Purchased redwood fencing from the Lumber Baron recently and am so thrilled with the quality of the wood we purchased. We initially built a portion of our fence with wood from Home Depot and completely regret it after receiving our delivery from LB. Our fence looks so great and we are already thinking about what to get from LB for our next project! Maybe a dining room table with reclaimed wood soon?! Best of all, this is a family-owned business and supporting the community by shopping here makes it even better! read more

The Lumber Baron - Building Supplies Near Me - Richmond, California

I went to the Lumber Baron in Richmond for a piece of reclaimed redwood for a bench. Melissa was super helpful! I would recommend shopping here. read more

The Lumber Baron - New bench - Building Supplies Near Me - Richmond, California

Please visit the new Lumber Barron Richmond location on Harbor South. It's got so much reclaimed lumber to repurpose. Melissa is the best. She helped me and my friend with a special project. We were making a new cross for our church. She listened and recommended the best "center of the tree" clear redwood. We were able to pick through the stack and choose our own pieces. Melissa then cut to our specs. The cross is perfect. On another visit, we observed Melissa with an interior designer selecting used tongue and groove cedar to repurpose for a Napa winery tasting room floor. This place has so much variety that regular lumber yards can't provide. When you visit, be sure to ask Melissa about the repurposed redwood that was part of the original bay bridge. read more

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It appears this is not a good place for a one-time customer. I ordered $3600 worth of 2x6 inch Redwood with two special 2x8x10 boards to serve as highly visible fascia for my new deck. While the 2x6 boards appeared to be new, the 2x8x10 boards were old, dirty, faded and dry. When I called the salesman, Isaias, to complain, he acted aggravated. In a mocking tone he said, "You order $3600 worth of lumber and complain about two boards!?" He was aware that I needed two good boards to serve as fascia. The insolent responses by Isaias told me he did not care about me returning as a customer. I assume he considered me a one-off customer. As a result, I went to Doland's Lumber to buy new boards for the fascia. Unlike Baron, they excel in customer service and carry good products. Lesson learned. read more

The Lumber Baron - Left: old 2x8x10 Redwood Rt: new 2x6 Redwood - Building Supplies Near Me - Richmond, California

They had everything I needed here! Isais was very nice and has great customer service. We came back the next day with an error on a purchase and he fixed it for us right away. Highly recommend read more

The Lumber Baron - Building Supplies Near Me - Richmond, California

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At this point I ONLY get my redwood from The Lumber Baron. Max and his staff are always patient to help me figure out what the most appropriate materials are for my projects (I'm not a contractor, just a D-I-Y layman) and after I shop around I always wind up concluding these guys have the best price for what you're getting. Lately I've been having fun doing some artsy stuff with reclaimed wood and they have a VERY IMPRESSIVE selection of the stuff over at their fancy new warehouse in Richmond. read more

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Max and the rest of the crew are the most knowledgeable, helpful AND Resourceful when it comes to sourcing redwood, cedar and other old-growth softwoods. As a contractor that specializes in everything from modern to restoration of old California homes, having The Lumber Baron as a resource is invaluable. A few years ago an old friend of mine was visiting from New York and we went to the Lumber Baron to buy some thing for one of my jobs. My furniture maker friend was drooling at the selection they had. read more

For some reason This business' owner has chosen the path of Dickishness when it comes to customer service . Both on the phone and in person, he seems to relish being an a$$hole. Great product but having to deal with them is over the top bad. Unpleasant. ITs crazy that if the owner, Max , heard anyone speaking to a customer like he does , he would probably fire them. But, as owner, he seems find just behaving poorly. read more

I cannot thank Isaias enough! His help helping me find the perfect mantel for my client was so valuable he even check in to make sure they would get in time for their project deadline. He clearly knew the product and was able to answer any question. Thanks so much Isaias! read more

