About Kencraft Co — Hardwood Lumber in Toledo
Kencraft Co is Toledo’s premier hardwood lumber supplier, serving furniture makers, cabinetmakers, fine woodworkers, and hobbyists throughout northwest Ohio. Located on North Westwood Avenue, this established wood supplier combines the expertise of a specialty lumber yard with the manufacturing capabilities to meet both small-scale craftsman needs and large commercial projects.
The company stocks an extensive inventory of domestic and exotic hardwood species available in rough, S2S (surfaced two sides), and S4S (surfaced four sides) formats. From common oak and maple to exotic Brazilian cherry and African mahogany, Kencraft Co offers boards in multiple grades including FAS (Firsts and Seconds), Select, and #1 Common, with proper kiln-drying ensuring optimal moisture content for finished projects.
Unlike big box retailers that stock limited pre-cut lumber, Kencraft Co provides the personal service and technical knowledge that serious woodworkers demand. Their team understands grain patterns, can discuss the working properties of different species, and offers custom milling services to meet specific project requirements – expertise you simply won’t find at chain stores.
Toledo’s strong manufacturing heritage and proximity to Great Lakes shipping routes make it an ideal location for quality hardwood distribution. The city’s active community of furniture makers, restoration specialists, and custom woodworkers relies on local suppliers like Kencraft Co who understand the demands of precision craftsmanship and can source specialty materials when needed.
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What to Expect When You Visit
Walking into Kencraft Co, you’ll immediately notice the rich aroma of various wood species and the organized stacks of lumber sorted by type and grade. The warehouse-style facility allows you to personally inspect boards, checking for grain patterns, figure, and overall quality before making your selection – a crucial advantage when choosing wood for visible furniture components.
Staff members are knowledgeable about wood properties and can guide you toward the best species for your specific application, whether you’re building kitchen cabinets that need stability or seeking highly figured wood for a special project. Expect to spend time evaluating your options, as selecting quality hardwood is rarely a rushed process, and the team understands that choosing the right boards is essential to your project’s success.
Products & Materials
Kencraft Co maintains an impressive inventory of both domestic and exotic hardwood species, sold by the board foot in various grades and surface preparations. Domestic species include red and white oak, hard and soft maple, cherry, walnut, ash, hickory, and poplar, while exotic offerings feature Brazilian cherry, mahogany, teak, padauk, and other imported species prized for their unique colors and grain patterns.
Lumber is available in FAS grade for the highest quality with minimal defects, Select grade for good appearance with some character marks, and #1 Common for projects where some defects are acceptable. Thickness ranges from 4/4 (one inch) up to 12/4 (three inches) and beyond for special applications, with widths and lengths varying by species and availability.
Beyond raw lumber, the company offers custom milling services including planing to specific thickness, ripping to width, and edge gluing for wide panels. Their manufacturing capabilities extend to producing specialty millwork and custom profiles, making them a one-stop resource for woodworkers who need both materials and precision machining services.
Who Shops Here
Kencraft Co serves a diverse clientele of serious woodworkers including professional furniture makers crafting custom pieces, kitchen and bath cabinetmakers requiring premium face-frame stock, architectural millwork shops producing trim and moldings, and dedicated hobbyists working on heirloom projects. Contractors building custom homes also rely on Kencraft for specialty hardwood flooring, stair parts, and interior trim that demands superior appearance and stability compared to standard construction lumber.
Serving the Toledo, Ohio Area
Toledo’s woodworking community benefits from the city’s manufacturing heritage and strategic location along major transportation routes, making quality hardwood more accessible than in many markets. The area’s mix of professional cabinet shops, custom furniture makers, and active hobbyist woodworkers creates demand for the specialty species and grades that Kencraft Co stocks, while the region’s older homes provide ongoing opportunities for restoration work requiring period-appropriate materials and custom millwork.
Tips for First-Time Buyers
- Bring your project plans and measurements – staff can help calculate board footage and suggest the most economical way to cut your pieces
- Allow extra time to hand-select boards, especially for projects where grain matching is important
- Ask about moisture content if you’re working on critical projects – properly dried lumber prevents warping and cracking
- Inquire about end-coating if you won’t be using the lumber immediately – this prevents checking during storage
- Consider having lumber planed to final thickness on-site if you lack a thickness planer
- Check current inventory before visiting for exotic species, as availability can vary with shipping schedules
Woodworking Clubs & Resources near Toledo, Ohio
The Greater Toledo Woodworkers Guild serves as the primary woodworking community in the area, offering workshops, tool sharing, and regular meetings for woodworkers of all skill levels. Owens Community College in nearby Findlay provides hands-on woodworking classes and cabinet making programs for those seeking formal instruction. Additionally, the Toledo area is served by makerspaces like the Toledo Hackerspace, which often includes woodworking equipment and collaborative project spaces for members.
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