Baltic birch stateside??

Art Mulder

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Location
London, Ontario
Hey folks, where do you find reasonably priced baltic birch in the USA?

My brother-in-law recently relocated to Colorado Springs and he was asking my advice on repairing some dresser drawers. So I pointed him towards using baltic birch for the drawers.

He just told me he was quoted a price of $51.00 for a sheet of 1/2" BB.

This seems at least $15 too rich to me, but I have no idea what is a fair price down there.

Any help?
Thanks!!
 
Unless he's buying it by the pallet, shipping costs will be prohibitive, so he'll be pretty much at the mercy of his local dealer.

Possibly a local cabinet shop will sell him a sheet or two.

I (yesterday) bought two sheets of half inch (12mm, actually) at Hartville Hardware for $32.00 per sheet.
 
We can get 'em in both 5x5 and 4x8 - the 5x5's are about 35-40. The 4x8's are about 50-60. Do you know what size sheets he was quoted for?

Jason is right. Although the traditional size is 5x5 (or 60"x60"), I have seen lumber yards offer "Baltic birch" in 4 x 8 sheets, with the same characteristic of a large number of "good" plies.
 
the yard I purchase from, offers different grades.
they refer to it as shop grade, furniture grade, and I forgot what they called the third.
They offer it in 5x5 or 4x8.
Prices are by sq foot, but the last time I purchased the 4x8 sheets it ran aprox 44 dollars a sheet for 3/4.
I think the 1/4 inch was 25 a sheet.
 
I'm new here but am fan of Charlie if that gives me any credibility. Baltic Birch comes in grades, B,BB,CP, and C on each face with B being the best. Quite a price difference from top to bottom. Here in the north Menards stocked 4x8 sheets but I can't remember the grade. BB/BB and lower are more common as I seldom see B/BB. Dave
 
I pay about $15 a sheet for 1/4" baltic birch in a 5x5, clear one face

I pay about $50 a sheet for 1/2" baltic birch in a 4x8, clear one face. 4x8's can be tricky to find sometimes, and the quality is all over the place. Sometimes I get it and its beautiful, other times its hideous. Luck of the draw, I typically only buy 10 sheets or so at a time, I've never been able to justify a whole unit of it as I just use it for backs in upper/wall cabinets.

I don't go through a ton either. Maybe 40 sheets a year of 1/2" and 60 or so a year in 1/4"


1/2" is massive overkill for drawer bottoms unless they are extremely wide, or deep (front to back), or both, drawers.
 
I can get a 4X8 sheet of what is labeled Birch 3/4 ply for $39 here at Woodsmith. They also have the 5/5 sheets for $45 I think, I assume a better grade. BTW, I know nothing about ply grades, etc. :eek:
 
Bought ten sheets of 1/2" in a 4x8, 3B grade apparently, and I was wrong before, they were $59 a sheet. Also bought 20 5x5's, but didn't pay attention to how much they were.
 
Better than Woodcraft or buying from the big box. When I need a large quantity I'll get it elsewhere but for small quantities paying the premium to buy from a local retailer with consistent supply, quality, and hours is worth it.
 
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