I have been over the years many times, and always helped me. This time they guys did not want to help, they wanted me to pick up the pcs myself. Even offered tape measure. lol I usually buy what I need,, and they will cut them if they are longer etc...I was not asking for anything free. No help at all.I found them very arrogant. specially the older guy that helped me. and the 2 hispanic people were condescending. told me to come back with the guy doing the work. etc. I left and went to Truitt & white . read more

I came in here looking for a piece of lumber that also still had its live edge. After looking around, I found a piece that most likely no one else/builders would've wanted. The guy who helped me also acknowledged this and was able to get me a good price for it. It was still expensive but the price was better than what they listed. They even cut it down for me in the size that I want. I only dock one star because the saw that they use isn't square and I was only told after the fact that the saw wasn't square so I then had to go home and square it up myself. I would've preferred to know this beforehand. Overall though, the guy was nice and helpful. The walnut slab I got looks great and I would still come back in the future. I just won't have them cut it down for me. Though, how hard is it to square up a saw? read more

MacBeath Hardwood - Building Supplies Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great source for a large variety of plywood panels and furniture grade hardwood. We are lucky to have them in the Bay Area.

I have been purchasing wood from this place for many years and every time I go there I get commenting because they have many kind of hardwood. Recommended read more

This is my go to place for any wood related DIY projects at my house. I have gotten gorgeous exotic woods for kitchen and bath remodels. I love the pick your own wood and we cut concept as well. I have found their staff very helpful for questions about recommendations based on use. Their prices are not necessarily cheap but they do have a great variety that prevents going to three different places to source which saves time. My only caution is that you should be prepared to wait a little bit for service/help given they always seem pretty busy. read more

Nice selection in stock and prices are comparable to others in the area. I like the monthly specials/deals, too because every bit of savings (especially right now) is a bonus! Everyone is super helpful in answering questions or getting boards for you. Even engaging in conversation about current projects you both are working on. The downside for me is driving from Petaluma to Berkeley and I do wish they were open on Sunday... but whaddya gonna do? They got the goods! For the specialty woods watch for monthly sales. Sign up for their mailing list and you'll get all the details! Oh yeah! They have a little store too! I mostly go for wood but they do carry all things woodworking related. Give em a look! read more

MacBeath Hardwood - Had to catch the end of the month sale! - Building Supplies Near Me - Berkeley, California

One of a kind unique specialty woods for all occasions. Friendly knowledgeable staff.

This is the place to go if you dabble in carpentry and want specialty tools or lumber.

Nice selection of wood. Decent prices. Cuts though are pathetic. I was expecting the cuts to be up to par with home depot or lowes so I gave them exact measurements. I received butchered wood like they are using a demo blade. I did not realize how bad it was til driving to North Bay. The measurements were 1/4" off making it unusable for my purpose. I had to go to Home Depot to buy a new piece where all cuts were within 1/32nd of an inch and with smooth edges. There are other comments here about the saw. I'm assuming it is worn out and rather than fixing it employees get blamed. read more

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Called to ask about some wood for a project and the guy pretty much blew me off. He just kept saying, "come in and look" when I was asking if the species I was looking for was in stock in the sizes I needed. Sorry man, if you can't be bothered to at least try to seem helpful then I can't be bothered to drive an hour and pay bridge toll and gas. read more

Excellent selection of exotic woods for hobbiests. I found some Gabon Ebony, some sapele and a little walnut. They also had dowels in various woods which impressed me. Prices seemed a bit high but maybe that's usual for the Bay Area. read more

Always check your ticket and compare it to what they ring up. They have a good selection of wood. The problem is the people. I picked out a 4/4 board that was 8 (7.5") inches wide and 4 feet long of Padauk. 2.66 board feet at 15.25/BF. The pull ticket said 3 board feet. Whatever the close enough I guess. When I went to pay the total rang up as about $65. Using math I knew that $15 * 3 doesn't equal $60. When I questioned the price he told me that 4 board feet at $15 is $60. When I pointed out that the 3 written on the ticket was in fact not a 4 the sales person said something to the effect of "ok. I guess I'll go with his measurements" I know people make mistakes but he was acting like he was doing me a favor or that I was trying to pull something over on him when he clearly was wrong. If he simply apologized or acknowledged his mistake I may have considered shopping here again some day. But he didn't so I won't. read more

Love this place. While it is a bit of a drive for us, no one has the huge selection of exotic wood, live edge, plus all the usual suspects you would expect in a lumber yard. MacBeath is a medium size indoor lumber yard and its clearly geared towards those looking for hardwood and exotic types for projects. The actually have a few locations, but unless you are a contractor doing a huge project this one offers the best selection for small enthusiasts like me. Need 1/2 by 14 dimensional cherry wood? They have you covered. Heck they have wood I have never heard of before. Many of the planks are quite long, but the helpful staff has no problem making a few cuts to make sure it fits in your car. They do have a selection of Teak but lord its expensive! I also saw the review looking for Koa wood. Thats tought to source in Hawaii let alone here and I can not even fathom how much that would run :o Inside is more finished wood in smaller sizes, two bins where odds and ends are sold by the foot, and hardwood dowels in a variety of wood and sizes. The staff is friendly and professional at all times. Bring a pair of gloves if you want to pick through the lumber as it will save you a few splinters. The upstairs area feels a bit rickety but help up even with me. read more

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Knowledgeable staff, rare product- only place of its kind in East Bay as far as I know.

