Love this place such great service. Taylor is a manager there and seems like the glue that holds this place together. Always has the answers. And he takes the time to work with you. And not just brush you off. Like so many others. read more

Customer service is horrible. I asked for someone to help me pick an item out and in response I get "Are you dumb". Don't waste your time here there's another lumber minutes away. Will for sure never return. read more

I was gunshy about heading here for my 8x4' plywood requirements, but the stuff they had in stock at Yardbirds was warped to heck. "Ah what the hell, I'll see what they have." Local shop, large stock. Some staff members were clueless, others were extremely helpful. Rolled out of there within 20 minutes with not only the plywood I needed, but they ripped and cut it to the sizes I wanted for a couple extra bucks. Which was a huge bonus, because it meant I didn't have to drive home with giant sheets tied to the roof of my Jetta. read more

I'm giving this two stars because the store itself carries a great selection of products, but the service can be infuriating, as I experienced last night. Fighting the Friday night traffic across Marin, I literally ran in to Rafael Lumber with 10 minutes to spare before they closed at 5:00 p.m. I needed to place a special order, but knew exactly what I needed (including part numbers) and asked for assistance. Told that there wasn't enough time to do it, come back tomorrow. Come on! Another employee who showed me another item in the store overheard the interaction and apologized profusely "on behalf of Rafael Lumber"which I greatly appreciated. Just learned I can order the same products from Golden State, so will never return to Rafael Lumber. Too bad it just takes a few "bad apples" to spoil the bunch. read more

So helpful and kind! Especially nice when you don't know quite what you need! Thank you, Eric!

With only a few exceptions Rafael Lumber's staff has treated me with indifference, impatience, or general rudeness over the past few years. There are some on the staff that are courteous and helpful but my experience is the majority here negatively colors this establishment's overall reputation. As seen here in other reviews along with similar reports from contractor friends, I recommend you shop elsewhere. This week the unnecessary rudeness I experienced at the counter on two separate occasions sealed the deal; I won't be back. read more

This negative review is long overdue. For as long as I have lived in Marin, and that's over 51 years now, everyone who works at this place displays an shitty attitude towards customers. I cannot tell you how many times I have said hello to someone who works here and had them just look at me without a response. There is a shitty attitude towards customers, and a lack of any form of courteousness, including the truly difficult ability to say hello when you walk in the door and thank you after a purchase. Those behind the counter including the cashiers come across as truly miserable and lack any class. I try and stay away as much as possible and only use them for that time when I can't find something at Home Depot or Golden State Lumber. read more

Love these guys! My husband and I discovered Rafael Lumber when scrambling to undo a poor baseboard choice made through another vendor and wound up as regular customers through a home renovation. They have a large selection of cabinet hardware. Much of it is available in stock, and the crew was easy to work with for the items that required a special order. Same for door handles. The staff is friendly and casual, and quick to answer questions and offer advice when needed. read more

Okay. They have lots of stuff, but... I bought two rolls of carpet seam tape there. The length on the box said it was 15 feet long each. I needed 23 feet and still ended up short. What did they do? They cut off 7 feet off another roll and gave it too me. Okay, it could be considered as fair, but when you have any kind of tape that is not on a roll it's not that easy to work with. Besides, what were they going to do with the remainder of that roll with only 5 feet left on it? Sell it in eBay? I had to spend a minimum of 30 minutes to run down a get more. Time is money. Who is paying for my time? I cannot, in good conscience, charge my client. So, you tell me... What should they have done to make me crack a smile? Give me the roll so that I don't have to spend MORE time messin' with it. That would be a nice start. Then they should take the tape off the shelves and send it back to "ACE" (who supplies the tape). read more

I went to Rafael Lumber to buy some drywall taping tools I was looking for a specific taping knife an 18" straight blade when I asked a woman at the painting dept named Elena she said they did not carry it anymore. But to my surprise she got on the phone and it took her some time but she never gave up she special ordered the exact taping knife I was looking for! Great store and great employees, thank you Elena! Perry Tradesman read more

