead of a quert sawn which is better for instruments.


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## Geek (Jun 5, 2007)

> Home Depot sells maple and poplar


If you have a Windsor Plywood nearby, compare prices. Home Depot (in Abbotsford at least) is about 30% higher for hardwoods.

Cheers!


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