Places That Will Cut Wood for You – Wood Cutting Services
Regardless of whether you are into pyrography, cabinet making, bed frame construction, or chicken coop making, at some point, you will need your wood to be cut. Cutting wood is a relatively straightforward process, as all you need to do is measure, mark, and cut, but it can become quite complicated if you don’t have the right tools for the job. While there are ways to cut wood without a saw, using one is arguably the quickest and most accurate way to go about it. What if you don’t have a saw, though? Are there places that will cut wood for you? Yes! Let’s have a look at places that will cut wood for you and where you can find them before you look up “wood cutting services near me”.
Some Things Can Be a Challenge for DIY Crafters
DIY wood crafting can be a profitable and extremely enjoyably creative outlet, but, like any other hobby, there are times when wood crafting can be extremely frustrating as well. Not having the correct tools for the job due to them being expensive or simply difficult to come by can handicap your creativity and cap the scope of what you are able to create. After all, having certain tools like a miter saw, a compressor, a kiln, or something as simple as a decently sized worktable can greatly increase the range of workpieces you are able to produce.
Whether you are involved in DIY wood crafting as a hobby, or to save a few dollars in your budget, it can be a bit disheartening to discover you cannot do something because you don’t have the right tools.
Thankfully, there are many ways to work around not having certain tools. Whether you use alternatives that require a bit more effort, or borrow tools from a friend or family, if you put your mind to it there’s almost always a way to get the job done! However, if you need some wood cut and neither of these is an option, you could always take your wood somewhere to have it cut for you. There are actually many places that will gladly cut your wood for you, and if you’re purchasing your wood from them, they might even be so kind as to cut it free of charge!
Pretty cool right? With that being said, let’s have a look at a place that will cut wood for you, and how to go about using these services so that you can start your next great project unimpeded.
Places That Will Cut Wood for You
Now before you hop on Google and search for “wood cutting places near me” we thought we would show you where to get wood cut at some commonly found places, whether you live in a small town or a big city. All of these places tend to have wood-cutting equipment and might even cut your wood for free.
So, without further ado, here’s where to get wood cut regardless of where you live.
Home Improvement Stores
Now, considering that stores like Lowes tend to sell the solid wood board and the hardware needed to cut it, it’s not a leap to guess that they offer some wood-cutting services too. Most large home improvement stores tend to offer a full suite of services that you might need before or after purchasing something from their stores. Here are a few home improvement stores and what you can expect from their wood-cutting services.
Home Depot
Home Depot is arguably the best-known home improvement franchise in the United States. Will Home Depot cut wood for you all the time? Home Depot offers a wide range of products and services, one of which happens to be wood cutting. Specifically, they offer straight cuts, which makes sense considering most people need to load said wood into their cars to be taken home. Unfortunately, not every Home Depot offers this service, and some only offer to cut certain sizes or types of wood.
Generally, Home Depot stores only offer trim and plywood cutting services, with some exceptions offering to slice up 2×4 and 1×4 depending on what they sell and the equipment they have on hand.
Will Home Depot cut wood for you all the time? Well, yes and no. Most Home Depot stores offer a wood-cutting service for the aforementioned wood types, but others simply do not. Therefore, it is best to call ahead and ensure that they have the facilities to do so. Even though the service is free, keep in mind that Home Depot will only cut wood that has been purchased in their stores, so no bringing wood from home.
Lowes Stores
Aside from Home Depot, Lowes is another widely recognized chain of home improvement stores that found their beginning as a single hardware store in the state of North Carolina. These days they’re all over the place, but will Lowes cut wood for you? Yes! Lowes actually offers a range of wood-cutting services, and best of all, they’re completely free. In fact, Lowes will pretty much cut anything you need them to. They offer to cut anything from lumber to pining, to rope, and even chains, making them quite the versatile store.
However, not every Lowes store has a full range of cutting tools, so it’s always best to call ahead to ensure they will be able to accommodate the specific cut you need. Now, this might be disheartening, but you will be pleased to know that the Lowes stores that do offer wood-cutting services will do angle cuts, pip cuts, miter cuts, and pretty much anything else you would like. Will Lowes cut wood for you all the time? Well, yes, but the type of cuts they offer vary from store to store based on the equipment they have available.
Menards Stores
While Menards might be the smallest of the big three hardware stores in the US, they still offer wood-cutting services and similar products to the aforementioned two. Menards will definitely cut wood for you, but their smaller branches might not have the tools needed to cut certain types of wood. Therefore, as usual, call ahead to avoid disappointment. Unlike Home Depot and Lowes, Menards doesn’t always offer their wood-cutting services for free. When doing certain types of cuts, they could charge you as much as $2 for a single cut.
