Southern Comments

GENERAL

Comments from February 6, 2026.

Calling hardwood contacts in the South over recent weeks has been a disheartening exercise at times. The concern over the crosstie downturn and sluggish grade lumber market are constant topics of conversations, while frustrations over a difficult international climate are common. Though most are reporting positive logging conditions in their respective states, few offer much else positive about the state of the industry right now.

It is worth stepping back and objectively looking at what is going on right at the moment. Unlike some Red Oak items, area sawmills are finding they can move White Oak with little difficulty. Truck trailer flooring plants are buying in reasonable numbers again, meaning those sawmillers with established connections in that market are able to move their share of low-grade Oak.

The new Farm Bill working its way through the United States House of Representatives has market access policy carve-outs for wood products that should garner bi-partisan interest. Meanwhile, in Tennessee, the state’s Department of Agriculture has been awarded two USDA grants to encourage its hardwood industry’s trade with Vietnam. The Southeast Asian nation is one of the only countries Southern survey respondents are noting as providing steady international trade so far this year.

“Tennessee’s hardwood industry is one of our state’s greatest natural resource assets, and global demand continues to grow,” Andy Holt, the state’s Agriculture Commissioner, said. “[This] investment will allow us to open new doors for producers and ensure Tennessee hardwoods remain competitive in high-value international markets.”

ASH

Following the major winter storm, there was another dip in temperatures across the South last weekend. This kept lowland logging ‘paused’ across several states, especially in the Carolinas. Yet with the Ash market balanced, there has not been a pronounced follow-on effect to prices. The green market is flat, with supply and demand evenly matched. On the kiln dried side, the low ends of the 4/4 Fas ranges drop, while increases are registered for the listings and both ends of the ranges for 4/4 #1C.

BEECH

PECAN & HICKORY

SAP GUM

SOFT MAPLE

#2A&3A OAK

With no price changes, the overall market for green #2A&3A Oak was generally flat this week in the South. Many contacts report renewed purchasing of #2A&3A Oak by truck trailer flooring plants over the last few weeks, but this is yet to be reflected in listed prices. Residential flooring plants are not pushing hard for inventory, a further reason for the flat market.

RED OAK

Price movement is stunted for Red Oak in the Southern region. International demand is limited, while domestic interest is easily being met by availability. On the green side, the only price changes, due to tighter supply, are increases to the list prices for 4/4 Fas&1f. For kiln dried Red Oak, reported prices necessitate decreases to the listings and both ends of the ranges for 5/4 Fas. Conversely, the listings for kiln dried 5/4 #1C rise.

WHITE OAK

Though the market for White Oak is more fluid than that of Red Oak, it is not blowing down any barn doors in the South. Green production is keeping pace with demand for most items. Meanwhile, oversupply led to some price decreases for kiln dried White Oak this week. The listings and lower ends of the 4/4 #1C ranges retreat, as do the upper ends of the 4/4 #2A ranges.

POPLAR

In terms of price changes, the lower grades of Poplar saw the most activity this week. While it is important to note that increases to the list prices for 4/4 through 8/4 #2A and #2B aren’t huge, they do reflect a bump in interest from certain secondary manufacturers. Lack of supply is also a factor.

FRAMESTOCK, CANTS, TIES, & BOARD ROAD

Markets for industrials in the South have been relatively quiet again this week. Reported prices for pallet cants, framestock, and board road have shown little movement, producing no need to push the published numbers up or down.

The major story in Southern industrials continues to be the downturn in crossties on the Eastern side of the Mississippi River. The lower and upper ends of the Eastern 7x9 crosstie range drop once again. Several sawmill contacts told HMR their concerns are increasing as the impacts of quotas start to deepen.

Appalachian Comments

ASH

Concentration yards and secondary manufacturers are absorbing limited Ash output. Reported green prices are firm. Markets are a bit more active and varied for kiln dried stocks, with sales stronger for longer than for shorter lengths. Supplies of 4/4 Fas Ash lag decent demand, and the listings and low end ranges are increased. All the other listings and ranges are reflective of current transaction activity.

BASSWOOD

Basswood shipments are steady to regular customers in the blind, shutter, and wood carving sectors. Sales elsewhere are limited. Little green and kiln dried price movement occurred in 2025 and through the first month of 2026. Incoming price reports keep all the published figures unchanged.

BEECH

BIRCH

CHERRY

Cherry currently makes neither sellers’ lists of best-moving species as frequently as during the prior two months, nor does it make lists of worst-moving species as frequently as it did last summer and early fall. Supply and demand are balanced, and green and kiln dried prices in both producing regions are accordingly flat, at least for this week. Newly released trade information shows Cherry lumber exports rose 27% in November from the third-lowest total of the year in October. Year-over-year totals through November were 18% below last year’s pace, impacted primarily by lower April, May, and July totals relative to the same months in 2024.

