FAQ

Since 1992, we’ve earned a reputation as one the most trusted names in luxury building materials—a reputation backed by over 1,000 verified 5-star reviews. Customers return project after project expecting the very best because that’s exactly what we deliver.

• World-Class Service: When you call Advantage, you’re speaking directly with our in-house product experts. We answer your questions clearly, accurately, and in a single phone call. You can rely on us for honest guidance, precise takeoffs, and tailored solutions that save time and money without compromising quality.
• Best-in-Class Premium Materials: We offer one of the most comprehensive, high-performance product catalogs in the industry. We travel the world to hand-select the finest hardwoods and curate the best in composite decking, modern railing, structural framing systems, luxury hardwood flooring, and specialty building products engineered for durability, longevity, and beauty.
• Factory-Direct Value: As a true factory-direct supplier, we eliminate layers of costly middlemen, giving you real value and competitive pricing. And because we control the mill, we can maintain tight quality control every step of the way.
• Unmatched Speed to Market: Advantage maintains the largest inventory of luxury building materials in the U.S., ready to ship same or next day directly to your home or jobsite.
• A Promise That’s Stood Since 1992: For over 30 years, we’ve built our reputation on one guiding principle: “We do what we say.” You can count on us for honesty, transparency, and follow-through.

Yes, we have four locations across the U.S.:

• Advantage Lumber Florida
  7524 Commerce Pl.
  Sarasota, FL 34243
  (941) 388-9299
• Advantage Lumber New York
  601 Ohio St.
  Buffalo, NY 14203
  (716) 827-3915
• Advantage Lumber North Carolina
  2520 Blacksburg Rd.
  Grover, NC 28073
  (704) 471-9991
• Advantage Lumber California
  11517 Los Nietos Rd.
  Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
  (562) 205-1872

Customers are welcome to stop by our showrooms to see our products in-person. Each location is open Monday–Friday 8:30–5, Saturday 8–noon.

Yes, and you can prove it to yourself by checking our over 1,000 verified 5-star reviews and visiting one of our four U.S. showrooms. We’ve been in business since 1992, and that kind of legacy leaves its mark.

Yes, we offer free samples for most of our decking, siding, ceiling, and flooring products. You can order them through our online shopping cart or over the phone by calling 1-877-232-3915.

Advantage Ipe™ comes with a 20-year limited warranty.

For third-party products (such as Trex®, TimberTech®, DeckWise®, etc.), you must consult the manufacturer for warranty information.

Yes, we do offer custom milling. Just give us a call at 1-877-232-3915 and tell us what you need.

If you need help placing an order, just give us a call at 1-877-232-3915. We’ll be happy to assist you.

Possibly, but changes are not guaranteed once an order has been entered into production or prepared for shipment. If you need to make changes to your order, contact your sales representative as soon as possible.

Custom orders and special-order products are typically manufactured or processed specifically for your order and may not be eligible for modification, cancellation, or return once production has begun. Additionally, services such as milling, pulling to specification, packaging, and crating are non-refundable. Orders that have already shipped may also be subject to return restrictions, freight charges, and restocking fees.

For the best chance of accommodating changes, notify Advantage Lumber immediately after placing your order.

Some of our products do have milling fees:

• Pre-grooved and one-sided pre-grooved hardwood hardwood profiles come with a one-time $180 setup fee.
• T&G, V-Groove, V-Joint, Shiplap, Rainscreen, and Anti-Slip hardwood hardwood profiles come with a one-time $250 setup fee.
• Rough lumber can be surfaced for a fee of $3 per board foot.

Online orders must be paid for by credit card. In-person orders may be paid for with credit card, check, or cash.

Shipping costs vary depending on what you’re ordering, how much you’re ordering, and where it’s being delivered to. Generally, larger and heavier items will cost more to ship than smaller and lighter items.

After your order is placed, processed, and payment is approved, products typically ship by common carrier freight, dedicated truckload carrier, or UPS Ground unless otherwise specified.

There is no minimum order size; big or small, we ship it all nationwide direct to your home or jobsite.

However, larger orders may qualify for free shipping if they meet a certain threshhold. See terms for details.

We ship to all 50 states, and even worldwide. No matter where you are, we can ship direct to your home or jobsite.

Orders usually ship within 1–5 business days after they are placed, processed, and payment is approved. Custom and special order products typically have longer lead times, so customers should confirm production lead times with their sales representative when placing an order.

Yes. Pickup orders must be picked up within 14 days of order completion. Materials not picked up within 14 days may be subject to liquidation, and any money paid toward the order may be forfeited.

It depends on the delivery type. Business freight or dock-to-dock deliveries require the receiving party to unload the product from the truck using a loading dock or forklift. For residential or non-dock deliveries, the freight company moves the material to the tailgate of the truck, and the receiving party is responsible for unloading the material by hand and placing it on the ground.

Lift gate service may be available for an additional charge, but it can only be used on material four feet or shorter. Lift gate service does not include inside delivery, garage delivery, or moving the pallet away from the tail of the truck.

