Check to see what woods are available for building patios and decks. The usual culprits are either western red cedar or pressure-treated SPF (Spruce, Pine or Fir), with the presure-treated stuff being the cheaper alternative. Decking is usually a nominal 5/4 stock (it actually measures about an inch thick) or nominal 2x stock which measures about 1 1/2 inches thick. You can make strips from either of these and then either use them as wider strips, or rip them again to get closer to the more common 3/4 inch width. Boards for decks frequently come in 16 foot lengths, and you might find them longer, which would eliminate scarfing to make long strips.

If you have cedar pickets available for fences, then you should also have the rest of the fence available in cedar: the fence posts and the boards running between those posts that the pickets are nailed to. These would be 4x4 and 2x4 boards. You may do a bit more ripping, or resawing, as it is sometimes called, but you can get nice strips from these.

Good luck with your search. If one lumberyard does not have what you want, look for another. Frequently there will be a builder's supply that caters to the professional carpenter and builder. They don't do a lot of advertising to the general public, but try checking the local yellow pages, and making a few phone calls. Tell them you are looking for a few long cedar 1x8 or 2x8 boards and ask if they know a source. Sometimes you may have to resort to a special order. Know how many pieces you need, and what that translates into in board feet. Do that math ahead of time as they may give you a price based on either board feet or lineal feet, and you will just have to do one simple multiplication to determine your cost.

Hope this helps.

PGJ