Appalachian Comments

GENERAL

Comments from April 3, 2026.

Survey respondents have reported fair to stronger green and kiln dried hardwood lumber sales over the last two weeks. Sales are stronger to export markets than domestically, but domestic markets are warming up for some producers, including one who said: “We are busy because our customers have good order files for their finished products and are working more hours.” Shorter-length grade lumber items remain a tough sell, while certain longer-length items are in short supply, commanding price premiums. While several contacts state they are “busier,” the uptick is from the seasonally slow sales pace in winter. Plenty of buyers remain in a wait-and-see mode due to broader trade and economic uncertainties. Both sellers and buyers are facing elevated overland freight costs due to higher fuel prices.

ASH

Total green output is limited by log exports and the diminishing supply of healthy Ash trees, but is sufficient for the market’s current needs. Information gathered this week keeps all green listings intact. Kiln dried sales are stronger globally than domestically but are steady overall. Reported prices hold most published figures in place though do warrant increases to the ranges for 6/4 Fas.

BASSWOOD

Basswood moves in small volumes to established customers at stable prices. Beyond that, new business for this species is hard to find. The listings and ranges are reflective of recently reported prices.

BEECH

CHERRY

Chinese demand for kiln dried Cherry is good across several grades and thicknesses, including more momentum for stock produced in the Appalachian subregion. Prices are responding, driving gains to the 4/4 #2A&Btr, 5/4 #1C&Btr, 6/4 Fas, and 8/4 Fas figures. The North Central 4/4 Fas ranges and both the listings and low ends of the ranges for 6/4 Fas also edge up. Concentration yards are readily absorbing developing green Cherry production, mostly for export to China. Prices in observed business raise the North Central 4/4 Fas&1f listings and hold all the other listings steady.

HICKORY

Hickory is moving well and has been for several weeks. Residential flooring factories are absorbing substantial quantities of green material, and kiln dried shipments are consistent to established customers in the flooring, cabinet, and distribution sectors. One yard operator who dries Hickory monthly said he is sold out, and several other sales organizations report depleted inventories. No changes are required to any Hickory price figures this week, coming off increases in prior weeks.

HARD MAPLE

Comments by sellers describe somewhat unfavorable market conditions for Hard Maple, including one producer who said: “There’s not much movement; accordingly, we aren’t doing much.” Green upper-grade prices are losing momentum after a short period of stability, resulting in decreases to the listings for 4/4 through 8/4 Fas&1f in both color designations. The listings for 4/4 #2A are also reduced in both color sorts. Kiln dried inventories have contracted and are aligned with slower demand. Transactions point out steady kiln dried prices across all grades, thicknesses, and color classifications.

SOFT MAPLE

Most survey respondents state demand is stronger for Soft Maple than for Hard Maple; several indicate Soft Maple is among the best-moving species. Mills have been expediting processing of this and other whitewoods to guard against potential stain. Markets are absorbing most green items at prices consistent with the listings, though concessions are sometimes necessary to generate orders for the common grades. The Sap&Btr 4/4 #1C listing is reduced but maintains a healthy spread over its Unselected counterpart. Prices in observed kiln dried business are holding steady at the listings or within the ranges, whether for Sap&Btr or Unselected.

#2&3A OAK

The residential flooring sector is absorbing the largest share of #2A&3A Oak production. However, plants want more Red Oak than White Oak lumber to align with stronger sales of Red Oak flooring, especially No. 1Com. Though competition for #2A&3A Oak lumber has recently waned from the truck trailer flooring sector, it is sufficient to help absorb production that isn’t heading to residential flooring plants. Printed Red Oak prices have been flat to lower of late after rising steadily all last year, but the listings for #2A&3A and for #2A Alone are in order this week. The same is true for #2A&3A White Oak: reported prices keep this week’s listings intact, stemming the downward trend that has persisted since early February.

RED OAK

Chinese demand for this species is fair, according to exporting mills and yards. Some Chinese yards and end users are pushing their US suppliers for lower prices on new orders, while others aren’t doing much haggling, knowing record-low production is keeping inventories manageable even when sales are not robust. Domestic demand is slowly increasing, giving sellers more options to move their production while simultaneously making them less inclined to discount prices. Supply and demand are in equilibrium this week across all grades and thicknesses in both green and kiln dried, holding all the published figures steady.

WHITE OAK

Specialty White Oak items are in decent demand, and some producers are receiving premiums for their 10-foot and longer stock. Conversely, several shorter-length Fas items are hard to move, even at discounted prices. Contacts over the last few weeks have stated that supplies of green White Oak exceed fair demand, especially in #1C. One green sawmiller said he would have to get orders for 4/4 #1C White Oak to know where prices are, but he does not have any. Despite that, adjustments in prior weeks have all the green White Oak figures in order. Weakness is evident in reported kiln dried 4/4 #1C White Oak prices, however, and the listings and ranges are reduced accordingly. The only other changes on the dry side lower the listings and high end ranges for 8/4 Fas.

POPLAR

Poplar orders are keeping pace with production. Fas is the strongest grade, followed by #1C and #2A, domestically and internationally. The lack of interest in #2A mirrors slow demand from Chinese and Vietnamese furniture manufacturers, who are willing to purchase extra loads but usually at reduced prices. Still, reported green transactions are clustered around the current #2B&Btr listings, while reported kiln dried transactions are grouped around their listings and within their respective ranges. The only changes to any Poplar figures raise the low-end ranges for kiln dried 5/4 Fas.

WALNUT

It is unusual but not unprecedented for reports to vary widely among green and kiln dried markets for the same species. That was the case for Walnut in the second half of 2025, when green prices trended higher while kiln dried prices didn’t change much. At the time, green supplies were scarce relative to demand. Now, green supplies are more plentiful because more logs are available for sawing. Price reports warrant reductions to the listings for 4/4 and 5/4 #1C&Btr, following reductions to the listings for 4/4 through 8/4 Fas&1f a week ago. A certain producer reports a $200 spread on his kiln dried 4/4 #1C prices, depending on the market sold into. Meanwhile, supplies of kiln dried 4/4 #2A lag strong demand from Asia, and reported transactions push up the 4/4 #2A listings.

FRAMESTOCK, CANTS, TIES, & BOARD ROAD

Because few buyers are actively seeking framestock, production has become somewhat of an afterthought, with mills focusing on more salable and profitable items. No changes are required to the respective price ranges.

Demand for wood packaging material is stable. Business is similarly steady for most cant producers, who continue to move their output at prices that hold the listing and range in check.

Tie markets pose a combination of good news and bad news. Quotas remain and aren’t expected to ease up, constituting the “bad” news. Meanwhile, the “good” news, relatively speaking, is that few changes have occurred in recently reported 7x9 tie prices, allowing the ranges to stand in each subregion.

Activity for board road is mixed. Limited transactions are within the published range.

International Comments

GENERAL

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