Planning ahead...what kind of wood?

[mindpilot]

Consider re-claimed lumber too. The "barnwood" at the lumber yard is pretty pricey, but If you can find demolition site, they will likely let you haul away a few boards. I've made some nice pieces with just construction scraps.

And if you do a "distressed" look (I hate that term, but don't have a better one right now) you don't have to make everything perfect. A mistake just adds to the "organic" look.

If you do used "pre-owned" wood, do yourself a big favor and get a metal detector--literally cheaper than a new saw blade.

[br549]

I have bought from Clark's Hardwood Lumber Co. a few times. Don't know how they compare to other places around here that sell lumber, rough, S2S, or S4S. They do allow you to pick your own pieces. I recently got the attached price list from them for rough hardwoods and softwoods. Just east of Downtown Houston, and sure a lot closer than a 400 mile round trip.

[garys]

Unless you live in an area where hardwoods are native, you won't likely find any barnwood that is even good enough for firewood. Around here the barnwood can be had free, but isn't worth hauling home because it was originally the crap wood that didn't meet code for use in a dwelling so it was used for barns and sheds where no codes existed.
Occasionally I find small amounts of rough cut hardwood that someone brought into this part of the country from the hardwood growing areas. If people have it stored in their garage enough years and don't use it, they eventually sell it off.

[Toymeister]

I don't recall a specific website to that guided me but I do know the wax based end grain sealer came from Amazon in a gallon steel pail. I also sealed some with paint. Wax wins hands down