Expedited shipping may be available on request; please call. If products are needed by a certain date, customers should contact their sales representative to verify product availability before ordering. All shipping times are estimates, and specific delivery dates or time frames cannot be guaranteed. To be safe, you should place your order as soon as possible.

Yes. After the product ships, Advantage Lumber will email the contact person listed on the billing address. The email will include shipping information such as the shipping or trucking company name, phone number, and tracking number. For freight shipments, the trucking company will call to schedule a delivery time window.

For freight shipments, the trucking company will call to schedule a delivery time window after the order ships. However, specific delivery dates and time frames cannot be guaranteed. Customers with deadlines should order well in advance and contact their sales representative to verify availability.

All material and packages should be fully inspected at the time of delivery before signing the Delivery Receipt. Customers should remove protective wrapping if needed, count the product, and note any shortage or damage directly on the Delivery Receipt before the driver leaves.

If product is damaged, call your Advantage Lumber sales representative immediately before unloading the material. Damage must be noted in detail on the Delivery Receipt and signed by the driver. Photos of the damaged product on the truck should be taken, and all claims must be submitted within 72 hours of delivery by email and phone, along with photos and a list of the damaged or defective material.

No sale is made “on approval” or as a “sale or return.” Advantage Lumber may allow returns at its option, but returns are at the buyer’s sole risk and expense and must be authorized in writing. Credit is not issued until the returned product is actually received by Advantage Lumber in the same condition as when it was delivered to the carrier for the original shipment.

Unauthorized returns, including refused shipments without prior written consent, are not accepted and may incur unloading charges, storage fees, disposal fees, outbound and return freight charges, and a 20% restocking fee. Services such as milling, pulling to specification, packaging, and crating are non-refundable. Custom items, including custom flooring, millwork, stair components, and S4S lumber, are final sale. Returns on unopened accessories are subject to a 25% restocking fee.

Yes, as long as you have the right tools and follow the manufacturer’s instructions, homeowners should be able to install any of our products. You can find installation guides on our How-To page.

Yes. Our installation guides can be found on our How-To page.

We specialize in low-maintenance building products like tropical hardwoods and synthetic decking. Our hardwoods only require regular maintenance if you want to preserve their color; if you don’t mind the wood turning gray, then you don’t really have to do anything. Likewise, synthetic products like PVC and composite were designed to resist fading, so they will hold their color with little to no maintenance.

We’ve hand-selected the finest wood species in the world: titanically durable Ipe, wildly striking Tigerwood, luxurious Teak and Mahogany, and lots, lots more.

In terms of wood grading, we measure every order against a strict set of rules to ensure you get the best quality wood available:

• 3% of worm holes are allowed in 1 face only; on the clear face, holes are only allowed on the edge within the extra 1"
• Sapwood and “stained sapwood” are allowed only on edges of 1 face; the other face needs to be free of sapwood or stains; sapwood is not allowed in the middle of the board, and sapwood with pin holes is not allowed
• All boards are shipped slightly overlength to ensure final cuts can be made prior to installation
• Milling defects are only accepted in 1 face of the board if it has been sanded and it doesn’t change the structure of the board (width and thickness); milling defects that change the structure of the board are not accepted in either face, only on the extra 1” of the board
• Grain tear out is allowed as long as the pieces are smooth, but it will be considered within the 3%–5% of total defect’s tolerance
• Closed knots are only accepted in 1 face
• Open knots are not allowed in either face
• Burn marks are not allowed in either face
• Warp, bow, crook, cup, or any variation thereof shall not exceed 1/8" per foot
• End seal has to be a thick wax or paraffin; liquid gel is not allowed

Hardwood is any wood harvested from a tree that produces seeds enclosed in a protective covering, such as nuts, fruits, or pods. These trees are usually broad-leafed and deciduous. They often grow slowly, resulting in dense, strong wood, but not necessarily harder than softwood. The term “hardwood” refers to the source tree’s biological classification, not the relative hardness of its timber.

Tropical hardwood is any hardwood sourced from a topical region. These species are among the strongest and most durable woods in the world, which is why they are favored for heavy, outdoor uses like decking.

It’s a common misconception that tropical hardwood products result in deforestation. The truth is that reputable lumber suppliers have an economic incentive to preserve forests: if the forests are gone, they go out of business.

Therefore, responsible hardwood producers carefully select trees that no longer provide any benefit to the forest, and harvest them in a way that minimizes damage to the surrounding ecosystem. And for every tree that is cut down, several more are planted, ensuring that the forest is not only preserved; it thrives.

The real sources of deforestation are those that see the forest as nothing but an obstacle: large-scale agriculture and cattle ranches.

Beyond the question of forest stewardship, hardwood products are all-natural, with no harmful chemicals, and 100% biodegradable.

So yes, hardwood products are among the most environmentally friendly building products you can choose.

Nominal or dimensional sizing is what you’re probably most familiar with: 1x6, 2x4, etc. When a board is first rough-sawn from the log, it is a true 1x6 or 2x4. But the board is then put through a drying process that causes it to shrink ever-so slightly, and the surfaces are planed, which removes a small amount of material. The result is that the final board is a little bit smaller than the nominal size would suggest. This is the actual or net size. You can learn more about board sizing at our Lumber Sizes page.