Since you're breaking down the lumber anyway, I'd think that buying 2x12s would actually be better. You can rip the pith out of the centre and end up with essentially quarter-sawn 2x4 / 2x5 material which could be far superior to the precut 2x4s
Bench looks great! I've built a lot of furniture out of box store pine, and some out of pallets. Some of it has held up great, some not so great, if you do it right it will all be fine though. I think a big part of it comes down to what is scarcer for you, time or money. If you have a lot of time to build projects, then it probably makes sense to build stuff out of cheaper materials. If you dont get a ton of time in the shop, you might as well spend that time working with nicer material
Totally agree. Thanks for sharing your experience too. I know lots of people build out of box store and like you said, it usually comes down to just doing it the right way. How do you keep your tops from warping? That seems to be the most consistent issue for me.
@gerberdesignco Twisting is a real problem. There's some things you can do as far as improving the quality of the material you're working with: choosing dry boards/letting them dry, getting wide boards (eg, 2x8s or 2x10s) and cutting out the part with the straightest grain, not using pieces with knots or pieces near the center of the tree, etc. I've had the best luck by using thinner pine (1 inch instead of 2 inch) and then including a stabilizing feature (like an apron) to keep it flat. I made an 8ft x 3.5ft pine table top that is 1" thick with a 3" apron and it has remained flat for uears.
issue is that the lumber is not dry enough even if its KD its dried to like 25% for use in framing not as low as needed for furniture. other issue is you use a lot of wood with the pith still in it and that piece will crack and twist. its still good for trying designs but not as good for longevity
Good to know. I’ve definitely heard that it’s not dry enough for furniture. But I still like to try it out and use it in my home to see how long it will last before any thing happens.
