I'm diving into woodworking and trying to figure out whether I should invest in S4S (surfaced on 4 sides) lumber or go for rough lumber that I'll need to plane down myself. I've only worked with cedar in the past, making planter boxes, but I'm looking to step up my game with cutting boards and maybe other projects down the line. Is it worth the cost to buy S4S, which is running about $9.50 to $14 per board foot depending on the type of wood, or should I just get a planer and work with rough lumber? How do you determine when S4S becomes too expensive?
4 Answers
I started with S4S until I could afford a planer and a jointer. Now, I typically buy S2S because it’s cheaper, and processing it myself gives me more wood choices. It really opens up your options once you have the tools to mill the lumber yourself.
And don't forget, many local yards have a good selection of S2S and S3S so keep that in mind!
In my experience, rough lumber is much cheaper, and if you have a planer, you can save a ton of cash. I spent $400 on my planer and jointer combo, and I saved $700 on my first project alone! S4S is great for convenience, but if you enjoy the milling process, rough lumber is definitely the way to go.
It really depends on the lumber costs. If rough lumber is around $4 per board foot, you could save money by investing in a planer instead of constantly buying S4S. However, factor in that planers are around $800, so you'd need to run over 80 board feet through it to justify that cost. If you're just starting out or unsure about your use case, S4S might be more convenient until you get more serious.
Yeah, I tried rough lumber once and it was only about 30 cents less per board foot than S3S at my local yard, which didn't seem worth it. But I guess it depends on what you're comfortable with.
I think as long as you have the basic tools like a table saw and the right jigs, you could manage without a jointer. You can do a lot with just a planer.
Honestly, I think S4S can still be a bit of a pain. It might not be perfectly flat, so even S4S usually benefits from planing. I recommend getting used to milling your own lumber so you have better control over your projects. Planers let you get everything just right, and you’ll enjoy the outcome more!
Good point! It seems like no matter what type you buy, there's always some additional work involved.
Exactly! And once you master it, you'll appreciate the transformation from rough to final product even more.
Absolutely! It took me a while to realize it, but having that flexibility is a game changer.