I am both amazed and puzzled that the Management of this business pays so little attention to the quality of the experience they provide their customers. They employ individuals who just don't seem to care if you are assisted and who feel it is ok to treat customers badly. There appears to be no accountability... If you decide to give them a try, then you should be aware that there is strong possibility of a bad experience... read more

At least three workers asked if I needed help, and Doug was extremely helpful. The store was clean. I received a quick quote of building supplies, felt respected and welcome in their store. Went down the street to Golden State Lumber where my experience was sub-par. I plan to return here for all my building needs! I don't know if their prices are good or not, because my construction experience is limited, but their customer service is top-notch. read more

I came in to build some platforms for my mobile sound company and one of the guys at the counter helped me figure out what pieces I needed to build from what I had drawn out, which is way more then I expected. Then another guy, Matt, (had to get his name to write this review) found me trying to find some parts to finish it and hung out with me and discussed the project. 5 mins of time and he had helped redesign the platforms so that they were more secure and could be assembled, on site, with just one person instead of 2-3 like I had planned. 10/10 will not buy lumber from anywhere else in the Northbay now. read more

Alas, very little customer service. Rafael lumber is now staffed by people who are way past their expiration date, you can tell how long they have worked there by the degree of bad attitude they exude. Also, they now seem to hire people who really have no hardware experience, and could just as easily worked at costco, home depot, ikea, or any other big box store. They have become the Goodmans of San Rafael. Maybe their motto should be: We could care less. Pretty horrible. read more

Great products, decent prices, horrendous customer service: disdainful, aggressive and smarmy.

I love coming to this store because they have everything I need but customer service has never been it's best until i came in with my husband to purchase a door lock we had questions and Eric was quick to help us out and answer all the questions. My husband and i ended it up purchasing materials for a future project after speaking with Eric he was such helpful and knowledgeable person with our project that my experience with Rafael Lumber was so fantastic I had to take the time to write a review if you one knowledgeable and great customer service look for Eric he is amazing.. read more

While I know a listing for the Rafael Lumber general store exists already I thought it would be helpful to break out the Doors and Windows biz as a separate entity - they are in a separate building (across lot from main), they have different hours (not open Sunday I think, call to check before you go I've shown up there before during RL hours and found them closed), and they have dedicated staff that specialize in window and door related stuff. So far I give them five stars for attitude and helpfulness when I've shown up there inquiring about things. Both Peter and Mark have been both pleasant and informative. They even return calls, easily give price and availability estimates which I can't say for other area lumbering places. Their prices also seem to be decent - I regret letting my contractor dictate where the bulk of our doors came from because now I feel certain that we overpaid, learn my from my mistake if you can. The only reason I haven't given them five stars in my review is that I have yet to actually buy something from them so it doesn't seem just to give a perfect score, will update if I do make a purchase. read more

Rude and unhelpful. Apparently only "Paul" knows what he is doing in the Moulding Shed. The rest don't want to deal with basic math because they have to put 8 feet of moulding back in stock. We still go there because they have the best selection, but we laugh every time we walk out because those knuckleheads are so ridiculously rude, its funny at this point. Then when you give it right back to them they don't even comprehend why. Just imagine what that place could be if they dumped those that need an attitude adjustment. At Rafael Lumber, the customer is never right. Haha.. And don't even think about price comparing. In their eyes, you just don't know what you want, and are wasting their time... read more

There is good reason Rafael Lumber has been in Marin for 37 years. I was reminded of that when I decided to change the locks on the doorknob and on the bolt above, not having done either before. Had it not been for the unpatronizing support from David Umland and his careful instruction I might have been a lot more frustrated with the process than I was. I'm a woman, an older one, but David regarded me as one of the guys who frequent Rafael Lumber; I appreciated that. My guess is that he was crossing his fingers as I walked away from him to install the units. David may be as proud of himself as I was when the job was completed; the successful result would not have occurred had it not been for him. I'm grateful for long-time businesses in Marin such as Rafael Lumber. Shannon Daly, its owner, has managed to create among the staff an ambiance of general contentment. That sense is conveyed to the customer through good service; hence, the five stars read more

