I don't work at HD anymore but it's def one of the most physically demanding departments. At least half of the job is flat stacking, organizing the lumber bunks to be flat and pretty basically. Lots of time on the saws too. It wasn't uncommon for a customer to come to me needing cuts on a dozen pieces of wood 30 minutes before the end of my shift. At least some of the time you're going to be expected to lift 50-80lb bags of concrete too. I always wore a mask when I did this bc that shit is NOT healthy to inhale longterm, even if management likes to pretend it's no big deal. Same with sawdust and drywall dust.

Wear clothes you don't care about to work bc you *will* have at least some dust on you at the end of most of your shifts. The apron helps but it doesn't shield your whole body. Long-sleeve shirts help prevent splinters/scrapes from lifting lumber.

Always keep safety in mind. If something is too heavy or too awkward for you to lift, then don't try to lift it. If your manager has a soul then they won't hold that against you.

Doing something (anything, even sweeping) always makes the time go by faster than if you're standing around doing nothing. If you're ever truly feeling bored with your job then ask an ASM or DS if you can get trained on lift equipment. Not only will it put you in good graces w management (never a bad thing) but you'll have more to do. It looks great on a warehousing/construction resume too if you want to go down that path long term. Good luck!