This is a great lumber business! Max knows lumber inside and out, he'll help you figure out exactly what you need for your project and if he doesn't have it then he'll mill it for you. And the prices are super competitive. I called several lumber yards trying to figure out what cut I need to finish a project and Max is the only one who came up with a great solution. He's a straight shooter, don't be put off by it cause it's just his style. You need to ask them to load your lumber otherwise it's a load it yourself situation. Thanks guys! read more

I went to Lumber Baron largely based on their website story. I purchased 50 linear feet of 1" redwood lumber. I was surprised that Lumber Baron had to cut 2" redwood to sell me 1". When I got home I inspected the lumber. The redwood was of very poor quality. 2/3 rds. of the boards were cracked and each board had such deep saw marks that they would be closer to 1/2" after smoothing and useless for my project. I returned to Lumber Baron and asked Maximillian Slendebroek for a refund. Max was very arrogant and sloughed off the defects. Ultimately he begrudgingly credited me for 2/3 rds. of the lumber. My advise to potential buyers is to very carefully inspect what you're buying before leaving the yard. FWIW, I bought beautiful dimensioned redwood at Golden State Lumber for less money. read more

Been coming here for years. Terrific inventory, good prices, and very friendly folk. Not for novices, however, as it's pretty much self-service, pull and load yourself. (The only and best way.) So bring gloves and spend a little time. Also, rope to secure your purchase for the trip home. read more

I really hate to give a bad review, as I know everyone has their off days, but maybe this will help improve customer service here and not leave others feeling insulted or angry. If someone asks you "Hi, I'd like to build a deck and am curious about the benefits of using different woods," I don't need to be just pointed to the lumber yard behind me. I definitely saw that on my way in. My specific follow up questions were answered by basically telling me I could go look at all the wood, come back and describe the wood to the staff by telling them about how knotty it is, and they will then magically give me the price. This is really easy to do, because I am already a wood expert, obviously. I came from SF to shop here. Please in the future, if for some reason someone is asking you a question you can't answer, or maybe they are asking about something you don't carry, there are full sentence options like "I don't know" and "We don't carry that," or even "I'm sorry but I don't have the time to talk to you right now." That would have been less rude. Good luck. read more

Need redwood? Then you need to go to Lumber Baron. No need to sort through stacks of lumber; they've done that already. Just tell them what quality you want and how much you need, and they'll do the rest. read more

I really like this place and in terms of the wood available and the price (for what you get), I would give it five stars. For the needy, pampered Bay Area shopper who may not have lumber as their top interest, maybe not. I am a retired guy who plays with wood as a hobby. In 2018 I decided to tackle a big project (for me) and purchased a pretty large pile of reclaimed T&G flooring (nominal 1x4). I started out ignorant but didn't bother shopping till I did some homework. I found the wood I liked at a price I decided to pay (which seemed expensive at the time, but more on that later) and Max was patient with my questions, between phone calls, as he is pretty much a one man show, in terms of the front office stuff. So, why not five stars? I would say that my review reflects mostly that this place is set up really well for those that know what they want, have clear understanding of lumber types and grades, and aren't expecting the high touch, "concierge" service that some seem to expect, nor or they the "Home Depot" of trying to be low price leader. It also isn't the place to go "bargain hunting" for cheap lumber. I would also say you shouldn't expect a lot of service if you are buying a small amount of product or have demonstrated ignorance and attitude. The many five star ratings pretty much reflect that. So do the one star ratings. So, if you want more service and staffing for pretty typical lumber, go to Ashby's. If you want cheap without much service, go to Home Depot or other "big box" lumber store. If you want great lumber at great prices and are willing to travel, get out of the bay area and go to somewhere that trees are felled nearby (which isn't here). If you want nice reclaimed lumber and have educated yourself on the basics and are willing to pay reasonable prices for a good selection right here in the high rent Bay Area, Max and the Lumber Baron are a fine choice. A final note on pricing. Now having spent more time "playing with wood" and exploring various reclaimed lumber options, I find price an interesting topic to consider. If you are patient, keep your eyes open, have time and a truck, you can come across a lot of reclaimed lumber all around you. I removed an interior wall in a remodel and the 2x4's (circa 1950) were tight grained beauties. I have since kept my eyes open for remodels of older houses for such "opportunities". Most people hack those out with a sawzall and chunk them into the dumpster. If you carefully remove them, remove the nails, clean them up and then mill or work them, it takes time. If you had to stack them up and wait for someone to buy them, it takes real estate. Both of those (time and real estate) are at a premium in the bay area. I think Max has struck a nice balance, using his time and space to good advantage for customers who have needs that match his products/service. read more