Rafael Lumber is my favorite hardware store hands down - and I love hardware stores. The guys here also generally know what the hell they're talking about - major bonus. If they don't have what you need they can tell you where to find it. I'd love to see they stay open later but, given they're largely catering to contractors, I'll let it slide and just get my ass over there before 5:00. read more

This place has great customer service, which is so rare these days! I called and needed research done on a faucet assembly for my vintage bathroom sink. I explained to the person I spoke to, Edward, that I had less than an hour to figure it out before the plumber arrived at my home. He jumped on it and helped me figure out what they had in stock that would work for me in less than an hour. I'll definitely take my business to them again in the future. read more

I didn't think things could get worse with Rafael Lumber but when our custom french doors came, they had drilled too many holes in the doors for locks rendering them useless and am now having to wait another 8 weeks for a replacement to come. No apology, no discount, nothing. My contractors were told "we were hoping you wouldn't notice." This place is a joke and I hope it goes under as they're many quality hardware stores in Marin. Am going out of my way to tell my friends who are doing work about this experience. read more

The custom windows and doors I ordered were not manufactured as I asked or was led to believe they would be. The way the manufacturers measured them was different than how I measured them and the salesperson should have been clear with me about how they would be measured. When I returned with the items I was told that they were manufactured as specified. I asked to talk to a manager and was told he was not available and that he would call me, he did not. I called to speak to him and he gave me the run around and said he would call me back and never did. I've been involved with home improvement and building for over 25 years and have never had service this poor. I've gotten much better service at Home Depot. read more

Really bad experience with my door order! It mystifies me how the Management of this business seems to care so little about the steady feedback about the extremely poor and rude employee behavior and lack of importance placed on serving the customer. Will not go back and do not recommend! read more

I had a great time and purchased a fair amount of oak and finishing supplies. Interactions with the lumber department was nice and easy even when there was a little mix-up on my part. The employees on the inside, including the register, where very helpful and knowledgeable. As a field engineer, I see many lumber and hardware stores in all parts of California. This is ranks high in my top few so I'll definitely be back! read more

Great store for finding things you won't find at Home Depot, orchard supply, etc. also feels better shopping at a local outfit. Great selection of hardware especially, for example that hinge, specialized latch or sliding door bearing assembly that you hope you can track down. Only knock is that the guys there are helpful if you know what you are doing, but not as great with the basics. More of a store for the pros, vs the homeowner doing a weekend fix it project. Orchard supply better for beginner stuff. read more

Good luck with this outfit. Went in to talk to them about new doors for a bathroom remodel and was treated to a salesperson who was really condescending and rude. I ended up walking out. Maybe they only want to deal with contractors. read more

Can't find a wider range of construction materials, hardware or quality tools in one location. Staff is very knowledgable as well. Been remodeling my home and this place is my go to spot for exterior lumber to indoor ply for cabinet work. read more

I drive here all the way from West Marin and have done so for over 10 years. The knowledge base of the employees is beyond compare and they are so very nice and helpful. The prices are also way better than places like Fairfax Lumber. There is no perfect place but this one is as good as it gets read more

I really want to support local business here in Marin, and I will go out of my way to patronize them v. any of the big box stores. But today is the 2nd time I've frequented Rafael Lumber. Good inventory, but on both occasions, the men who serve at the counter were not very helpful. One of them gave me vague direction to find what I needed. Today. the fellow seemed irritated that I didn't know what he was talking about. Hey, we aren't all contractors. I left feeling not-so-good. Instead, I will go to #JacksonHardware next time. read more

They've stopped posting the price for lumber. When I asked the guy in the lumber dept. for the price I was told to carry it to the front counter (quite heavy with no help). There I found out the price was six times what Home Depot charged. When I said no I was told (not asked) to carry the lumber back where I got it. When I said no the clerk began yelling and cursing at me. I guess sales by intimidation is the new policy at Rafael Lumber. read more

So I have to boost my review to 2 stars. Not because there's any excuse for the crap service I got in April, but because there's a pretty great employee named Marshall in the windows department. We bought a sliding glass door from him. His enthusiasm about windows and doors is palpable and quite admirable. I mean, who can get that excited about windows and doors? Well, Marshall can. He is there to help and it shows. That said, he could use more support from the rest of the crew there--sorry to say but the rest of the crew still seems to be a bunch of meatheads. read more

