Philadelphia Woodworks

About Philadelphia Woodworks — Hardwood Lumber in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Woodworks is Philadelphia’s premier hardwood lumber supplier, serving furniture makers, cabinetmakers, fine woodworkers, hobbyists, and contractors throughout the greater Philadelphia area. Specializing in high-quality hardwood boards sold by the board foot, they provide both domestic and exotic species to meet every woodworking project’s needs.

Their extensive inventory includes hardwood lumber available in rough, S2S (surfaced two sides), and S4S (surfaced four sides) formats. From classic American hardwoods like oak, maple, and cherry to exotic species like purpleheart and zebrawood, Philadelphia Woodworks stocks boards in various grades including FAS (Firsts and Seconds), Select, and #1 Common to match your project requirements and budget.

Unlike big box stores with limited selection and questionable quality, Philadelphia Woodworks offers expert knowledge, proper wood storage, and boards that have been carefully dried to optimal moisture content. Their staff understands grain patterns, figured wood characteristics, and can provide custom milling services to get your lumber project-ready.

Philadelphia’s rich woodworking heritage and thriving maker community create strong demand for quality hardwood lumber suppliers. The city’s blend of historic restoration projects, custom furniture makers, and growing hobbyist woodworking scene requires a reliable source for premium materials that Philadelphia Woodworks proudly provides.

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Location & Directions

What to Expect When You Visit

Visiting Philadelphia Woodworks means stepping into a well-organized lumber yard where quality hardwood boards are properly stored and easily accessible. You’ll find boards neatly stacked and sorted by species, with clear marking of grades and dimensions, allowing you to hand-select the perfect pieces for your project.

The knowledgeable staff will help you navigate board foot calculations, explain the differences between grades, and discuss moisture content considerations for your specific application. Whether you need help selecting the right species for outdoor use or want to explore figured wood options for a special piece, you’ll receive expert guidance from people who understand woodworking.

Products & Materials

Philadelphia Woodworks maintains an extensive inventory of domestic hardwood species including red and white oak, hard and soft maple, cherry, walnut, ash, hickory, and poplar. Their selection includes both plain sawn and quarter sawn boards, with figured wood options like curly maple, bird’s eye maple, and flame birch available for special projects.

Exotic hardwood species in stock include mahogany, teak, purpleheart, padauk, zebrawood, wenge, and bubinga, offering woodworkers unique grain patterns and rich colors for distinctive projects. All lumber is available in various grades from FAS for clear, furniture-grade projects down to #1 Common for projects where character marks and smaller clear sections are acceptable.

Beyond raw lumber, Philadelphia Woodworks offers custom milling services including planing to thickness, ripping to width, and edge gluing for wider panels. Their kiln-dried inventory maintains proper moisture content levels, and they can provide guidance on acclimation times for your workshop environment.

Who Shops Here

Philadelphia Woodworks serves a diverse community of wood enthusiasts, from professional furniture makers and custom cabinetmakers who need consistent quality for client projects, to serious hobbyists working on weekend pieces in their garage workshops. Contractors specializing in historic restoration, trim carpenters, and woodworking instructors also rely on their expertise and inventory for both common and hard-to-find species.

Serving the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Area

Philadelphia’s woodworking scene thrives with a mix of traditional craftsmen carrying on the city’s furniture-making heritage and new makers drawn to hands-on creativity. The area’s numerous historic homes create steady demand for restoration-quality lumber, while the growing maker movement and woodworking schools fuel interest in both domestic and exotic species for creative projects.

Tips for First-Time Buyers

• Bring your cut list with dimensions to get accurate board foot calculations and ensure you buy the right amount of lumber
• Ask about moisture content and acclimation time needed in your workshop before milling
• Inspect boards for grain direction and defects that might affect your specific project requirements
• Consider buying slightly over your calculated needs to account for waste during milling and potential defects
• Ask to see examples of figured wood species in person, as photos don’t capture the full beauty of the grain
• Inquire about custom milling services if you need specific dimensions or don’t have planer capacity

Woodworking Clubs & Resources near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Philadelphia area offers excellent woodworking resources including the Delaware Valley Woodturners Association, an active AAW chapter that meets monthly in nearby Broomall, and the Philadelphia Woodworkers Club which has been serving the region for decades. Community College of Philadelphia offers woodworking classes through their continuing education program, while maker spaces like NextFab provide access to professional-grade equipment and instruction. For supplies and workshops, Woodcraft has a location in King of Prussia that regularly hosts classes and demonstrations for woodworkers of all skill levels.

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

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