About Lumber Minneapolis
Lumber Minneapolis is a referral service. We match buyers and sellers of lumber in Minneapolis-St. Paul with partner suppliers in our network, who set prices and do the work.
Connecting Lumber Requests with Partner Suppliers
Serving Minneapolis-St. Paul and the Twin Cities metro
One Request, Passed to Partner Suppliers
Finding reclaimed lumber can mean a lot of searching and phone calls. Our form gives you one place to describe what you need or what you have to sell. We pass that request to partner suppliers in our network, and a partner supplier follows up with you. Everything after that, from price to pickup, is between you and the supplier.
What to Know About This Service
We would rather you know exactly what this site is before you send a request.
A Referral Service
We connect people who need lumber, or have lumber to sell, with partner suppliers in our network. We do not own lumber, and we do not run a yard or a mill.
Suppliers Do the Work
Partner suppliers set prices and handle the material, including any preparation, milling, pickup, or delivery they offer. You deal with them directly.
Twin Cities Focus
We take requests from Minneapolis, Saint Paul, the Twin Cities metro, and nearby Minnesota. Availability depends on partner suppliers.
Pricing by Quote
We do not publish prices, because lumber prices depend on species, grade, quantity, and condition. Partner suppliers quote each request. Asking is free and carries no obligation.
How Quotes Work
Quotes come from partner suppliers, not from Lumber Minneapolis. The more detail you give, the easier it is for a supplier to give you a useful answer.
You Describe the Job
Tell us the species, dimensions, quantity, finish, timeline, and location. Sellers can describe what they have, its condition, and where it is.
We Pass It On
We pass your request to partner suppliers in our network. We do not price your request or inspect any material ourselves.
A Supplier Quotes You
A partner supplier follows up and, if they can help, gives you pricing. The price and terms are theirs, and availability depends on what they have.
You Decide
The request is free and there is no obligation. If the quote works for you, arrange the order, pickup or delivery, and payment directly with the supplier.
What Affects a Quote
Each partner supplier sets its own pricing. These are the factors that generally shape a reclaimed lumber quote.
Species
Scarcer species and old-growth material usually cost more than common softwoods.
Grade and Condition
Clean, sound boards with few defects are priced differently from rustic or rough material.
Quantity and Dimensions
Long lengths, wide boards, and large timbers are harder to find, and matching a big order takes more sorting.
Preparation
De-nailing, planing, profiling, and any other work a supplier offers can add to the price.
Pickup or Delivery
Your location and the size of the load affect the cost of getting the wood to your site.
Waste
Reclaimed wood can lose more to defects and milling than new lumber, so allow extra when you estimate quantities.
What Lumber Grades Mean
Formal grading rules were written for new lumber. Reclaimed sellers often adapt those terms or use their own, so treat a grade as a starting point and ask the supplier what it covers. Lumber Minneapolis does not grade wood.
FAS (First and Seconds)
The highest standard NHLA hardwood grade. It describes boards that yield long, clear cuttings, and it is intended for new lumber. You may hear it used loosely for very clean reclaimed boards.
No. 1 Common
An NHLA hardwood grade that allows more defects and shorter clear cuttings than FAS. On reclaimed wood, the term usually suggests sound boards with moderate character marks.
No. 2 Common
An NHLA hardwood grade with more knots and more variation. Rustic flooring, paneling, and furniture often use wood described this way.
Softwood Select and Common
Softwood appearance grades run from clear Select boards to knottier Common boards. Pine paneling and trim are often sold using these terms.
Structural
New softwood framing lumber is stress-graded and stamped. A seller calling salvaged wood "structural" is not the same as a current grade stamp. Have an engineer review load-bearing uses and check with your local building official.
Rustic or Barnwood
A seller's description, not a formal grade. It generally means weathered wood with nail holes, checks, and patina, used for decorative purposes.
Comprehensive Species Guide
These are species you may come across in reclaimed lumber. Janka values are typical published figures for the species, and old-growth wood can differ. Ask partner suppliers what is currently available.
| Species | Janka Hardness | Typical Source | Common Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Oak | 1,360 lbf | Older buildings, flooring, trim | Flooring, furniture, tabletops, exterior applications |
| Red Oak | 1,290 lbf | Older homes, stair treads, cabinetry | Flooring, cabinetry, furniture, paneling |
| Heart Pine (Longleaf) | 870 lbf (longleaf pine) | Old flooring, industrial buildings | Flooring, paneling, furniture |
| Douglas Fir | 660 lbf | Warehouses, bridges, industrial structures | Exposed beams, paneling, mantels |
| White Pine | 380 lbf | Barn siding, interior paneling, tongue-and-groove | Siding, paneling, accent walls, shelving |
| Cedar | 350 lbf | Exterior siding, closet linings | Exterior projects, closets, planter boxes |
| Hemlock | 500 lbf | Barn framing, industrial structures | Rustic paneling, furniture |
| American Elm | 830 lbf | Urban tree removals | Tabletops, furniture |
| Hard Maple | 1,450 lbf | Gymnasium floors, bowling alleys, factories | Flooring, furniture, work surfaces |
| Black Walnut | 1,010 lbf | Furniture salvage, urban tree removals | Furniture, accent pieces, slabs |
| American Chestnut | 540 lbf | Old barns and homes (a species devastated by blight) | Furniture, feature walls |
| Hickory | 1,820 lbf | Tool handles, wagon parts, barn structures | Flooring, furniture, decorative use |
Frequently Asked About Us
Can I visit a yard to see the wood?
Lumber Minneapolis has no yard or showroom. If you want to see material before you buy, ask the partner supplier who follows up with you whether that is possible.
What if I need a species that is hard to find?
Put it in your request. Reclaimed supply changes with what is being salvaged, so availability depends on partner suppliers. Mention any acceptable alternatives to widen your options.
Is this for homeowners or only for contractors?
Anyone can send a request, including contractors, architects, designers, homeowners, and DIYers. The supplier will confirm whether they can take on an order of your size.
How do prices compare with new lumber?
It depends on the species, grade, and condition, and on any milling needed. Pricing is by quote from partner suppliers, so the best comparison is a real quote for your project alongside the cost of new material.
Go Deeper
Understand the process, read about reuse, and learn more about working with reclaimed wood.
How It Works
A step-by-step look at the referral process, plus how suppliers in the trade typically prepare reclaimed wood.
See How It WorksSustainability
What reusing lumber can and cannot do for the environment, in plain and qualified terms.
Read About SustainabilityResources
Guides on species, grading, moisture, tools, and working with reclaimed wood.
Browse ResourcesHave a Project in Mind?
Send a free, no-obligation quote request. We pass it to partner suppliers, and a partner supplier follows up with you.