Why do I drive from Novato to Berkeley when there are perfectly good lumber yards nearby? For their Baltic Birch. Their 1/8" high-quality birch is perfect for laser cutting and engraving, and is priced reasonably. Just know that parking is a bit treacherous. read more

This place deserves all the praise it gets. It's the best selection of wood that I've found in the Bay Area and the staff are wonderful.

Nice people, good variety, also sells cabinet hinges, stains, clamps, and more. I believe the prices for things like plywood are higher than Home Depot but the quality is better. You can get stronger plywood that looks good when you cut it in various thicknesses and varying wood types. You can buy smaller sizes like quarter sheet (2x 4) or half sheet (4 x4), as well as full (4x8) and Baltic birth comes in 5x5. They will rough cut sheets for getting in your car. My small suv will not fit anything 4' wide. Note they will not rough cut mdf. I have only looked other wood they sell, so cannot comment on it other than, they have lots of different kinds. And they have bins of scrap wood sold by weight. read more

This was my first time visiting, and I am brand new to woodworking. Diego was so amazing and helpful! I picked out a pricey wood, and he was super nice and helped me find a more affordable wood for my project. I really appreciate that he understood my project needs and didn't convince me to buy something more expensive than I needed. I'm excited to go back for my next project. Amazing and extensive selection to choose from! read more

As a petite woman, I have to say this place is awesome. I come here whenever I can because the staff is so friendly and helpful. I've gotten good advice on which wood would be best for my projects and I've always felt welcome here. The hours are a little tricky if you have a day job but I am willing to come in on my breaks. 10/10 for service read more

MacBeath is a hardwood shop in a class of its own. Quality, diverse materials and a helpful staff.

This place is awesome. The monthly sales are a great deal and customer service is off the charts in terms of quality. Dylan was especially helpful, he even carried my plywood out to the car. Love this place! read more

I needed some help picking a hardwood panel for an automotive dash. I described what I was doing and and he basically gave me a list of woods that would be appropriate. I ended up with wood that was labeled as "Genuine Mahogany". After planing and routing, the panel fit perfect with very little wastage, and looks great. Overall, they have an excellent collection of exotic woods suitable for most tasks and they carry Amana tool blades and bits which are good quality. Parking is in the back, next to Urban Ore, and you walk through the plywood distribution area to get to the showroom. read more

Had a fabulous (terrible) experience. I asked for help on the veneer wood and the staff told me go look at veneer by yourself... it's on the second floor, (not helpful at all). Then I asked for a quote for a 24x96 Ribbon Sapelee wood veneer. Staff quoted me $276. per sheet for their damaged veneer in the drawers you have to find yourself. WTF! I had a heart attack!!! I then when online and found the exact same veneer thickness for $49. per sheet. They should go out of business in a New York minute!!! Cheesy employees, no one could care less if I needed help. This place is worst than Home Depot since staff cannot hide anywhere... They are NOT helpful, I went on Friday 04/23/2021. Will never waste my time going there. Absolutely overpriced store and terrible employee services. read more

I've been going here for a few months now and I'm happy to say that I will continue shopping here. As a novice woodworker, the wide selection can be incredibly intimidating but with the staff's help and suggestions I've been able to build some beautiful pieces. The guys are super chill and always have a sense of urgency. They are always quick to assist you right when you walk in. Keep an eye out for Lawrence with his superb service and kind energy! I always look forward to seeing him for my weekly visits. read more

I like to think of this as a wood bordello. Come here and fondle woods from Europe, Asia, Africa, South America. You can take them home, for a fee. Some woods are sold by weight. So, it could cost you, depending on what you are attracted to. The front has very good looking, nice, proper beech and birch plywood and the like. Clean. Look but don't touch. Check out the back room for some of the more exotic stuff you can get your hands on. Be careful while you are there though. It's dark and a little cramped, and the last time I was there a burly man was waving his wood carelessly around and almost smacked me on the head with it. read more

MacBeath Hardwood - from web site - Building Supplies Near Me - Berkeley, California

One of the only hardwood lumber sources in Berkeley/Oakland. Pretty good selection most days. Service in the stacks is sometimes hit or miss, but for the most part the guys are helpful. read more

We always get wood for our flip projects there because it's very cheap relatively and big variety. Highly recommended.

