Lumber Sales

Our selection of lumber is sure to inspire any woodworker or hobbyist! We have a beautiful variety of local hardwoods in all shapes and sizes. Choose from 4/4-8/4 live edge slabs, dimensional exotic stock, and more. Every piece undergoes rough sawing on our bandsaw mill for optimal surface finish—saving you time during your project's construction phase. To ensure quality workmanship every board goes through both air drying as well as kiln drying in our iDry Vacuum Kiln system which kills unwanted pests present within the boards making them safe to use with peace of mind! Schedule an appointment today and let us help fuel your next masterpiece - simply call or message us if you need assistance finding the perfect pieces for yourself!

  • What's a Board-Foot?

    The lumber industry runs on board-feet, a unit of measurement that is determined by the width in inches multiplied by length in feet multiplied by the thickness in inches and divided into 12. Lumber prices are then calculated according to this standard dimension!

  • Available Wood Species

    Domestics: Walnut, White Oak, Cherry, Osage Orange, Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Red Elm, American Elm, Box Elder, Pin Oak, Sassafras, Beech, Ash, Larch, Locust, Pine, Eastern Red Cedar

    Hawaiian Exotics: Koa, Eucalyptus, Silk Oak, Chocolate Albizia, Formosian Koa, Toon, Queensland Maple, Kiwi, Black Wattle, Lychee, Monkey Pod, Sufi, Pride of India, Cypress, Olive, African Mahogany, False Kamani, Mango, Coconut

    Call to confirm stock as inventory is always changing!

  • Locally Sourced Hardwoods

    Raw Heartwood’s primary source for the hardwoods it uses is locally salvaged logs. When trees have to be removed due to urban development or storm damage, Raw Heartwood works within its local network to recover these logs and give them new life. This ensures these trees end up as beautiful live-edge slabs and custom furniture pieces that can be enjoyed for years to come.

FAQs

Q: How do I know which thickness of lumber I need?

A: Think of lumber thickness like pizza crust - different projects need different thicknesses. 4/4 (that's one inch) is perfect for most furniture projects, while 8/4 (two inches) gives you that chunky table-leg energy. Not sure? Tell us what you're building, and we'll guide you to the sweet spot. We're like lumber matchmakers that way.

Q: Do you have exotic woods in stock?

A: Oh, do we ever! While we're proud of our Chicago-native species, we also have an amazing collection of Hawaiian exotics that'll make your project pop. From Koa (the rock star of Hawaiian woods) to Monkey Pod (yes, that's really its name), we've got species that'll make your woodworking buddies drool. Just remember - inventory changes faster than Chicago weather, so call ahead for specific species.

Q: What is a board foot and why should I care?

A: Imagine if we sold lumber by the pound - chaos! A board foot is the woodworking world's universal measuring stick. It's one foot long, one foot wide, and one inch thick. Think of it as the lumber equivalent of a baker's dozen, except it actually makes sense. We price by board feet because it's fair, consistent, and lets you compare apples to apples (or in this case, oak to maple).

Q: Can I hand-pick my boards?

A: Absolutely! In fact, we encourage it. Every board has its own personality (kind of like your relatives at Thanksgiving), and we want you to find your perfect match. Schedule an appointment, and we'll help you search for that perfect grain pattern or figure that makes your woodworking heart skip a beat.

Q: What makes your vacuum kiln-dried lumber better than the big box store stuff?

A: Remember that warped shelf you bought at the home center that looked like a potato chip by spring? That's what happens with poorly dried wood. Our vacuum kiln is like sending your lumber to spa boot camp - it comes out perfectly dried, stress-free, and ready for its forever home in your project. Plus, we kill all the creepy crawlies that might be hiding in there. Nobody wants woodworms as roommates.

Q: What's this about "locally sourced" lumber?

A: When Chicago's urban trees need to come down (storms, construction, life happens), we swoop in like lumber superheroes. Instead of becoming mulch or firewood, these trees get a second life as gorgeous furniture or art. It's sustainable, local, and each piece comes with its own Chicago story. How cool is that?