I was very happy with Max and Lumber Baron. While the balance of the team was less knowledgeable, they put in the extra effort to find the answers I was looking for or make sure that someone who did got back to me ASAP. I bought a moderate amount of weathered redwood to repair my deck. I fully plan to go back for future projects. read more

I have done business with Max and his Father before him for almost 20 years. I own and operate a wood turning and millwork company. When I need top quality redwood or cedar they are my first choice due to the selection and knowledge. For me it is worth driving the extra mile and have always been satisfied. They are always busy which is a pretty good indication that they are a first rate operation. read more

Do not buy from this place period. Ordered clear heart wood and paid extra for cutting and finishing 3 sides. Got wood pieces which were absolutely sub par quality compared to Ashby lumber in finish and sheer quality. I mean clear heart from this place is like 2 grades lower from other places. Black streak marks and discolorations clearly tell that they picked up the sh**t stuff. Paid for milling and cutting which was done by amateurs - it was so bad that contractor and architect said this is just BAD STUFF and THEY DO NOT WANT TO USE IT. Delivery guy said that we need to show up and select the piece of wood otherwise this is the outcome - Awesome to pay for premium quality wood and now need to show up and select the pieces also ???? And the cutting and milling left plenty of rough edges and chipping. I paid a third of the wood price to cut and am left with unusable pile of wood. Some advice - if you do not know how to do it right then just say so. Summary - My experience makes me believe that this place will rip you off if they can get away with it. Cannot fix bad business practices and should have read prior posts where others had same experience. My advice - Steer clear if you want a hassle free experience and do not want to be left with junk. read more

I build decks and fences for a living. The majority of wood I work with is redwood, cedar and pressure treated. This place has all three. Max is a wonderful resource when I cant remember beam spanning to load dimensions. Real nice guy. Self service is how I prefer to buy lumber. I know what I want and what I need so I just pull up load up count what I got and pay for my receipt. Done. Back at the job site. Time is money. Never see me anywhere else loading up a broken orange cart with sapwood or standing in line for half an hour at any big box store. read more

The Lumber Baron - A kiosk nearing completion in Richmond. A public park restoration by Stand Out Construction. All Redwood donated by The Lumber Baron, Albany - Building Supplies Near Me - Richmond, California

If you're looking for wood for an old house or similar structure, I recommend this business. The staff is helpful and knowledgable and the wood is beautiful. Yes, it costs a bit more than off-the-shelf products but using reclaimed wood makes an ENORMOUS difference in the final product. Older wood is more durable, has greater depth, and fits with the look of the historical structures. Lumber Baron provides quick turn-around, easy access, back-to-the-basics kind of service. We should all support this type of operation in the Bay Area especially when such critical resources are becoming harder and harder to find. These folks deserve my 5-star rating without hesitation. read more

