Comments from November 13, 2026.

Contacts report strong demand for crossties in the North, as treaters who had been buying cautiously for most of this year have recently raised their offer prices and increased purchase volumes. In this issue, both sides of the 7×9 crosstie range extend last week’s gains, with the top end rising to its highest level in more than two years.

Markets for Northern grade lumber are still slow, and continued softness is observed in kiln dried Fas Maple and #1C&Btr Red Oak prices this week. However, not all grade lumber trends are negative. Both #1C and #2A Maple have been moving well for most Northern producers, and some upward movement is seen in kiln dried Ash and Basswood prices.

ASH: Ash remains a bright spot for Northern producers, who are moving it across grades without much trouble. Throughout most of this year, steadily firm demand—including for export to China—has outstripped tightening supply. Consequently, both green and kiln dried prices have been trending up without much interruption. This week, higher reported prices lift the kiln dried 4/4 Fas listings and range numbers, along with the 4/4 #1C listings. No adjustments are necessary for the kiln dried #2A numbers or any of the green listings. The Northern Ash market is likely to remain bullish from a producer’s perspective, as waning supply seems to be spurring consistent interest from buyers, according to contacts.

ASPEN: Northern contacts report steady prices and market conditions for Aspen, indicating a market well balanced between tight production and decent demand. Recently, the species has not appeared on any surveyed producers’ best-seller lists, but neither has it been listed as a worst-seller. Some downward pressure was recently observed in kiln dried Fas prices, but those listings are in order following last week’s decreases. All green and kiln dried Aspen listings and ranges are unmoved in this issue.

BASSWOOD: Throughout most of this year, comments from Northern producers about kiln dried Basswood demand have been mixed. Those with established customer bases have been moving their output without much trouble, while other producers have listed the species as a worst-seller at times. Recently, contacts have reported stronger demand and firmer prices for kiln dried #1C&Btr items. Consequently, the following are raised this week: the 4/4 Fas listings and low-end range numbers, the 5/4 Fas high-end range numbers, and the 4/4 and 5/4 #1C listings and ranges. All other listings and ranges hold steady. Buyers prefer 8-foot Fas boards to longer boards, and full loads of 8-foot Fas are moving for about $50 per thousand board feet ($/MBF) above random length Fas loads, according to one contact. Another Northern contact told HMR/Fastmarkets that 5/4 Fas has recently been moving well to Vietnam.

HARD MAPLE: Markets for green Hard Maple are currently balanced in the North, with contacts reporting mostly steady prices in recent weeks. The #1&2 White 4/4 Fas listing is unchanged at $1,600/MBF since late September following sharp declines during the summer. Meanwhile, green #1C and #2A prices have edged up recently but are still below summertime highs. On the dry side, Fas prices have been sliding over the past three months, as excess supply has outweighed slow demand. This week, the high ends of the 4/4 Fas ranges are reduced in both color classifications, while prior decreases have all other Fas numbers in order. Kiln dried #1C and #2A have been performing better for producers, and this week an upward bias is observed in reported 8/4 #1C prices, lifting those listings and range numbers for the first time since May.

SOFT MAPLE: Similar to Hard Maple, #1C and #2A Soft Maple are performing better for producers than Fas. One contact in the Upper Midwest said Sap&Btr #1C and #2A have been his best movers over the past two months and that they are oversold on both. This week, the kiln dried #1C listings are raised across all thicknesses and in both color sorts, along with the high ends of the Sap&Btr 5/4 through 8/4 ranges. Additionally, the high ends of the 6/4 #2A ranges are raised. For kiln dried Fas, continued softness lowers both sides of the Sap&Btr 5/4 ranges. All green listings stand pat amid steady reported prices.

RED OAK: Northern Red Oak markets have been trying their best to shrug off downward price pressure caused by the lack of Chinese demand in recent months. The species has been moving at a decent clip, but it is currently a “buyer’s market,” as one contact put it. The kiln dried 4/4 Fas listings have held steady for two months and are again unchanged this week, but lower reported prices necessitate reductions to the 5/4 and 6/4 Fas listings and noted range numbers, along with the 4/4 #1C listings. All other listings and ranges stay at previous levels. Northern markets for green #1C&Btr Red Oak are in the same steady-to-softer posture as kiln dried. The green 4/4 Fas listing is unmoved at a year-to-date low of $1,185/MBF for six straight weeks. Conversely, green #2A&3A Red Oak prices are steady-to-firmer, driven by tightening supply caused by strong industrial markets. The #2A&3A listings are both at the highest levels in roughly two-and-a-half years.

WHITE OAK: White Oak markets are fairly well balanced in the North, yielding mostly steady prices in recent weeks. On the green side, a price floor appears to have been reached. The #2A&3A listings have trended higher since late summer and are now at year-to-date highs. Meanwhile, the green #1C&Btr listings are in line with July levels after recent slight gains but are significantly below start-of-2026 levels. On the dry side, Fas remains the best-performing grade for producers. The 4/4 Fas listings are now at 11-month highs, though they have not moved for five straight weeks. Producers with lots of 9-foot and longer Fas or desirable color sorts are garnering prices well above the current HMR listings. Markets for kiln dried #1C and #2A are not as energetic as for Fas. This week, a downward bias is observed in reported kiln dried #1C prices, lowering those listings and range numbers. All other listings and ranges are flat.

PALLET LUMBER, CANTS, TIES, & BOARD ROAD: Northern contacts producing rail ties report continued strong demand and a recent uptick in purchasing from a major tie treater in the region, yielding a second straight week of increases to both sides of the Northern 7×9 crosstie range. At $39.50 per tie, the high end of the range is now at the highest level since August 2024.

In the market for pallet materials, higher reported prices lift the 4/4 and 5/4 random-width pallet lumber listings and low-end range numbers this week. Cants are still moving well for Northern producers, though prices have plateaued for now, with that listing unchanged at $580/MBF for six weeks.

The Northern board road listing and range remain intact this week. Market conditions in the board road sector are steady, though the listing did rise recently due to tightening supply. Demand is solid but not as strong as in the Southern region, where several oil-related projects in Texas are buoying the board road market.