Appalachian Comments

GENERAL

Comments from May 1, 2026.

Demand for Appalachian hardwood lumber is neither uniformly strong nor weak. While some contacts state demand is better in export than domestic markets, others report domestic demand is rising while overseas interest is cooling. The term “busy” has emerged in some survey comments, joining the “same,” “ok,” or “inconsistent” descriptions that have been more prevalent throughout the year. Concentration yards and secondary wood products manufacturers are trying to balance their orders and pricing, hoping to maintain margins while being “as fair as possible to mills,” as one longtime buyer said. Meanwhile, a large wood products manufacturer continues to place orders up to two months in advance for certain species and longer lengths that are not as readily available as others, like brown Hard Maple. Warm and dry weather across the region is boosting logging activity, contributing to additional output for mills that have healthy order files.

ASH

Ash lumber production is low because quality Ash logs are scarce in parts of the region due to the spread of Emerald Ash Borer. Sawmills are having no issues moving their full but limited green production at stable prices. Accordingly, no changes are warranted to any green figures. Domestic demand for this species is limited but Chinese demand is good, according to exporters. Reported kiln dried prices are similarly stable, and all figures carry over from last week.

BASSWOOD

Basswood isn’t a heavily sawn item in the Appalachian region. Many of the larger end-users are located in the North and they are currently having little difficulty getting what they need. The species isn’t heavily exported, either. Low Appalachian availability matches the region’s limited needs. No changes are required to any green or kiln dried Basswood figures.

BEECH

CHERRY

Most green Cherry prices are holding steady or have been rising at a slower pace than their kiln dried counterparts, improving margins for concentration yards shipping to China, where the species remains in solid demand. Information lifts the listings for green Appalachian 4/4 Fas&1f, but all other green figures are unchanged. A yard manager says kiln dried Cherry—along with Red Oak and Ash—are his strongest movers to China. Prices in reported activity raise the listings and noted ranges for North Central 5/4 and 8/4 #1C, while the 8/4 Fas figures and low-end ranges for 4/4 Fas also increase. In the Appalachian sub-region, price reports warrant increases to the listings and noted ranges for 4/4 and 5/4 #1C.

HICKORY

Hickory prices barely budged heading into and coming out of stain season last year. During that period, domestic demand was tepid and monthly exports showed little energy. Domestic demand is healthier this spring, however, with sizeable volumes moving to flooring plants. At the same time, some sawmills are still looking to avoid this species to the extent possible, choosing instead to sell their Hickory logs. Markets for green Hickory remain strong, and transactions warrant increases to the 4/4 through 8/4 #2A and #2B listings. Producers are having no issues moving their kiln dried stock; healthy increases to the 4/4 #1C and #2A figures are representative of market conditions.

HARD MAPLE

No measurable improvement is evident in #1&2 White Hard Maple demand. No additional decline is evident, either, coming off several prior weeks of price declines for certain items. All the green and kiln dried figures hold steady. Meanwhile, brown Hard Maple continues to draw steady interest from buyers and positive comments from sellers, mainly for #1C&Btr.

SOFT MAPLE

There is ongoing activity for Soft Maple. Several contacts list it among their bestselling species, though demand is better for Sap&Btr and for brown than for Unselected. Kiln dried sales are easier for #1C&Btr than for #2A, but all kiln dried figures are unchanged in this edition. In green, the only changes lower the listings for 4/4 #1C in both color classifications, despite reports of steady demand for #1C from cabinet manufacturers.

#2&3A OAK

Some residential flooring plants are implementing tighter controls over their receipts of #2A&3A Oak, coinciding with their recently reduced working hours. Purchase volumes at other residential plants have been rising, however, offsetting declines at plants where production has been scaled back. Inconsistency remains in the truck trailer flooring sector. Trailer orders in March were stronger than expected, rising 36% month over month, according to FTR Transportation Intelligence. Supplies of #2A&3A Oak are aligned with demand, observed transactions point to stable pricing, and the listings hold in all thicknesses. The listing for #2A Alone Red Oak is similarly unchanged.

RED OAK

Several exporters report good order files for kiln dried Red Oak. These orders are mainly moving to China and Europe. Demand from Middle Eastern markets was good prior to the start of the US-Iran war, but shipments have slowed, stopped, or are being held until the conflict ends or tensions are greatly reduced. Meanwhile, domestic demand for kiln dried Red Oak is slowly increasing. The listings for 4/4 #1C rise; gains also occur to the high-end ranges for 4/4 #2A and the low-end ranges for 6/4 #1C. Green Red Oak production is rising, with logs now plentiful across the region. Markets are absorbing most of the additional production. However, reported 4/4 Fas&1f prices show downward bias that lowers the listings.

WHITE OAK

Demand for White Oak is decent, but production is elevated because competition for high-quality logs from the stave sector is greatly diminished. Those logs yield more Fas&1f than the mid-to-lower quality logs sawmills had been cutting when competition from the stave market was fierce. The resulting supply increase continues to push prices for certain items lower. This week, information lowers the listings for 4/4 Fas&1f and for 5/4 #1C&Btr. Prior declines on the kiln dried side have most figures in order. However, incoming price reports necessitate further reductions to the 4/4 Fas listings and ranges.

POPLAR

Poplar logs are plentiful, and more lumber is entering the marketplace, creating excess supplies of certain items. Depreciation is evident in reported green 4/4 and 5/4 #1C&Btr prices, and the listings are reduced. Supplies of most kiln dried items are evenly matched with demand, but information prompts reductions to the listings and high-end ranges for 4/4 Fas. Exporters state they aren’t getting the prices they need for #1C and #2A Poplar from China and Vietnam. However, previous adjustments have the common-grade figures in order in all thicknesses.

WALNUT

Availability of green 4/4 and 5/4 Fas&1f Walnut is high relative to the market’s needs. Some yards have reduced or temporarily stopped upper-grade purchases. Reported 4/4 and 5/4 Fas&1f prices have edged lower, requiring decreases to the listings. Most survey respondents state kiln dried demand is strongest for #2A, followed by #1C and Fas, though some argue demand is decent regardless of grade. The listings and ranges accurately reflect reported prices.

FRAMESTOCK, CANTS, TIES, & BOARD ROAD

Furniture manufacturing contacts report relatively slow sales, with people hesitant to spend on nonessentials. Demand for Oak and Mixed Species framestock is similarly slow. Limited production keeps the ranges unchanged.

Sawmills are shipping their full production of cants, mainly to longtime customers. Prices are holding at the listing or inside the range.

More survey respondents report slow demand for 7x9 crossties than report fair or good demand. Treaters do not want to increase tie receipts, so quotas remain in place. Some quotas encapsulate a mill’s full production, but others result in mills shipping less and having to find other outlets for low-grade production. Information warrants no further reductions to the high-end range for Southern Appalachian 7x9 crossties, coming off last week’s decline. The Northern Appalachian range is also unchanged.

Contacts report flat-to-lower demand for board road. Production is aligned with the market’s needs, and published prices stand pat in this edition.

International Comments

GENERAL

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