The official Home Depot Return Policy does not specify anything about lumber. However, it’s widely known that The Home Depot accepts lumber returns under their standard return policy, which allows 90 days for returns. As long as your lumber is unused and in like-new condition, you can return your lumber to Home Depot within the 90-day return window.
The important thing to remember here is that your lumber must be unused and in like-new condition in order to qualify for a return. In other words, if your lumber has been cut or altered in any way, it then qualifies as a “custom product” and is not covered under HD’s return policy. So, make sure the lumber you have is what you really need before you make any cuts.
Here are some instances when Home Depot would be unlikely to accept a lumber return:
- If your lumber has been cut, used, or damaged in any way
- If your lumber was purchased more than 90 days ago
- If you can’t provide a receipt or other proof of purchase
Contents
What Types Of Lumber Can You Return To Home Depot?
All types of lumber sold at The Home Depot can be returned within 90 days as long as they are in like-new condition.
The types of lumber sold at The Home Depot include:
- Boards/planks
- Plywood
- Shingles
- Molding
- Strand board/press board
- Particle board
- Decking
- Fencing
How To Return Lumber To Home Depot?
Since lumber is a large, unwieldy item, the easiest way to return it is in person at a Home Depot retail location.
To return any item to a Home Depot retail location:
- Bring the following items with you to any Home Depot location: a) your item with all of its original packaging, b) a valid, government-issued ID, c) your original form of payment, and d) a purchase receipt, purchase record, packing slip or other proof of purchase
- If you do not have a receipt, make sure that you are requesting your return within 30 days (or within 365 days if you used a Home Depot Credit Card as payment)
- When you enter Home Depot, find the returns and exchanges counters (these are usually located to the left of the front doors when you enter, but if you’re having trouble finding them, ask an associate)
- Let the associate at the returns counter know that you would like to return your item
- The associate will walk you through the rest of the process
Do You Need A Receipt To Return Lumber To Home Depot?
Home Depot offers a flexible policy when it comes to making returns without a receipt. If you return your new, unused item within 30 days of purchase, Home Depot may be able to locate your transaction if you paid with a credit card, debit card, or check.
If you paid for your purchase with cash and you do not have proof of purchase, your refund will likely be offered in the form of store credit.
A great exception to all of this is that if you make your Home Depot purchases using a Home Depot Credit Card, Home Depot Commercial Revolving Charge, or Home Depot Commercial Account, your purchase will be searchable for a full 365 days after the purchase date.
By pulling up your purchase record in their system, Home Depot is essentially reproducing your proof of purchase. So, while you do not necessarily have to have a receipt in hand when you go to make your return, some form of proof of purchase will be expected.
If no proof of purchase can be produced, your return will either be denied, or you will be offered a refund in the form of store credit.
To put it simply, Home Depot accepts returns without a receipt if your purchase record can be located in Home Depot’s sales records.
Where Does Returned Lumber Go?
Because The Home Depot only accepts returns on new, unused lumber, they can simply return it to the shelf and re-sell it.
If for some reason the lumber ends up being in a condition that can’t be sold at full price, Home Depot might mark down the price. In either case, the lumber that gets returned to Home Depot will eventually be sold to another customer.
Will Home Depot Refund The Returned Lumber?
When you successfully make a return to Home Depot, you can expect to receive a full refund. However, the form of the refund you receive will depend on your original form of payment.
If you return your item within 30 days without a receipt, or within 90 days with a receipt (except in the case of Home Depot Credit Card purchases which have a one year return window), you will receive your refund to your original form of payment, unless you paid in cash and cannot produce proof of purchase.
If you request a refund for a purchase you made with cash and you cannot provide proof of purchase, you will receive your refund in the form of store credit.
Returns processed in person at a Home Depot location will be refunded to you immediately. The time it takes to receive your refund for an online return will depend on shipping and processing times. The fastest way to receive your refund is to go to Home Depot in person.
It’s also important to note that even when your return is processed and your refund is issued, it can take between 2 and 10 business days to receive the money back in your account due to bank processing times.
Is Home Depot’s Lumber Return Policy Strict?
As far as we can tell, Home Depot tends to stick to its guns when it comes to their return policy. If your lumber has been cut, used, or damaged, it’s very unlikely that The Home Depot will issue you a refund.
Also, if you wait longer than 90 days to request your return (or longer than 30 days if you can’t provide a receipt), then there’s a fairly good chance your return request will be denied as well.
When attempting to return anything to Home Depot, it’s best to just follow the rules.
FAQs
Does Home Depot still accept returns on unused lumber even without a UPC attached?
No. Although this is not specified in Home Depot’s return policy, several sources state that the UPC tag must still be attached in order for lumber to qualify for a return at Home Depot.
Can you cancel a special lumber order at Home Depot?
Yes. Custom orders can be canceled before they’re fulfilled by contacting customer service. Click here for more information.
Does Home Depot cut lumber for free?
Yes. Unless the customer requests an excessive number of cuts, Home Depot will complete your cuts for free when you purchase your lumber from their store.
Does Home Depot offer wood drilling?
No. You can rent a drill from The Home Depot Tool Rental Center, but it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to get a Home Depot employee to drill holes in your wood for you.
Does Home Depot pick up returned lumber?
Yes. If you choose to return your lumber through the online returns tool, The Home Depot can arrange to have your items picked up. For more information about navigating online returns through Home Depot, click here.
Conclusion
Lucky for anyone purchasing their building materials at Home Depot, this globally popular hardware store gladly accepts lumber returns. As long as your lumber is unused, undamaged, and retains its original UPC (universal product code) tags, you should have no problem returning it to The Home Depot. You will also want to make sure to return your lumber within 90 days of purchase. After this window has closed, your lumber purchase will no longer be eligible for return.