HICKORY

HARD MAPLE

Traditionally, there has been a strong buyer preference for winter-cut Hard Maple. Though it’s early in 2026, that trend shows signs of continuing. Concentration yard contacts state they currently prefer #1C over Fas&1f. Higher reported prices lift the listings for green 4/4 through 8/4 #1C in both color sorts. Meanwhile, the low end ranges for kiln dried 4/4 #1C decline in both color classifications, as do the listings for Unselected 4/4 #2A.

SOFT MAPLE

There is decent business for this species, and sawmills are selling their full green production without much difficulty. Demand is better for Sap&Btr than for Unselected Soft Maple. Buyers are showing more interest in #1C&Btr than #2A, but #2A also moves. Supply and demand imbalances lower the listings for green Unselected 8/4 Fas&1f and 5/4 #1C, but no changes are warranted to the green Sap&Btr listings. Changes in prior weeks are sufficient to keep the kiln dried figures unchanged.

#2&3A OAK

Circumstances affecting demand for low-grade Oak are shifting. Truck trailer flooring manufacturers have increased receipts coming off sluggish purchasing levels from Q2 through Q4 2025. By comparison, sales to residential flooring plants—the largest consuming market for #2A&3A Oak—have been fairly steady the last few months. Red Oak transactions this week closely resemble those from last week, keeping the #2A&3A listings unchanged. Residential flooring plants are closely monitoring receipts of #2A&3A White Oak after their White Oak flooring inventories increased coming out of the holiday period. Newly gathered pricing information warrants reductions to 4/4 #2A&3A White Oak, but not to other thicknesses.

RED OAK

Several sawmills entered the winter season with decent but not overabundant Red Oak log decks. Last week’s winter storm lowered log receipts, and another widespread snowstorm predicted for East Coast states has the potential to keep receipts low until logging conditions improve. Green Red Oak output is somewhat limited and is being absorbed by markets. Export business gained steam before the holidays, lost steam over the holidays, and is showing signs of picking back up now that the holidays have passed. Domestic and global demand for kiln dried Red Oak is sufficient to keep inventories manageable and the listings intact. The only changes to kiln dried Red Oak increase the high end ranges for 4/4 #2A. Red Oak lumber exports climbed 19% in November, rising after the trade deal framework was announced with China and coinciding with a shift to more positive exporter comments. Red Oak log exports fell 8% in November from October, by comparison.

WHITE OAK

Some sawmills are reportedly sawing more thick stock White Oak, hoping to end price declines for 4/4 items that “are in excess supply,” according to a secondary manufacturer. Despite these actions, the listings for 4/4 #2A&3A White Oak are reduced in this edition. Supplies of kiln dried 4/4 and 5/4 #1C exceed the market’s needs, and the listings and noted range figures are lowered. The high end ranges for 4/4 Fas also decline. Comments about this species tilt slightly more positive this week even as some listings and ranges slip. Sales of 8-foot Fas White Oak are not strong, but it is moving easier now than it did during most of last year, according to one producer who also reports strong buyer competition for White Oak veneers.

POPLAR

A concentration yard contact says recent winter storms are impacting Poplar log decks at some supplying sawmills. Presently, however, yards and secondary manufacturers are having no issues procuring desired volumes of this species. Supply and demand are in equilibrium, and all the 4/4 through 8/4 #2B&Btr green listings hold steady. Transactions for thicker stock Fas&1f show declines that warrant reductions to those listings. Poplar sales to furniture manufacturers in Vietnam are down, because their finished goods inventories are excessive, according to export contacts. “Certain furniture plants in Vietnam have cut back production by one or two days per week. Their buyers will still take Poplar if you accept their low-price offers, but we are not doing that,” said one exporter. Supplies of kiln dried 4/4 and 5/4 Fas Poplar have pushed ahead of demand, requiring decreases to the listings and noted ranges. Some of the range numbers for 8/4 Fas and 4/4 #1C are also reduced.

WALNUT

Several contacts have expressed frustrations with Walnut. Sawmills would like more logs because lumber sales are strong and green prices have been advancing. However, competition for Walnut logs is intense, at high prices. This week, the pendulum of price changes swings back to the green side after recently favoring the dry side. The listings for green 4/4 through 5/4 #2A&Btr are raised, as are the listings for 6/4 #1C&Btr. All the kiln dried figures are unchanged, except for increases to the high end ranges for 8/4 Fas.

FRAMESTOCK, CANTS, TIES, & BOARD ROAD

There is little buyer interest for both Oak and Mixed Species framestock. While some furniture plants report slightly better order activity, they are utilizing alternative materials in their manufacturing process. Extremely low production keeps the framestock ranges intact.

Cants are selling at a steady pace. Most sawmills indicate demand is closely matched with supply, resulting in stable reported prices.

Industry contacts report weaker market conditions for 7x9 crossties, or expectations of weaker conditions. Reported prices hold within the range in the Southern Appalachian region, but information necessitates a decline to the high end range in the Northern Appalachian region.

Information continues to show a mildly active board road market. No adjustments are required to the listing or range.