A hardwood and specialty softwood only lumber store. It's set up for the hobby enthusiast to commercial buyer. The store employees are helpful and the buy experience is fun and a learning experience. My first purchase in 30 years happened again. It was entertaining and the project was fun. read more

I'm not sure how they get away with this, but when I bought some 4/4 Poplare this morning, they added 10% to the board-foot count to account for a "planing fee" as it was explained to me. The tag says S3S 4/4 Poplar is $3.20/bdf. I bought 55bdf. But, they rang me up as having 61bdf. I argued, but they wouldn't back down and I had no other option. This just seems like a sneaky way to squeeze 10% out of us. If the bin says that S3S Poplar is $3.20/bdf, and I grab 55 bdf of the stuff, I should only be charged for 55 bdf. Back when I ran my business, I was in this place monthly, but I haven't been in the business for about 10 years, and am only a weekend warrior now. I guess I look the part and they felt they could take advantage. To a lesser degree of disappointment, the kid that was measuring/pricing my pull thought my poplar was white oak. read more

Made the trip from North Bay to take advantage of their advertised Padauk sale. They were out of stock. So figured I'd get some Purpleheart. Also out of stock. Walnut? In stock but crazy over-priced. Ok, maybe I can find something in the scrap bin. Wait. They charge by the pound for scrap, and cut every piece to less than a foot? So scrap costs more than buying full boards? That is so LAME. Yeah, thanks but no thanks. I can get exotic wood delivered to my house from across the country for cheaper than I can buy it here. If competitors can ship wood to me for cheaper than you will sell it to me local, you are almost certainly price gauging. read more

Every time I look for lumber at MacBeath Stockton I'm always disappointed in the quality of the lumber and service. Most of the lumber is warped, thinner on one end, rotted in some areas and for all that you pay maximum prices. read more

If you are a DIYer, make this gem of a hardwood store your first stop before the big box store. All sorts of specialty woods and plywoods.

This place is great if you're in search of high-quality hardwoods and veneers. Prices could be better given that you will need to square up the boards yourself, but the selection and customer service really sets MacBeath apart! Older manager clearly has years of woodworking and contracting experience, and is more than willing to help you select the right products for your job! read more

I called the other day to see if MacBeath had Baltic birch after visiting all the local lumber yards near me and not finding it anywhere. The employee on the phone was very friendly and even went out to check the inventory and prices for me. He did confirm they had it so I drove over from San Rafael. MacBeath is in a pretty good location right off the freeway but the parking is kind of a pain. Having never been there, it took me a minute to find the rear entrance. Once I found parking, I walked in and looked around. They have a nice selection of wood. Anything you would need for a woodworker. The whole place is indoors, so the elements aren't an issue. The prices were okay. I'm guessing it's just the timing of when I bought it, with the high lumber prices and all, but it definitely was not cheap. The staff was friendly. They even offered to load my truck but I politely declined. I would definitely recommend MacBeath to anyone in the Bay Area looking for good quality wood. Hopefully next time I visit, the cost won't be so high read more

Lack of respect for employees, boss belittled employee for miscutting and not knowing how to use the panel saw in front of customers on the floor. I walked in to get 1/8 walnut veneer today at 2:45. While I was there I felt very bad for the employee who made a careless but honest mistake.... yes it costs the company money, yes it wastes time.. but there are ways to go about helping that customer in the moment and focusing on their needs so they feel good about their decision to continue business with you. Then, go over with the employee how to correct those mistakes to keep it from happening in the future in a way that boosts your employee's confidence and creates a feeling of ownership in doing a good job. Demeaning employees in front of the customer makes everyone feel uncomfortable and leaves that feeling of purchasing with your store a negative one. I walked out and will not be purchasing from this place anymore. I could not work in an environment like that! read more

As a cabinet maker, I've been shopping at MacBeath for years. It's pretty much the only name in the game where you can walk on the floor and purchase just about any hardwood and it be a quick transaction. It was a hell of a lot more convenient when they had the SF location too... but that's ok. They sell raw and surfaced lumber for skilled craftsman and hobbyists. I see reviews about them cutting your materials wrong... if you are shopping at MacBeath you should be able to cut your own lumber precisely. They offer a long list of local vendors who can assist you further with your projects; cutting, fabricating, etc. They offer cut downs of plywood and lumber as a service so you can drive it home, not to do half the work of your project for you. Don't be lame and write a bad review for a lumber supplier when you're too cheap to hire a carpenter to do the work you clearly can't do on your own. read more

