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Appalachian Comments

GENERAL

Comments from October 23, 2026.

Log decks are low across parts of the region, with several mills reportedly shut down due to a lack of logs. Business is inconsistent. Activity is good for two to three days in a row then slow for the next three to four days, contacts report. Incoming orders at mills with enough logs to saw full loads of lumber are increasingly length specific across a growing number of species. Stricter order specifications are indicative of a buyer’s market, with sellers continually adjusting to nuances in orders.

Producers tired of “eating” elevated freight costs are having some success passing a portion of those costs on to buyers, but this is not the norm across the region. One green sawmiller said his freight cost to a regular customer several states away has risen by $1,300 this year, while another said diesel prices for his trucking fleet are “killing us,” adding, “Customers don’t want to give extra for freight.” However, another green mill manager said he asked for, and received, a $15/MBF increase for his cants from a regular customer who agreed to help offset his cost increases. Similarly, an exporting yard owner reports larger customers in the Middle East are paying extra freight costs because their Red Oak inventories are almost wiped out.

ASH

Ash sales are relatively easy in a tough overall market. Limited supply is supporting pricing for those mills that have enough logs to cut full loads of Ash. Put another way, one seller said his customers don’t haggle over Ash prices because they know there’s not much out there. Mills with few Ash logs are putting their limited production into mixed loads. Information raises the listings for kiln dried 4/4 #1C and ranges for 6/4 Fas.

BASSWOOD

End-users aren’t clamoring for more Basswood. Accordingly, sawmillers aren’t prioritizing production. All green and kiln dried figures remain intact.

BEECH

CHERRY

Cherry is disappearing from sellers’ lists of best-moving species, yet it isn’t appearing on lists of worst-moving items. Trade data confirm what exporters have frequently reported: Cherry shipments to China slowed in August, to the lowest monthly volume of the year, and have remained sluggish since. Producers have worked to offset lower demand by curbing production, but the balance still tilts toward excess supplies of certain items. Information lowers the green Appalachian 4/4 #1C listing and the 4/4 #2A and #3A listings in both subregions. For kiln dried North Central Cherry, reductions are warranted to the listings and noted range figures for 4/4 through 6/4 #1C and to the low-end ranges for 5/4 Fas, whereas the low-end ranges for 4/4 and 6/4 Fas gain ground. Also, downward bias is evident in reported Appalachian 5/4 #1C prices, and the listings and ranges decline.

HICKORY

Most Hickory grades and thicknesses are selling well. In fact, it is the best-moving species for certain sellers. No changes are warranted to any green or kiln dried figures in this edition.

HARD MAPLE

Overall Hard Maple business is lukewarm, but activity is better for the commons than for the upper grades. Consistent volumes are moving to long-term customers, but open market sales are harder to generate. Reported green prices prompt reductions to the listings for 5/4 through 8/4 Fas&1f in both color sorts, whereas reported kiln dried prices keep all published figures intact.

SOFT MAPLE

Buyers are controlling Soft Maple purchases to meet short-term needs. Production is similarly constrained in this tepid demand environment. Contacts report slower sales of uppers than commons. Green production currently meets the market’s needs, and all the listings stand pat. Meanwhile, slightly higher reported prices lift the kiln dried Sap&Btr and Unselected 4/4 #1C listings.

#2&3A OAK

Residential flooring plants want more #2A&3A Red Oak lumber to support decent Red Oak flooring business, but they are receiving as much #2A&3A White Oak as needed, if not too much. Meanwhile, demand is steady from most truck trailer flooring producers. Flooring manufacturers are facing renewed competition for raw materials from tie treaters, who are increasing crosstie purchases. Increased board road and crane mat output is also impacting Red Oak availability, as are brisk sales of pallet cants in certain areas. Reported prices for #2A&3A and #2A Alone Red Oak show signs of firming but do not yet warrant changes to the listings. The #2A&3A White Oak listings also carry over from last week.

RED OAK

Domestic demand for Red Oak is fair, but Chinese markets are cool, and European demand is flat. Red Oak sales to the Middle East have improved for some exporters but not others. Competitive pressures are evident in reported kiln dried 4/4 Fas prices, and the listings are reduced by $20 per thousand board feet ($/MBF). Meanwhile, green 4/4, 6/4, and 8/4 Fas&1f production exceeds the market’s needs, prompting reductions to the listings.

WHITE OAK

Green 4/4 Fas&1f and 5/4 #3A&Btr White Oak are selling well, while 4/4 #2A&3A are widely available and moving in lower volumes to residential flooring manufacturers, according to surveys and conversations with sellers and buyers. Lower prices in observed activity drive reductions to the green 6/4 and 8/4 #1C listings. Kiln dried Fas sales are length-dependent, prompting a wide range of reported prices. Supplies of most random-width and -length White Oak items are aligned with demand, keeping most figures unchanged. However, observed prices warrant reductions to the listings for 5/4 #1C and high-end ranges for 8/4 Fas. Sales of 8-foot Fas White Oak have picked up for some sellers of late.

POPLAR

Reports about kiln dried Poplar inventories range from slightly oversupplied to slightly undersupplied relative to demand. Contacts note weaker demand for #1C and #2A than for Fas, mainly because of lackluster purchasing by Chinese and Vietnamese furniture manufacturers. However, nearly all the published figures are unchanged from last week, suggesting supply and demand are well balanced. The only changes lift the low-end ranges for 4/4 Fas. Green Fas&1f is moving slower than some producers would like. The 12/4 and 16/4 Fas&1f listings edge down, while all the other listings remain intact.

WALNUT

Changes in Vietnam and China are fundamentally transforming the Walnut lumber market. Contacts say Chinese and other foreign buyers are purchasing more Walnut lumber produced in China and Vietnam from US logs, and, consequently, less from US suppliers. US exports of Walnut lumber to China were 22% lower on the year through August. At the same time, Walnut log exports to China have doubled so far in 2026 over 2025 but are not back to 2021 through 2024 levels. US exports of Walnut logs to Vietnam increased 13-fold in 2025 to 70.0 MMBF and were up another 47% on the year through August 2026. That said, no changes are warranted to any kiln dried price figures in this edition. Reported green prices prompt increases to the 5/4 #1C&Btr and 6/4 #2A listings but a reduction to the 4/4 #2A listing.

FRAMESTOCK, CANTS, TIES, & BOARD ROAD

Most sellers are not carrying large framestock inventories because demand from the furniture sector—while better this year due to duties on plywood imports—isn’t good overall. Transactions this week point out slightly higher prices that lift the high ends of the Oak and Mixed Species ranges.

Pallet manufacturers report steady to slightly lower lumber supplies, decent sales, and adequate finished goods inventories. Cant production moves without issues. Prices are well represented by the listing and range.

Tie production and purchases are increasing from low levels, as quotas imposed by treaters have been removed. Treating yards are paying higher prices to certain 7x9 crosstie suppliers, but the increases are occurring within the existing range for each subregion. As such, the ranges hold steady at previously published levels.

Board road markets are fair to somewhat busier and are absorbing production from regular suppliers. No changes are required to the listing or range.

International Comments

GENERAL

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