Really great family run business. I went to price redwood decking and also because I wanted to make a mantle out of a piece of the reclaimed Bay Bridge lumber they have. I worked on the new span of the Bay Bridge and also had a piece published in the South Dakota Review inspired by Alfred Zampa (One of the legendary bridge men), so I wanted to personalize my home by incorporating something that has meaning to me. Is Home Depot, Lowes, Piedmont Lumber, or Truitt and White going to have material from the Bay Bridge, Napa wineries, or airplane hangers? I doubt it. So one great aspect of Lumber Baron, is that it's unique. Oddly enough, I ended up buying metal pieces from the bridge instead of wooden ones. Another great aspect is, they will leave you alone in the yard. No one follows you around trying to sell you things. This was good for me because I don't like to be bothered and I'm a slow shopper. If I'm going to pick out wood, even at Home Depot, I like to take my time inspecting each board I buy. I had a lot of questions, and when I wanted help I asked. I believe I was talking to Max, and he must of answered a dozen questions. When I prowled through the decking wood (which I will buy soon) I didn't see any junk wood. Even their lowest grade wood looked pretty good and dry to me. What do I recommend for having a successful trip to The Lumber Baron? Be friendly and assertive, meaning don't wait for someone to cater to you, but rather go to the office and ask questions. If you tend to be a non-assertive or shy person, then you can think of your trip there as practice, or assertiveness training. Afterwards you can pat yourself on the back for being brave! I'm not kidding. Many of us can be shy, and I understand that feeling of not wanting to ask questions. But I do believe most lumber yards are places where it's often beneficial to be assertive. The second thing is, do a little homework. This place has five (I think) grades of wood, so spend a minute on their website to get familiar with each grade. The biggest jump in price is from grade two to grade three (grade one being the lowest). I think the last thing to remember is that wood is a natural thing. It isn't perfect. It's not Trex Deck, printed porcelain tile, or an iPhone. That's part of the reason we love wood--it has character. You don't love your wife, husband, kids, or pets because they're perfect, you love them because they are unique and flawed. In many ways flaws are why we love the people and pets we love. Flaws make us goofy, vulnerable, and lovable. If our loved ones were perfect they probably wouldn't need us, and we probably wouldn't love them because there would be no vulnerabilities. Wood can be like that, it's not going to be perfect. It's going to have knots and streaks, and small imperfections. But that's part of why we consider it to be warm and inviting--it reminds of life and the things we love. read more

Went here to find good Redwood at reasonable prices. Delivery was a big mistake, they delivered notty sub-par redwood. Asked the owner the best was to preserve the color and the F'n idiot told us to wait a season for the wood to dry out so it could absorb the sealant and all we would have to do is lightly sand it before using the sealant. Totally false! Red color is gone forever! Sanding did nothing! Worst advice ever! Considering a small claims lawsuit against this stupid F'n guy. This is all he does is sell redwood and he gives damaging irreversible advice! F this Idiot! read more

Wow! What a great place for redwood. I noticed their yard alongside the freeway for a long time and I decided to stop in since I needed my redwood deck replaced. Their selection of redwood is incredible. They have five different grades, none of which include any of the junky sapwood you find in Home Depot material. The owner, Max, was a wealth of information. He recommended that I sticker the deck boards, creating air flow to dry out the lumber, which will allow for more of the sealer to soak in once the boards are installed this spring. He explained and showed me all the different grades and figured out exactly how many redwood deck boards I needed. He also gave me tips to make my new redwood deck last longer. I'd definitely recommend The Lumber Baron to any one who needs redwood. read more

I needed some unusual lumber - very long, very high quality 4x4 poles - for a deck repair project. I called all the usual suspects, and they either didn't have poles long enough, or didn't have the grade I needed. These guys had everything. This is pretty much a self-serve place, so you need to do your homework and understand the various grades of redwood before you go. You will need two people, ropes, and that sort of thing, too. You should also understand the difference btw linear foot and board foot measurements. I give them 4 rather than 5 stars because I assumed that when I bought a 16 foot pole there, that it would actually be 16 feet, which it wasn't - some sort of cutting mistake, but I should have measured, too. They are happy to take returns, though, and seem truly concerned that you get what you need. Neat place, really. read more

Packed up my chef coat for awhile and am working with a friend's business doing operations for an architectural millwork company. We have been in need or Reclaimed Douglas Fir for a restaurant project in the city and have been getting our reclaimed wood from Lumber Baron since March. Max has been super helpful and always tries to get the wood ready for pick-up as quickly as possible. The quality of the wood is on-point and has helped us save time and money on the project. I can't speak to their other products but their reclaimed wood is great, as is their service. Highly recommend. read more