That’s why it’s best to call and get a quote beforehand, but Menards does offer one particularly useful service that the other retailers do not.
If you purchase your wood at a Menards branch, in addition to cutting the wood they will allow you to use one of their rental trucks to get your wood home too! In addition to their truck rentals, you will also get some help loading your wood into the vehicle completely free of charge, which is a nice service considering you might have to pay for getting your woodcut.
Ace Hardware
Ace is yet another major retailer that specializes in home improvement. They have a wide array of services and products to choose from even though they aren’t as widespread as some of the chains we’ve mentioned so far. Does Ace Hardware cut wood though? Yes, Ace Hardware does cut a variety of woods for you free of charge. The primary difference between Ace and some of the other retailers we have mentioned so far is the fact that they only offer straight cuts, which is when the wood is cut across its length following the grain of the board.
It will also depend on the type of wood you’re looking to have cut as not all their stores are equipped with a full suite of cutting tools. On the other hand, they should be able to cut essentially any type of wood that they happen to sell inside their stores, and considering they sell most wood species used in construction and DIY, you should be good to go. Does ace hardware cut wood all the time? As with all of these retailers, it’s best to call in advance to ensure they have the wood species you need, and the tools needed to cut it.
Local Sawmills
While these aren’t exactly as readily available as chain stores are, they are hands down the best place to buy wood and have it cut pretty much any way you’d like. After all, their primary business is getting wood and processing it. Pretty neat stuff, right? You should be able to get custom cuts and pretty much any piece of lumber you can think of. Now lumber yards tend to differ in size and capability depending on the primary industry they fell and cut lumber for.
That’s why it’s best to call and ask what cutting facilities they have available before you make your way there.
However, due to the inherent nature of the work done at sawmills, they should be able to perform pretty much any cut you need. Businesses that regularly require wood and need it to be cut tend to almost exclusively use sawmills. Why? Sawmills have access to a wide variety of wood species, and since they’re able to sell you wood in bulk in addition to cutting it for you, this can save businesses quite a bit of time and money, especially when compared to using hardware stores.
What If They Don’t Have Cut/Wood You Are Looking For?
Lumber yards aren’t always accessible depending on where you live. Generally, lumber yards exist outside of built-up areas like cities and suburbs due not only to the noise they produce but because they need to be close to where the trees are felled. This cuts down on transportation costs and ensures that certain wood species are as fresh as possible upon arrival. You don’t have to get your wood cut at a lumber yard either, as they offer a variety of pre-cut wood boards for you to choose from. If they don’t have the wood species and/or cut that you are looking for, they’ll likely know where you can get the wood and/or cut you are looking for in your area.
This makes lumber yards the best option for wood cutting, at least if you have one near you. The best part about lumber yards is that you don’t have to physically make your way to their place of business for them to be of service. You can call lumber yards much in the same way you would call a chain store and simply ask what they have available and/or where you can find the wood or cutting service you are looking for.
Woodworking Shops
Aside from a retail store or lumber yard, woodworking stores can be the best places to have your wood board cut and even find rare wood species for your next workpiece. Specialty woodworking stores tend to have really specific tools and services that retailers and sawmills might overlook. What do we mean by this you ask? While sawmills and hardware stores offer a broad range of tools that most DIY enthusiasts need, woodworking stores might offer specialized cutting tools, pyrography pens, specialized wood clamps, and sometimes even specialized cutting tools.
Now not every woodworking store or hobby shop will offer cutting services, but those that do tend to offer bespoke services and specialized cuts.
What do we mean by specialized cuts? Well, places like sawmills tend to have rip saws and band saws that they can use to cut large pieces of wood. Woodworking shops on the other hand tend to have woodworking lathes, bore machines, and other types of shaping devices that they can use to shape your workpiece for you. Now, you should know that woodworking shops will charge you for their services, with prices that vary according to the intricacy and labor it will take to achieve your desired result.
However, considering the machinery and expertise required to execute some of these cuts and joints we think that most shops tend to be quite reasonable in their pricing. We highly recommend checking out if there are any shops like these in your area that need specialized work done.
Mom-and-Pop Shops
Mom-and-pop shops are often overlooked when it comes to wood-cutting services when in reality they can be some of the most helpful establishments. Mom-and-pop shops are small independent businesses that you’ll usually find on the main street of any small town in the US. They tend to have a loyal customer base and more importantly, extremely good customer service. Since pretty much all their business is based on returning customers and sometimes even local contractors, they pride themselves on their ability to cater to any of their customer’s needs.
Therefore, they usually offer a wide array of wood-cutting services at a fraction of the cost, or free if you’ve purchased the lumber from their store.