Want to go somewhere where you will be treated like crap and practically thrown out the door on your ear, complete with a 'Get off my lawn, you hippies!' attitude? Go to MacBeath and ask about the sustainability of their lumber products. Doing so earned us a well-rehearsed lecture on the (apparently singular) definition of the word organic (contains carbon), even though we never so much as mentioned the word. But having brought up the s-word once was all it took. And, as if that lecture weren't reason enough never to return, there was the stock response of "It's ALL sustainably grown and harvested," which is a lie. Seriously. Exotic woods from most foreign lands are rarely harvested in a sustainable manner. I understand that they get asked the question a lot, but they should be prepared to answer it truthfully and without irritation. But rather than using the question as an opportunity to educate the customer and point out specific products that are the most sustainable if that is a priority for that person, they instead mock and belittle. It's nasty and it's uncalled for, and we have since chosen to purchase our lumber elsewhere -- where they are actually willing to engage in a dialogue about things that are important to us. Bottom line: you shouldn't have to risk being treated like crap and/or lied to when you have questions about lumber -- ANY questions. Looking elsewhere is highly recommended. read more

Things I can make out of wood: 1) Cutting board, trivet, shelf or other variation on a rectangle 2) Door stop Things I can't make out of wood: 1) Anything involving actual skill Things I generally injure whilst making things out of wood: 1) My hand 2) My pride So I suck at woodworking - not because I'm inherently bad at it, but because I only try once a year or so to make something and I have no real tools to do anything decent. I once went into Mac Beath and bought a beautiful piece of Australian lacewood and a piece of ebony, and I thought that I would make a cribbage board (another variation on a rectangle). This didn't work very well at all. Injured pride - check. Still, Mac Beath is a hardwood wonderland that is fun to browse and take in all of the smells and funny hardwood names like "cocobolo" and "bubinga". I just love saying "bubinga". But there is always some nagging feeling that these trees would probably be better off alive in a rainforest somewhere, and not cut into boards for American hobbyists making inlayed sideboards. Somehow I think most Mac Beath customers don't think about such things, even in Berkeley. Bubinga. read more

To be frank: We found the veneer that we were looking for and they probably have one of the best selection of veneers in the area. But: It was the first time that we planned to apply veneer to some furniture and we had some very basic questions. We talked to two people over there and either they had no knowledge or they just were annoyed that a customer had a question. Some examples: me: "What do we have to use to finish the Walnut veneer and get the dark wooden look?" Mac Beath: "You will have to finish the veneer." me: "Yes, we know. But what would we have to use to finish it?" Mac Beath: "There are all sorts." (Walking through the aisle. Basically pointing to everything.) me: "Right. Which one would you recommend?" Mac Beath: "They are all good." In the veneer section upstairs there is a big sign that tells you how to apply veneer to furniture. The sign warns you not to use a roller to apply the veener and to use a soft scraper instead. me: "Do you guys also have a scraper to apply the veneer?" Mac Beath: "You can use a roller" me: "Hmmm. You have a big sign up there that really points out no to use a roller at all." Mac Beath: "Hmmm." me: "Do you have that kind of scraper?" Mac Beath: "Go to a paint store." On top of that a second guy brought a metal scraper that would absolutely not usable, since it would simply put scratches on the veneer. Overall: The selection they have is great, but their employees are unfriendly, not helpful at all and it seemed to be their company policy to not to help customers that are willing to spend a couple of hundred of bucks with them. read more

To shop here, you must have prior knowledge of your wood, how it's priced, how it's measured for pricing, and especially how you must handle their stock if you want to pick your own, which I can't imagine anybody NOT wanting to do. Most customers here seem to be the type who'll ultimately work on the material themselves, whether contractors or hobbyists. There's a reasonable degree of self-serve to get in and out. They have excellent selection. Quality of the wood is as good as it gets. There's no other place nearby to get some of the species and/or sizes. The more common species like maple and red oak are also competitively priced against the nearby Home Depot, which carries only small boards anyway. However, this business establishment employs a number of mentally retarded individuals, some of whom are hard of hearing. Beware! And so with any mental retardation, there's often a lack of logical reasoning and clear communication. You just have to SHOUT your most basic words, get your stuff, then get the hell out. This is no exaggeration. Occasionally the big boss will walk out the back, and he seems knowledgeable if you can catch him. But you never know. They don't have much time for you. I certain won't accuse them of anything vile or corrupt. I don't wish them gone. This place is a good resource for woodworkers. They provide something that I want, that I need, that I love -- high quality kiln-dried hardwood. And that's why I keep coming back. Now if only they had better CUSTOMER-RELATIONS skills, this place would be a gem. But for over 10 years that I've been the occasional customer, it's always been a mix -- there's marvel, enthusiasm, temperament -- and always some disappointment. Always I get home to convince myself that, yes, I should be glad that I've obtained my material. Basic goal achieved. Don't worry. Be happy. Three solid stars. Never higher. read more