Warning about the big box store lumber rack at Lowes on Miller Ave

I was at the Lowes on Miller Ave last Saturday grabbing some 2x4s for a shed frame and I noticed something sketchy. About 3 rows of the studs were all sitting in a puddle of water near the back of the rack, must have been from a leaky roof. I pulled one out and it was already warped and starting to rot on the end, total waste of money if you don't look. Has anyone else seen this at their local store or am I just unlucky?

3 comments

3 Comments

brooke_jones3d ago

Yeah that bit about grabbing from the middle of the stack is solid advice. My buddy Mike bought a whole bundle of 2x4s from that same Lowes last spring for a deck, didn't check the bottom ones, and three of them were so waterlogged they literally snapped apart when he tried to cut them with his circular saw. He had to haul them all back in his truck and spend an hour at the returns desk while the kid behind the counter argued with him about it being "customer damage.

emery103d ago

Miller Ave store has had roof issues for years, I remember a buddy warning me about it back in 2022. Best thing to do is grab a stud from the middle of the stack where it stays drier, and always check the ends for that dark wet spot before you buy. I also started bringing a little moisture meter with me for big jobs, saves the headache of getting home with a crooked piece of wood. The returns desk there is pretty good about swapping out bad ones if you catch it same day though.

emma_baker613d ago

Actually, that Miller Ave store hasn't had roof problems since mid 2023 when they finally replaced the whole thing. I remember because I was hauling a load of treated lumber through there and saw the construction crews up there. The moisture issue now is more about their outdoor lumber storage not being under cover.

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