Now, every mom-and-pop shop is unique, and some might not have the space or the tools to cut every type of wood or perform every cut imaginable. However, they might be able to show you how to do it on your own or recommend someone else that offers the service you are looking for. That being said, they can either be cheaper or more expensive than large retailers.
If you live in a small town, why not check out one of these before Googling “wood cutting services near me” as you might get lucky and get a bigger deal? Remember that large retailers can afford to go without your business, and it’s always good to support local businesses and stimulate your local economy in a meaningful way.
Makerspaces
Makerspaces are arguably one of the coolest things to come about in recent years. Not sure what makerspaces are? Think of them as little workshops that you’re able to rent out that come fully equipped with pretty much everything you need aside from your workpiece. These for-hire workshops can be a great place to get your wood cut or even cut it yourself using their tools. Neat stuff, right? Makerspaces are usually found in areas where space comes at a premium, usually city centers.
They usually work one of two ways, either you can rent the workspace for a set amount of time, or you pay a membership fee, and you get to use the workspace by booking it whenever you need it.
This makes tools and space available to people who need it the most. Now, maker spaces tend to have professionals on-site to help or advise you in case you need it. Some makerspaces offer wood cutting and/or engineering services that you can pay for too, so they are kind of double as both rentable workshops and functioning workshops. We recommend calling a maker space beforehand and that you have purchased your materials in advance.
Handyman Services
Let’s face it, modern life can be extremely busy, and you might not have time to track down a place that will provide the services you are looking for. If only there were people who specialized in this type of work and knew exactly where to find the wood-cutting services you’re looking for. It turns out, handymen (as the name implies) know all sorts of service providers, and likely know where and when to get your wood cut for you. Handyman services can be found pretty much anywhere, whether it be online or on local bulletin boards. If you don’t have the time to run around finding a business that will make the specific cuts you need for you, why not outsource the entirety of the task to someone else and then simply pay the bill when the job is done?
The cool thing about using this option is that handymen often know business owners pretty well and will be able to advise you on who provides the best service and best prices in your area.
Now, you will need to pay these handypeople for their services which will likely come in the form of a small fee on top of whatever it costs to cut your wood. Is it worth it? Well, considering that all you have to do is hand them your wood board while they do all the running around, negotiating, and bringing your board back to you once it’s been cut, we think that a few extra dollars are well worth the convenience. The cost of handyman services can vary considerably, so be sure to check reviews and prices before committing to a service provider.
Online Wood Cutting Services
Is there anything you can’t purchase online these days? From food to haircutting services, and even plants, you can get pretty much anything done online and wood-cutting services are no exception. Wood-cutting services generally come in one of two varieties. The most common is when the service collects your wood, cuts it to your specifications, and delivers it back to you. The second is when the service comes to your location with a mobile workshop and cuts your wood to your specification while you wait.
Pretty convenient right? There is also the third option, where you purchase your wood from an online supplier and specify how you would like it to be cut. They will then deliver the perfectly cut workpiece to your doorstep.
Is there a catch to all of this convenience? Of course, there is. Online wood-cutting services are typically more expensive than conventional ones due to the logistical and service-related costs involved in their business model. Is it worth it? Well, considering all that you need to do is go online and input your desired cut, we think it’s well worth not getting your hands dirty at all. If you have never used an online woodcutting service before the idea can be a bit unnerving. If you’re feeling a bit unsure and are looking for some reputable online wood-cutting service providers, we would recommend checking out Woodcutters Depot and/or Cut My Plastic for excellent service at reasonable prices.
Now that you know why you might need to use a wood-cutting service and where you can find these services if you need one, we recommend that you get out there and put this newfound knowledge to the test! Wood-cutting services are really convenient, but if you are using a private provider, why not check out their online reviews to ensure you get the best service possible?
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Cutting of Wood Called?
Have you ever wondered what the practice of cutting wood is? If you have, it’s simply called woodcutting. Back in the day, this was a profession all on its own, but these days, it is often offered in conjunction with other wood crafting-related services.
What Is the Name of a Wood Cutting Worker?
While you might be tempted to call someone who cuts wood a woodcutter, the most widely accepted term is actually a carpenter. This term is used since most professionals who cut wood also shape, join, and treat wood too, and this term encompasses all of those skills.
What Are the Four Types of Wood Cuts?
If you aren’t familiar with the craft of woodcutting, then you might not know that there are four primary types of woodcuts that can be made for anyone’s wooden workpiece. These are known as plain cuts, quarter cuts, rift cuts, and live cuts.
I have been into woodworking since 2005 and woodturning since 2011. Because of my love for wood and woodworking, I started woodhappen.com to teach other enthusiasts about how to finish and seal wood, the best woodworking tools, the different types of wood, and everything else related to woodworking! Read more about me here.
