That's when failed hardware chain Masters will start burning through more than half a billion dollars worth of stock, after announcing this week all stores would close on or before December 11.

The Woolworths-owned retailer says it is the biggest liquidation sale in Australian history, with between $600 million and $700 million of hardware needing to be sold. 

But it won't be until Monday that shoppers find out if the fire sale is a do-it-yourselfer's dream or a Dick Smith-style disappointment.

"The entire store will be on sale," said Kevin Olson, general manager of GA Australia, a liquidation specialist that is running the Masters sell down.  

"The lion's share will be anywhere up to probably 30 per cent [off]."

Mr Olson said items that rarely went on special like power tools would move the fastest and the company would track items "scientifically, on a day-by-day basis" to decide when prices needed to be dropped as the closing date approached. 

While the spectre of cut-price hardware may excite DIY enthusiasts and home owners preparing for summer, Geoff Dart, a hardware and building industry consultant, said some big brands were trying to buy back their stock from Masters rather than have it flood the market at a discount. 

"Some brands don't want to be discounted and basically mortgage their future or damage their brand, particularly if they're with other retail groups," Mr Dart, of DGC Advisory said.

"So if they can buy it back, for maybe a little bit less than they sold it for, it's a win for Woolies and a win for them."

One of Masters' major problems was it stocked products that no one wanted to buy and Mr Dart estimated Masters would not be able to shift about 15 to 20 per cent of stock before it closed. 

"There's obviously gun safes and things they stock that they never should have done in the first place. They're going to have the 'uglies' that will hang around and they'll have to sell for scrap metal or send back to the US." 

Mr Dart suspected paint would be among the most heavily discounted products because Masters stocked unpopular brands.  

Bunnings said its lowest-price guarantee did not apply to liquidation stock and it would not be matching Masters' prices. 

"Nobody is surprised by this Masters news and we're well prepared for it," Bunnings chief executive John Gilliam said. "We've got strong trading plans for Father's Day and going into spring,"

Woolworths finally called an end to its disastrous foray into hardware this week with the Masters announcement and by confirming the sale of Home Timber and Hardware to wholesaler Metcash, which owns the Mitre 10 chain.  Woolworths says they will net about $500 million from the Masters fire sale. 

SMH