There is a moment in almost every deck project where a homeowner walks into a contractor supply yard for the first time and realizes it is not a store. Nobody hands them a cart. There is no aisle to browse. Someone asks what the job is.
That is not unfriendliness. It is a different business model, and once you understand it, a pro yard becomes the most useful stop in the whole project.
This guide covers Builders FirstSource on Princeton Glendale Road, what a supplier like this does that a big box store does not, how to get there, and where it fits if you are building a deck anywhere on the north side of Cincinnati.
About Builders FirstSource
Builders FirstSource is one of the largest suppliers of building materials and manufactured components in the country, serving professional builders and contractors. The Cincinnati location sits on Princeton Glendale Road, between Glendale and Springdale.
| At a glance | Builders FirstSource, Cincinnati location |
| Address | 10059 Princeton Glendale Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45246 |
| Phone | (513) 874-9950 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed weekends |
| What they handle | Building materials, manufactured components including trusses, windows and doors |
| Website | the Builders FirstSource site |
They are also a Tier 6 dealer for JELD-WEN windows and doors, and they appear in the Cincinnati builders association’s supplier directory, which is the kind of listing that reflects who a business actually serves.
Location, Directions and Access
Address: 10059 Princeton Glendale Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45246. Phone: (513) 874-9950. Open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed weekends.
The road matters here more than usual. Princeton Glendale Road is State Route 747, which is also signed as Princeton Pike. It runs north and south, beginning at Springfield Pike in Glendale and continuing north past Springdale, bypassing Fairfield and Hamilton on its way toward Monroe. If you know the road by either name, it is the same highway.
From Interstate 275
Take the State Route 747 exit, signed Princeton Pike for Springdale and Glendale, and head south. The road is Princeton Glendale Road, and the yard is on it.
From Glendale
State Route 747 begins at its junction with Springfield Pike, at the southwest corner of the village. Follow it north out of Glendale and it becomes Princeton Glendale Road, running toward Springdale.
- Call ahead. Pro yards work on quotes and scheduled pickups more than walk in traffic. A phone call before you drive out will save you a trip and get you a real number.
- Weekday planning. Closed weekends means your material run has to happen during the work week. Plan the build schedule around that, not the other way around.
Pro Yard or Big Box: What Actually Differs
Homeowners often assume a supply yard is just a cheaper version of the orange or blue store. It is a different kind of business, and knowing which one to use for what saves both money and trips.
The practical division for a deck: framing material, joists, beams, posts and any engineered or manufactured components come from the pro yard, because that is where grading, quantity and delivery are handled properly. Fasteners, hardware, a replacement board and the item you forgot at four in the afternoon on a Saturday come from the big box.
The quality difference people notice most is in the lumber itself. At a pro yard, framing stock arrives banded in units and is sold that way. You are not picking through a rack pulling the straight ones, because the yard is not built around individual selection. For a deck frame, that consistency is worth real money in reduced waste and faster framing.
What to Have Ready Before You Call
A supply yard can quote a deck package quickly if you arrive with the right information, and not at all if you do not.
- Dimensions. Length and width of the deck, and the height above grade.
- Framing plan. Joist spacing and span, beam locations, post count. If you do not have this, the yard cannot size the material.
- Decking choice. Species or product line for the surface, and whether you want the framing in treated lumber.
- Delivery details. Where the truck can set the load, and whether the site has room for a boom truck.
- Timeline. When you need it on site. Manufactured components are made to order and are not pulled off a shelf.
If any of that is missing, the useful first call is still worth making. Yards deal with incomplete plans constantly, and the counter will usually tell you exactly what to go find out.
Where a Supply Yard Fits in a Deck Build
Material sourcing is one of the few parts of a deck project where a homeowner can genuinely save money without cutting quality. Buying the frame from a yard that sells to builders, and the odds and ends from wherever is closest, is not a compromise. It is what the trade does.
The north side of Cincinnati has more than one option, and they are not interchangeable. Location changes what makes sense as much as inventory does.
Further out toward Warren County, comparing material sources closer to Mason matters if the job site is up that way, because delivery distance shows up in the price. Closer in, another pro desk on the same highway serves the same corridor with a slightly different product mix.
East of the interstate, another supply cluster on the east side covers the Symmes and Loveland side of the metro. And for the smaller runs that do not justify a delivery, the big box option on the northwest side is often simply closer to the job.
Platinum Deck and Patio buys from several of these depending on the build, which is less about loyalty than about what is closest to the site and what the framing package actually calls for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a homeowner buy from Builders FirstSource?
Supply yards like this are set up primarily for builders and contractors, working from quotes and scheduled deliveries rather than walk in retail. Call first and describe the project. The counter will tell you how they prefer to handle it.
What are the hours?
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Cincinnati location is closed Saturday and Sunday, so material runs have to happen during the work week.
Is Princeton Pike the same road as Princeton Glendale Road?
Yes. Both names refer to State Route 747, which runs north and south from Springfield Pike in Glendale up past Springdale. Addresses on the corridor use both names depending on the segment.
Should I buy deck framing from a pro yard or a big box store?
Framing and structural material from the pro yard, where lumber is graded and sold by the unit and delivery is routine. Fasteners, hardware and small quantities from the big box. Most projects use both.
Do I need a full plan before I call?
You need dimensions, joist spacing and span, and your decking choice for a real quote. Without a framing plan the yard cannot size the material. Call anyway if you are partway there, because they will tell you what is missing.
Can they deliver to the job site?
Delivery is standard for a supply yard of this kind, including boom truck delivery for heavy loads. Confirm access and where the load can be set when you place the order.
The Bottom Line
Builders FirstSource is a builder’s supplier that happens to be near a lot of homeowners, and that framing is the useful way to approach it. Show up with a plan and a phone call already made, and it is one of the most efficient stops in a deck project. Show up expecting a store, and it will feel unhelpful for reasons that have nothing to do with the people behind the counter.
The practical next step, if you are early in a deck project, is to get the framing plan far enough along to quote: dimensions, joist spacing, span, and what the surface is going to be. That single document turns a vague conversation into a real number.
Then price the frame at a yard and the small stuff wherever is closest. The savings are quiet but they are consistent, and the material shows up straighter.