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Appalachian Comments

GENERAL

Comments from November 6, 2026.

Shortages of certain lumber items appear to be imminent, resulting from sparse log supplies and the waning rotation of whitewoods in cooler fall weather. Accordingly, drying operations are watching for potential green lumber supply holes that could impact their kiln drying and sales strategies.

Appalachian producers report mostly fair green and kiln dried lumber sales over the last couple of weeks, while certain end users report decent order files for specialty products. A large consumer of #2A&3A Oak says business is improving, and he expects momentum to carry over into 2027, portending growing competition for raw materials across low-grade and industrial sectors.

ASH

Domestic demand for this species is steady, while interest from international buyers is exceeding availability for certain grades and thicknesses. Reported prices advance for kiln dried 8/4 #1C&Btr, warranting boosts to the listings and noted ranges. Information also lifts the ranges for 6/4 Fas but holds the listings steady. Sawmills are having no issues moving their green Ash output. Adjustments in prior weeks are sufficient to keep all the green listings intact in this edition.

BASSWOOD

Interest in Appalachian Basswood is limited because usage by window blind and shutter manufacturers is more prevalent in the Northern region due to a combination of proximity to manufacturing plants and broader resource availability. Reported prices are well represented by the green and kiln dried figures.

BEECH

CHERRY

Shipments of Cherry remain poor to domestic cabinet, wood component, and furniture manufacturers. Chinese demand is also low, having weakened from good levels in early summer. US exports of Cherry lumber to China fell 23% in August from July to the lowest monthly total since May 2025, when the US and China were in the midst of a tariff fight. Production curtailments in the fall have resulted in a closer balance between supply and reduced Chinese demand. Observed prices are in line with prior data, allowing all the green and kiln dried Cherry figures to stand in each subregion.

HICKORY

Hickory constitutes a small percentage of growing stock in the Appalachian region. Sawmill production of this species is accordingly limited and hasn’t met the market’s needs for months. Most notably, residential flooring plants are purchasing substantial volumes of green Hickory, with modest but steady quantities going to other secondary manufacturers. This high demand for green material from end users is limiting throughput to the dry side. Upward bias is evident in reported kiln dried 4/4 #2A Hickory prices, warranting bumps of $35 per thousand board feet ($/MBF) to the net tally listing and range this week.

HARD MAPLE

Supplies of green 4/4 and 5/4 Hard Maple are meeting the market’s needs, but thicker items are plentiful relative to current demand. Reported prices necessitate reductions to the 6/4 and 8/4 #1C&Btr listings in each color classification. In kiln dried, information shows higher supply-driven prices in given transactions for 5/4 and 6/4 Fas, and the listings are raised for both color designations. Despite end-user reports of #1&2 White 4/4 Fas being widely available, no changes are required to the listings or ranges. The only kiln dried decreases in this edition are to the #1&2 White 4/4 #2A listings.

SOFT MAPLE

The number of contacts reporting Soft Maple among their best-selling species is only slightly larger than the number reporting it among their worst-moving species. Comments are correspondingly mixed. One producer reported declining demand for Sap&Btr Fas, whereas an end user noted tight supplies of Unselected common-grade material due to higher usage in the crane mat and board road sectors. However, reported prices warrant no changes to any figures in either color sort.

#2&3A OAK

Concerns about #2A&3A Red Oak availability are increasing due to the combination of tight log supplies, low production, and improving demand for ties, board road and crane mats. A longtime buyer for a flooring manufacturer told HMR/Fastmarkets, “It feels like not enough #2A&3A Red Oak is being produced, so we might have to purchase more #1C or #3A&Btr Red Oak to meet our needs.” Last week’s increases to 4/4 #2A&3A and #2A Alone Red Oak are sufficient to carry over the listings this week. No changes are warranted to the listings for thicker #2A&3A Red Oak. Flooring plants are not expressing the same concerns about #2A&3A White Oak, which some contacts describe as widely available. However, reported prices are consistent with those in prior weeks.

RED OAK

Contacts say green 4/4 Red Oak moves better than 5/4, 6/4, and 8/4. However, production does not exceed demand for most thickness and grade combinations. 8/4 #1C is the only exception. Reported prices prompt a $10/MBF reduction to the listing. Drying operations drew down Red Oak throughput in recent months in response to the downturn in Chinese demand. Orders are now keeping pace with lower output. Reported and observed prices support lowering the listings and ranges for 6/4 #2A but keeping all the other published figures intact.

WHITE OAK

White Oak is a bestselling species for multiple producers and has been all year. Price changes—overwhelmingly lower throughout the course of the year—have been driven by supply exceeding fair demand. Recent comments suggest supply-side imbalances remain. One end user is having no problem getting all the White Oak needed. Another is now purchasing straight loads of green 4/4 #1C, something that was often difficult to do the last few years when supplies were tight. Broadly speaking, price movement is limited this week. No changes are warranted to the green or kiln dried listings and ranges.

POPLAR

Producers report fair-to-stronger Poplar sales to distributors and to millwork and moulding operations, sectors that collectively purchase large volumes of green and kiln dried Poplar. Meanwhile, exports of kiln dried common-grade Poplar have eased up to Vietnam and dropped dramatically to China due to reduced consumption by furniture manufacturers in both countries. Despite these varied circumstances, overall demand is adequate to absorb developing output. Most reported prices are at or near the listings or within the ranges. The only changes, which are on the dry side, lower the listings for 6/4 Fas by $15/MBF.

WALNUT

Green Walnut availability has tightened in some areas. However, that is not the case for at least one longtime buyer who says he has no issues getting as much #1C&Btr as he needs. Previously reported prices suggested downward price pressures were in play for certain items, and newly received information has confirmed lower prices in transactions. The listings for green 4/4 #1C&Btr are reduced, though information prompts bumps to the listings for 5/4 and 6/4 #2A. On the dry side, lower prices are primarily evident for #1C items, driving decreases to the listings and noted ranges for 5/4 through 8/4 #1C. Information also warrants reductions to the listings for 4/4 Fas.

FRAMESTOCK, CANTS, TIES, & BOARD ROAD

Reports show no change in market activity for Oak and Mixed Species framestock. Each range is unchanged and reflective of reported prices.

Hardwood pallet manufacturers report mostly adequate cant inventories, aligning with decent finished goods inventories and sales. Pricing information is consistent with last week and leaves the cant listing and range intact.

Tie buyers continue to express concerns about potential shortages resulting from low log supplies, sawmill capacity reductions, and mounting competition for raw materials from other industries. Prices in observed activity raise both ends of the 7x9 crosstie range in the Southern Appalachian subregion. However, reported prices in the Northern Appalachian subregion are in line with past weeks.

Demand for board road is up slightly, providing support to the broader upturn in industrial markets. Reported prices lift the board road listing and range.

International Comments

GENERAL

Please see our graphs.