My husband and I visited today looking for some reclaimed lumber to use for kitchen shelves. While we wound up not buying anything on this visit, I wanted to comment on previous reviewers' claims that the Lumber Baron's customer service is lacking. Our experience was the opposite: In the roughly ten minutes we were on the yard, we were approached and offered help by not one but two different employees. The gentleman who helped us was very friendly and very helpful, directing us to the specific areas where we might find what we were looking for and explaining their stock, pricing, milling, and finishing services. I was impressed, especially considering that if we had purchased lumber there, it would have been a very small sale. We will definitely be back! read more

I walked in with only questions since we're still trying to decide on what sort of decking material we want to use. Not only was the staff super helpful, patient, and friendly, the product looked great. My experience at other lumber yards in the area pale in comparison. read more

A few weeks ago the home page was down and phone not connected, and I asked on Yelp what was going on, but today everything is fine, must have been a glitch. I'd be lost without this business providing the best redwood available. read more

Was looking for reclaimed wood for a couple different projects. I visited two other lumber yards prior to the Lumber Baron and had the lost and overwhelming experience you would expect to have when you know nothing about wood. Decided to try the Lumber Baron because we realized our friend did the DUBS mural on their building. Not only did they have beautiful wood, the customer service was outstanding. I worked with a young(er) guy named Travis who really made the experience for me. So helpful and really took the time to explain the differences in material and cost. Was out of there in 10-15 minutes feeling very accomplished. Came back the next day and got our wood. Will post pics when our project is done. Lumber Baron is a mom and pop shop and I was so happy to be able to support a local east bay biz. read more

Disappointing service. My nearly 80yo father went there 10/23/13 and received awful service. He went in to purchase a bundle of lath for his local business. He was told to go out in the yard by himself, find what he wanted, and bring it to them inside and they would charge him. Then they told him he could load it himself! Really. So he said no thanks, drove to Ashby Lumber, got the royal treatment. I have been in the property management and real estate business since the early 1980's and would never tolerate my associates having behavior as this. Apparently The Lumber Baron is not key on customer service. I sure hope the owner was not one of these three individuals. If I could give zero stars I would. read more

I searched and searched for a supplier of redwood to repair a damaged deck. I had no idea how hard it would be to find a source for two three-foot long redwood boards. None was available locally (mid-Atlantic coast) and I struck out on three possible West coast sources I found on the internet Then I discovered "The Lumber Baron" and Max Slendebroek. Via email exchanges he helped me select and order the right material. The boards arrived in less than a week and, more importantly to me, have exactly the dimensions and high quality that I requested and need. It's great to find an outfit that treats small and occasional customers as well as I'm sure they treat big and regular ones. Richard F., in Delaware read more

Just had the best experience with Lumber Baron! The guy (I didn't get his name, but he was super patient and helpful) who helped us pick out 10 2x6 redwood boards, Isais, Max, and especially Andrew, who went (way) above & beyond in the delivery. Just a super group of guys and great customer service! read more

Just about the worst customer service I have experienced. After getting initial attitude The dude picked up the phone mid-sentence when answering a question. Lame. I walked out. read more

This is not the place to do business. We bought lumber and when it was delivered, more than 75% of this was unusable due to poor quality. We paid for redwood that we could use for siding and this was garbage wood. We had several meetings with the owner to resolve this issue, and in ALL instances, he was a not show. We called repeatedly and he would not take or return our calls. He is very unprofessional and not someone that I would ever want to do business with. And, once we looked around for other sources of wood, we found better quality product / wood at better prices. WARNING: STAY AWAY FROM DOING BUSINESS WITH THE LUMBER BARON. read more

This place is my favorite place for lumber. I love going to Ashby lumber for everything else they sell, but their attitude is almost always: don't waste my time. This place explains everything. We are building a deck, and our crew had to ask about exactly one piece of wood, that had some knots. The other pieces had a few knots, but nothing noticeable. Our deck is big, and much of the wood we ordered was 20' pieces, so it's impressive to have such good quality. We had the store select the wood, because we didn't have time. Our contractor thinks they have the best quality lumber in the East Bay. read more

