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Appalachian Comments

GENERAL

Comments from October 16, 2026.

Concerns about actual or anticipated log supply shortages—and the subsequent potential impacts on lumber production—are increasing. Wet weather-related poor logging conditions have contributed to the concerns. So has staining in logs that didn’t find homes in a timely manner during the heat of summer. But there are issues beyond logging seasonality. Some mills are working to build log decks for winter. However, others are not building inventories due to log prices, cash flow issues, and concerns that lumber sales prices won’t be high enough to offset production and shipping costs.

ASH

Production of this species remains constrained by the impacts of the Emerald Ash Borer. “Ash business in our area is about finished due to the borer,” a sawmiller in New York said. Buyers are readily accepting developing green supplies at firm prices. Demand for kiln dried stock is good, primarily from export markets. Inventories remain thin, and steady reported prices hold all published figures in check.

BASSWOOD

Despite Basswood’s small percentage of total sawmill production, supplies of green 4/4 Fas&1f are outpacing limited demand, and the listings are reduced by $10 per thousand board feet ($/MBF). Reported kiln dried prices are in line with prior weeks, keeping all the listings and ranges steady.

BEECH

CHERRY

Green Cherry production has largely adjusted to yard buyers’ reduced needs, and their subsequent kiln dried production is also more closely aligned with lower Chinese demand. However, downward price pressures remain evident in Appalachian green 4/4 Fas&1f transactions, prompting $30/MBF reductions to the listings. No changes are required for any kiln dried figures in either subregion.

HICKORY

Hickory moves well in all regions, with recent sales momentum in the Northern and Southern regions following several months of good activity in the Appalachian. Increases to certain green and kiln dried items in recent weeks are sufficient to keep all listings and ranges intact in this edition.

HARD MAPLE

Production of this species outpaced softening demand in spring and summer, resulting in slow-but-steady declines to green and kiln dried #1C&Btr prices across all thicknesses in both color classifications. More recently, efforts by logging operations and sawmill operators to limit output have been successful, aligning supply with reduced demand. Comments about this species have turned slightly positive, relative to the overwhelmingly negative tone through summer. Yet, reported transactions warrant no changes to existing published green and kiln dried figures.

SOFT MAPLE

Sawmill output of both Soft Maple and Hard Maple was higher than in recent summers, partly because elevated log export volumes of certain other species resulted in more Maple logs available for sawing. Increased volumes relative to demand intensified competition and prompted price reductions. Supply and demand are more balanced in the fall than summer, however, with sales “stronger” for the common grades than for the uppers. Reported green prices are consistent with previous transactions, keeping all figures intact for both Sap&Btr and Unselected. However, downward bias is still evident in reported kiln dried Sap&Btr 4/4 Fas prices, and the listings are lowered. Meanwhile, information supports lifting the low-end ranges for Sap&Btr 4/4 #1C and #2A.

#2&3A OAK

Demand for residential Oak flooring is presently in a lull, according to industry contacts. Flooring plant buyers are having no issues procuring #2A&3A Red Oak or White Oak at replacement volumes. With production surveys pointing at an uptick in total sawmill output in September—and with some mills receiving fewer purchase orders for White Oak from residential flooring operations—it is reasonable to expect 4/4 #2A&3A prices to decline. However, sales operations have more options for the same part of the log in the fall than at any other time of the year. Transactions warrant no reductions to the 4/4 through 8/4 #2A&3A Red Oak or White Oak listings this week, and the listing for 4/4 #2A Alone Red Oak also holds.

RED OAK

Red Oak production is sufficient to meet the combination of fair domestic demand alongside the slowdown in purchasing by China, lack of energy from Europe coming off its vacation season, and ongoing shipping issues to Middle Eastern markets. That said, Red Oak still appears on some sellers’ lists of best-moving species, primarily for 4/4 Fas. But, nearly as many contacts list Red Oak among their worst-moving species, also for Fas. Downard price pressures are mostly prevalent for the upper grades. Information necessitates reductions to the listings for green 4/4 and 8/4 Fas&1f and kiln dried 5/4 Fas and 6/4 #1C. The only increases lift the low-end ranges for 4/4 Fas.

WHITE OAK

Mixed market conditions for White Oak continue. Sales remain sluggish for 7- and 8-foot lengths, while 9-foot and longer and specialty items draw decent interest. The downward price trends for several items pause, at least for this week. Prior pauses over several weeks have resulted in claims that price floors must have been reached or soon would be. However, limited competition for logs from stave markets has resulted in ample White Oak log decks at sawmills, and lumber production that has been more than adequate to meet the market’s needs. Sawmills are currently finding homes for green production at prices consistent with the listings. Kiln dried transactions are occurring at prices well represented by nearly all listings and ranges. The lone exceptions lift the low-end ranges for 4/4 Fas.

POPLAR

Producers report steady domestic demand for Fas but sluggish sales of #1C and #2A to Vietnam and China. Most reported green prices are steady and hold the listings in check, but information warrants $20/MBF declines to the listings for 12/4 and 16/4 Fas&1f. Reports received this week result in all kiln dried figures carrying over from last week. The relative lack of change suggests a certain level of steadiness that sometimes characterizes Poplar prices. However, conversations with producers reveal rising concerns about potential supply shortages. An exporting concentration yard operator said its green receipts are down by one-third because some supplying mills are unwilling to purchase Poplar logs. “As a result, we don’t get as much green as we usually get and that means we won’t be loading some kilns,” he explained. “Our kiln dried production does move out, but we have less of it to move. We would like to pay green mills more but we can’t get more on the dry side.”

WALNUT

Markets are absorbing total green Walnut production at steady prices that keep all green figures intact. However, current kiln dried supplies of certain thicker-stock #1C&Btr items outweigh demand, and this week’s surveys confirm the shift toward excess supply. Kiln dried 4/4 through 8/4 #2A Walnut is trading at prices consistent with the listings or within the respective ranges. However, transactions warrant reductions to the listings and noted ranges for 5/4 and 6/4 #1C&Btr, and 8/4 Fas. Transactions also include higher numbers for 4/4 Fas that warrant bumps to the low ends of the ranges.

FRAMESTOCK, CANTS, TIES, & BOARD ROAD

Demand for Oak and Mixed Species framestock is keeping pace with limited developing supplies of well-air-dried material. No change to either range is required.

The 8.4% increase in US durable goods shipments year to date through August helps explain why pallet manufacturers have reported steady-to-stronger demand for their finished goods and similarly explains steady-to-stronger demand for cants this year. Reported cant prices lift the high end of the range in this issue.

Mills equipped to saw ties have switched from reducing production and stacking ties to moving their full production. Because higher reported tie prices remain within the existing ranges, no changes are warranted to the ranges.

Demand for board road material is meeting the market’s needs. Reported prices hold in this edition following last week’s increase to the listing and low-end range figure.

International Comments

GENERAL

Please see our graphs.