Exotic Lumber Inc

About Exotic Lumber Inc — Hardwood Lumber in Annapolis

Exotic Lumber Inc is Annapolis’ premier destination for high-quality hardwood lumber, serving furniture makers, cabinetmakers, fine woodworkers, and DIY enthusiasts throughout Maryland’s capital region. With decades of experience in wood selection and grading, they provide both domestic classics and rare exotic species to bring any woodworking vision to life.

Their extensive inventory includes popular domestic hardwoods like oak, maple, cherry, and walnut, alongside exotic species such as Brazilian rosewood, ebony, purpleheart, and zebrawood. All lumber is available in multiple formats including rough-sawn, S2S (surfaced two sides), and S4S (surfaced four sides), with careful attention to moisture content and proper grading standards including FAS, Select, and #1 Common grades.

Unlike big box stores that offer limited species and questionable quality, Exotic Lumber Inc provides hands-on expertise, proper wood storage, and the ability to hand-select your boards. Their knowledgeable staff can guide you through grain patterns, figure characteristics, and help calculate exact board footage for your project, ensuring you get the right wood at the right price.

Annapolis’ thriving maritime heritage and historic preservation projects create strong demand for quality hardwood lumber, while the region’s growing maker community and proximity to Baltimore and Washington DC bring together serious woodworkers who demand premium materials and expert service.

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Location & Directions

What to Expect When You Visit

Walking into Exotic Lumber Inc, you’ll find carefully organized lumber racks with boards sorted by species, grade, and thickness. The staff encourages customers to examine boards closely, checking for grain patterns, defects, and figure that match their project needs. Most boards are clearly marked with species, grade, and board footage calculations.

Expect to spend time discussing your project requirements, as the team can recommend appropriate species for your intended use, explain the differences between grades, and even arrange custom milling services if you need specific dimensions or profiles that aren’t readily available in their standard inventory.

Products & Materials

Exotic Lumber Inc stocks an impressive range of domestic hardwoods including red and white oak, hard and soft maple, cherry, walnut, ash, hickory, and poplar in various thicknesses from 4/4 to 8/4 and beyond. Their exotic collection features species like Brazilian rosewood, African mahogany, teak, ebony, purpleheart, zebrawood, and bubinga, many with stunning figure patterns including curly, quilted, and bird’s eye variations.

All lumber is sold by the board foot with competitive pricing that reflects proper grading standards. FAS (Firsts and Seconds) grade offers the highest quality with minimal defects, while Select and #1 Common grades provide excellent value for projects where some character marks are acceptable. Most inventory is kiln-dried to furniture-grade moisture content.

Beyond raw lumber, they offer custom milling services to create specific profiles, and their millwork capabilities can handle specialty cuts, edge gluing, and dimensioning to help customers achieve professional results even with complex projects.

Who Shops Here

Exotic Lumber Inc attracts serious furniture makers and cabinetmakers who demand premium materials, hobbyist woodworkers seeking unique species for special projects, contractors working on high-end millwork and trim applications, and boat builders taking advantage of Annapolis’ maritime culture. Many customers are repeat clients who’ve built relationships with the staff and rely on their expertise for species selection and project planning.

Serving the Annapolis, Maryland Area

Annapolis’ rich maritime heritage and status as Maryland’s capital create unique opportunities for woodworkers, from historic restoration projects on colonial-era buildings to custom yacht interiors and traditional boat building. The city’s proximity to both Baltimore and Washington DC draws skilled craftspeople and affluent clients who appreciate fine woodworking, while local institutions like the Naval Academy generate demand for quality millwork and custom furniture projects.

Tips for First-Time Buyers

• Call ahead if you’re looking for specific exotic species or large quantities to ensure availability
• Bring your project plans and measurements – the staff can help calculate exact board footage and recommend appropriate grades
• Allow time to hand-select boards, especially for visible surfaces where grain matching matters
• Ask about moisture content and acclimation time needed before machining
• Inquire about their custom milling services if you need specific profiles or dimensions
• Check their inventory for figured woods like curly maple or quilted cherry – these unique pieces go quickly

Woodworking Clubs & Resources near Annapolis, Maryland

The Annapolis area woodworkers can join the Annapolis Woodworkers Guild, which meets regularly and offers workshops for members of all skill levels. Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold provides woodworking classes through their continuing education program, while the nearby Woodcraft store in Rockville serves the region with tools, supplies, and educational workshops. The Baltimore Area Turners, a chapter of the American Association of Woodturners, welcomes woodturners from the greater Baltimore-Annapolis region for monthly meetings and demonstrations.

Find a local woodworking guild →  ·  Find an AAW chapter →

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