About McKillican American — Hardwood Lumber in Salt Lake City
McKillican American serves as Salt Lake City’s premier destination for quality hardwood lumber, specializing in providing furniture makers, cabinetmakers, fine woodworkers, and hobbyists with premium domestic and exotic wood species. Located at 2020 Industrial Circle, this established lumber store has built a reputation for superior wood selection and knowledgeable service throughout the Utah woodworking community.
The store stocks an extensive inventory of hardwood boards available in rough, S2S, and S4S formats, sold by the board foot with proper grading standards including FAS, Select, and #1 Common classifications. Customers can choose from popular domestic species like oak, maple, cherry, and walnut, as well as exotic varieties including mahogany, teak, and various imported hardwoods, all maintained at proper moisture content for optimal workability.
Unlike big box retailers that focus on construction lumber, McKillican American understands the specific needs of fine woodworking projects, offering personalized service, custom milling capabilities, and the expertise to help customers select the right wood species and grade for their particular application. Their knowledgeable staff can guide customers through grain pattern selection, discuss figured wood options, and provide technical advice on wood movement and finishing characteristics.
Salt Lake City’s growing maker community and proximity to both urban professionals and rural craftspeople creates a unique market for quality hardwood lumber. The region’s dry climate requires careful attention to wood moisture content and storage, making a specialized supplier like McKillican American essential for successful woodworking projects in the Mountain West.
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Location & Directions
What to Expect When You Visit
Visiting McKillican American means stepping into a working lumber yard where the rich aroma of various wood species fills the air. You’ll find neatly organized stacks of hardwood boards sorted by species, with clear labeling for thickness, grade, and pricing, allowing you to browse through different grain patterns and select the perfect pieces for your project.
Expect knowledgeable staff who speak the language of woodworking, ready to discuss the merits of different species, help calculate board footage, and share insights about working characteristics of various woods. The facility combines the efficiency of a distribution operation with the personal touch of a specialty retailer, often accommodating special orders and custom milling requests for serious woodworkers.
Products & Materials
McKillican American maintains an extensive inventory of both domestic and exotic hardwood species in various thicknesses and grades. Their domestic selection includes oak, hard maple, soft maple, cherry, walnut, ash, hickory, and poplar, while exotic offerings feature mahogany, teak, Brazilian cherry, purple heart, and zebrawood, among others.
All lumber is properly graded according to NHLA standards, with FAS (Firsts and Seconds) representing the highest grade for maximum clear wood yield, Select grade offering good quality with minor defects, and #1 Common providing an economical option for projects requiring shorter clear sections. Wood is available in rough-sawn form for maximum thickness retention, S2S (surfaced two sides) for consistent thickness, or S4S (surfaced four sides) for ready-to-use applications.
Beyond standard lumber, the store offers figured woods including curly maple, bird’s eye maple, and quilted woods for specialty applications. Custom milling services can provide specific dimensions, and their distribution capabilities allow for special ordering of uncommon species or large quantities for commercial projects.
Who Shops Here
McKillican American serves a diverse clientele including professional furniture makers crafting custom pieces, cabinetmakers working on kitchen and built-in projects, contractors specializing in high-end millwork and architectural details, woodworking hobbyists pursuing weekend projects, and artisans creating specialty items like musical instruments, turned bowls, and decorative objects. The customer base ranges from seasoned professionals who know exactly what they need to enthusiastic beginners seeking guidance on wood selection for their first major project.
Serving the Salt Lake City, Utah Area
Salt Lake City’s woodworking scene thrives thanks to a combination of urban professionals with disposable income for custom furniture and a regional culture that values craftsmanship and self-reliance. The area’s proximity to mountain communities, combined with a growing maker movement and several woodworking clubs and schools, creates steady demand for quality hardwood lumber that big box stores simply cannot meet with their limited selection of construction-grade materials.
Tips for First-Time Buyers
- Bring a moisture meter to verify wood is properly dried for your climate, especially important in Utah’s dry conditions
- Ask to see the ends of boards to check for checking or splitting before making your selection
- Calculate board footage in advance (thickness in inches × width in inches × length in feet ÷ 12) to budget accurately
- Inspect grain patterns carefully if you’re matching pieces for a project – ask staff to help you find sequential boards
- Inquire about quantity discounts if you’re buying lumber for a large project
- Consider rough lumber over S4S if you have planing capabilities – you’ll get more thickness and often better pricing
Woodworking Clubs & Resources near Salt Lake City, Utah
The Utah Woodworking Guild serves the Salt Lake City area with regular meetings, workshops, and a comprehensive library of woodworking resources for members of all skill levels. Local woodturners can join the Wasatch Woodturners chapter of the American Association of Woodturners, which meets monthly and offers hands-on turning demonstrations and mentorship opportunities. Salt Lake Community College offers woodworking classes through their continuing education program, while The Workshop SLC provides a community makerspace with shared woodworking tools and equipment for hobbyists and professionals alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
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