If you would like to pay $17.50/LF for live-edge white pine, Lowes will let you.
The white pine it stocks (from Canada) is 2 x 19* x 72 inches (*width varies along its length) and comes with bark on each edge.
While this particular product seems laser-aimed at DIYers and weekend woodworkers, I had a difficult time sourcing live-edge white pine for a bunk bed/desk I built, which is why I’m sharing this here. You can watch me pretend to be a woodworker here in this decidedly DIY-style video if you have nothing to do (the beds did come out great and the client was happy so there may be some real life take away there for you).
Quick side note: If you want to see bunkbed mastery, check out the work that TOOLS contributor and real-life Bunkbed Master Nathan Rinne does. Nathan makes his own live edge, which he talks about in this Arbortec TurboPlane tool review. Find him on Instagram @rinne_trimcraft.
Lowes’ pieces can be joined end-to-end with pocket holes pre-drilled for that purpose, so if you’re making a long shelf or mantle or something else, that could be a workable solution (though the edges lining up might not be perfect) to get the item longer than 6 feet.
Or, if you get a customer who is wooed by what they see online—where I found this little gem—and asks you to build something for them out of it because they saw something cool on DIYNetwork or Pinterest, you’ll know they know how much it costs.
Last tidbit: This is the stuff of social media content. So if you’re doing outreach to your client base and want some content, this may serve that need.
This article originally appeared in Tools of the Trade.