This year we decided to build a deck from Western red cedar at our '57 Eichler house in Northern California. Why cedar? We had an Eastern red cedar deck when we lived on the East Coast and we came to like its warm feel, fragrance, and its relatively light color. Connected indoor and outdoor living areas give our home an airy and open feel.. We wanted to keep that, we planned to replicate the original layout of what used to be a cement patio. We felt that cedar would do the best. Looking out through 25' long wall of glass from adjacent living room and family room, cedar decking would become a continuation of the white oak wood flooring. Finding enough clear, old growth, vertical kiln dry Western red cedar for a 500sq ft deck is neither simple nor would be cheap. As you understand, one can't buy cedar in Bay area as easily as redwood lumber. So, we did some internet searching and found quite a few of companies (from LA to north of Oregon) which have cedar. We contacted almost all of them, asking if they have the grade we wanted and the cost - raw 2X4 lumber, milling and delivery. It appears that the best cost was at the Lumber Baron. They also had all the lengths we needed so that we could use one board for full lengths required. We went there to select all pieces. Yes, we picked all the pieces ourselves! The lumber was excellent. We should admit with a big pleasure that Max, the owner, is a very knowledgeable person and that his employees (Tony, in particular) were most helpful to let us take our time and then assemble our selection for shipment - first to the mill and then brought them to our home. It was a hot day and they, seeing that we forgot to bring some drinking water, brought us clod drinking water without even being asked. Our entire order was milled very quickly. Tony personally delivered it and stacked it neatly in our backyard. When the decking was almost finished, we needed a couple pieces custom milled to fit into places. They picked as carefully for us as we would have done ourselves. When we arrived to pick them up, everything was ready. The outcome is a beautiful expanse of perfect cedar decking that complements the indoor living areas. We love it already! We are very happy with the Lumber Baron's selection and quality of wood, their knowledge and the service provided. We will definitely use the Lumber Baron again. read more

Needed just a plank of wood for a bench I am planning (ok, will attempt) to make and wanted to go here to find a piece of recycled wood and support a local business. I think it was the owner who was working when I visited and he was super helpful and straightforward: showed me exactly where to find what I needed, even roughly cut it down to the size I needed, and was so nice to carry it to my car since I had my infant son with me. I don't do a ton of building, but will definitely go back there should I have future wood/building needs. read more

I am a DIY home owner that loves reclaimed wood. The Lumber Baron specializes in redwood, but also has some hardwoods and other reclaimed wood to choose from. It is hit and miss depending on what they have in the reclaimed area at the time and the good stuff sells quickly. I have found some really great things there for building sliding barn doors, wood ceiling beams and fireplace mantels. We also bought some of their Mare Island reclaimed wood to build a long table with. I would attache photos if I could, but it doesn't look like this allows for photos. Max and the guys in the yard are so nice and helpful, even though I know I am not a large customer, they always treated me well. I would recommend that you come prepared with measurements, type of wood, etc to make looking a little less daunting. read more

They make you work for it, but they have top grade material here. Know what you want before you get here - it makes digging through the lumber easier. Don't give Home Depot you money. Give it to these guys. read more

Don't go here. Poor quality control and poor customer service. We ordered $6000 worth of reclaimed old growth, vertical grain, clear all heart redwood for our front porch. They were two weeks late on their promised delivery date. Then, when the wood arrived, it was obvious no one had checked it. We had to send back half of the load because it was either new growth (not reclaimed), the boards were cracked, it had knots (not clear all heart), or it had sapwood (not all heart). After we sent half the wood back, the company then told us they wouldn't be able to supply us the quality of wood we originally agreed to. They picked up the remaining wood but, without informing us, they deducted from our refund the fees they pay to the credit card company. We spoke to them on the phone that it wasn't fair to make us pay the credit card fees when they couldn't deliver what we ordered but they did not agree and wouldn't give that money back. read more