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Holiday trends in the lumber market reveal slower seasonal demand but unique challenges like looming tariffs, mill closures, and slim inventories. With mills planning extended holiday downtime and tight supply heading into 2025, expect steady prices and potential buying opportunities. Discover how the lumber market is poised for a surge in demand after the new year!
The lumber market has seen unexpected activity this holiday season, with OSB and 2×6 prices rising due to strong demand, mill closures, and limited supply. Typically a quieter time, this shift highlights the impact of industry dynamics as mills focus on higher-margin products.
Looking ahead, the housing market will play a critical role in shaping lumber prices. Challenges like restrictive zoning, labor shortages, and tariffs remain hurdles for builders. However, post-election optimism is growing, with expectations of regulatory relief and increased homebuilding in 2025. Builder confidence has steadily risen, signaling potential growth for the construction industry.
For those with projects in the pipeline, now is the time to act. Prices may remain steady or increase further, so securing materials early could save both time and money. As we prepare for the coming year, staying informed will be key to navigating these market changes effectively.
While stability has returned, factors like recent mill closures and global shifts could still stir up trouble. If you have a project in the pipeline, it’s a good time to secure your lumber packages and stay ahead of any unexpected changes.
Let Trio Forest Products guide you through any lingering uncertainties this Halloween season with confidence and resilience.
Happy Halloween from Trio Forest Products Inc
As we explore the ever changing terrain of the lumber industry, it’s crucial to recognize its inherent commodity-based nature.
While we’ve savored a period of price stability, the winds of change are blowing. February brought a surge in housing numbers, prompting mills to adjust their conservative supply, setting the stage for the shifts we’re witnessing today in the OSB market.
With mills booked well into May and beyond, buyers are facing challenges in securing enough material for upcoming projects. Some mills offering open market availability are demanding prices over $100/m higher than current rates. $100/m equates to $3.20 per sheet.
The plywood market is strengthening and prices are on the rise.
Spring Demand: Increasing demand driven by spring season is contributing to the uptick in prices.
Order File Extensions: Producers are extending order files, with some reaching as far as mid April.
Price Trends: While Random Lengths reports flat prices or slight increases, overall market changes reflect a significant shift of $40 to $60 since early March.
For now, make sure your near-term needs are covered, consider adding a little more to your inventory levels and keep an eye on your plywood costs as compared to OSB.
We anticipate the market will continue to increase as we move forward into Spring.
OSB rapid price surges amidst serious supply constraints and growing demand. Buyers scrambling to cover upcoming jobs will likely find themselves falling short of their needs due to both limited resources and escalating costs.
In the world of lumber, the OSB sector has been booming, but it seems like the dimensional lumber market may have hit a plateau. Our forecast suggests that there’s a need for the dimensional market to absorb some inventory, which will enhance purchasing convenience and availability.
Once this inventory digestion process is complete, prepare yourselves for a slight uptick in prices.
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In the applications for which they are manufactured, the two products are basically interchangeable. Although different in the way they are made and appear, plywood and OSB are manufactured according to the same performance standard criteria.