I could tell the cashier hated me before I even opened my mouth. Couldn't get any help from anyone on the floor either. I think this place is for bulk purchases or something. I thought I hated Home Depot but I'd rather shop there cuz I can find what I need and get help if I need it. read more

The buying process was fast and easy, the quality and service afterwards, terrible. One of my $1,500+ door's frame was cracked in 2 places and couldn't be installed (that was 7.5 weeks ago and i still have no eta of a replacement/fix as Rafael Doors claims they aren't responsible, marvin/integrity is, but gave me no one tofollow up with directly ---so i am stuck waiting for a random call abd my project is stalled). Also, the mirror closet doors i ordered had excess glue all around the frames (crappy workmanship in my opinion) for custom doors. Needless to say i will not be using them for phase 2 of the renovation. :( read more

I am a believer of "you get what you pay for." Rafael lumber is the exception to this rule. My husband and I like to patronize local businesses as often as possible so we have gotten our lumber from Rafael on a few occasions. Today's visit will most likely be the last time. We bought eight 2x12's and five 2x4's which totaled $600. Due to the fact that they had redwood in stock, we were fine with the price. However when we went out back to grab our wood, they didn't technically have these available. My husband tracked down multiple employees to get our redwood and an hour and half later, we are finally leaving. Turns out someone needed to cut our wood to size but it took a long time since nobody wanted to do it, they made my husband load and unload the oversized planks to be cut, and the guys cutting the wood with chainsaws grabbed ones with low batteries and were too busy chatting to get the job done quickly and efficiently. Disorganized, unprofessional and not worth the money. read more

Buyer of redwood beware! My contractor purchased $4,000 worth of con heart redwood from Rafael Lumber to rebuild my deck. The wood began splintering after just one year. My contractor brought the issue up to Rafael Lumber and was ignored. My contractor then had a lumber expert examine the boards with his final report saying that the redwood was defective and was probably harvested too young or dried too fast. Final word, defective wood. When this report was brought to Rafael Lumbers attention, they still refused to accept any responsibility. My contractor did the honorable thing and replaced all the decking with redwood purchased from Golden State Lumber. Sad that an outfit of such longstanding as Rafael Lumber would not stand by their customer in the event of a proven defective building product. Word to the wise, source your wood down the street at Golden State Lumber! read more

This has been the worst experience I have ever had in any home improvement store. The customer service is below zero. It seem that no body knows what they are doing. I purchased an electrical penal heater. When I opened the box the surface was cracked. Not a big deal. Things like that happen. We ordered a new one and a month later no body new what was happening to the order. Every time I called they said that somebody is checking and they will call me back. Never happened. Finally I had to get really angry to find out that is on a back order till end of Feb 08. Just on time for Spring:) This is my second bad experience with Rafael L. Never got an apology. Never going back. read more

Worst customer service I have run across! I asked for an estimate on interior doors and was never responded to. I went back in and requested the estimate. The price was fair and the location is close so I ordered and paid for the doors. I was told two weeks. After three weeks no word from Rafael lumber. I emailed for an update and they said they could not find my paperwork. I then gave more info and it will be a full month since I ordered the doors almost two months since I requested the estimate. I assume they will try to make things right but I'm not impressed and very upset up to this point. I will update you all once the matter is resolved! read more

went there today and had to write a review that adds to the comments about the store staff. I needed some paint. unfortunately it was on the weekend so the great paint lady everyone loves there wasn't working. I must have been standing at the paint counter several minutes before someone came out to "help."-specifically the way he asked if I needed help was to look my way and say "yo"--it went downhill from there. AT Home Depot you don't expect any help and you pay lower prices. At Rafael Lumber you think you're going to be able to ask the sales people product questions or etc. Wrong! won't shop here again-prefer the HD lower prices. read more

Mike, and Patrick c. They knowledge and helpful. They saved me money and made me a life long customer from here on out.