For those of you who are planning building projects right now....
http://www.kgw.com/news/Lumber-Prices-Rise-92265509.html
mt
The lumber market is picking up. The railroads here in the pacific northwest are shipping a lot more lumber now. Certainly not to the levels we experienced pre-bust. The railroads have put a lot of their stored lumber cars back into service. That said - looking at the lumber wraps - most again are coming out of Canada.
Found 1/2" CDX at Lowe$ for $15.00 per sheet . . . I don't get it! Construction is down but prices are up!
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Production being down is the key. Go to Forestry Forum and get a pulse of some of those who cut lumber/trees for a living. A lot got out of the business last year.
About 10 miles from our Northern Minnesota get away was a chipboard plant. Another about 40 miles to the southwest. Both are now closed, with one of them bought out and converted to a biofuels plant.
Get to know a local with a sawmill. They'll be your best friend, especially if you have a supply of logs for them to cut.
Quote from: bayview on April 28, 2010, 03:08:46 PM
Found 1/2" CDX at Lowe$ for $15.00 per sheet . . . I don't get it! Construction is down but prices are up!
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I found the same thing. I was shocked. It was about $5 a few months ago.
With all due respect, I think it is important to compare similar products. Are you sure the $5 sheet of lumber of 1/2" CDX? I bet is was OSB. I am not saying it couldn't be CDX, but I would be surprised.
mt
Sorry, typo on my part. I did mean OSB. d*
I was talking to a friend that manages a door shop here. He says believe it or not but the prices on lumber jumping right now is the Chilean earthquake. Apparently they export huge amounts of timber and lumber goods. Their infrastructure was so damaged it will be almost a year before they able to start export of lumber again was the estimate give to him at a meeting several weeks ago. They told them first in line is ore then farm produce and lumber was still down the pecking order.
I was talking to a guy at building supply store this week and he said that there wood supply buyer told him that the lumber prices was in part do to the obama 8000 dollar tax credit that runs out tommorrow. He said wait a month and the prices of lumber would start and come down. I was at home depot today and osb was up to 15.00 a sheet. :-\Two months ago it was around 8. If you can wait a month I would. I have put off getting bids for awhile.
I've also heard that the various earthquakes were causing a big drain on the supply as well. Last time I checked (within the last year) 7/16" OSB was $5.50; today it was $14.50 (!) I'm hoping it drops at least some by the time I start building next year.
Quote from: MikeT on April 28, 2010, 07:47:58 PM
With all due respect, I think it is important to compare similar products. Are you sure the $5 sheet of lumber of 1/2" CDX? I bet is was OSB. I am not saying it couldn't be CDX, but I would be surprised.
mt
A few months ago 1/2" cdx was under $10 per sheet . . . Basically here in west Dallas area, the cdx has gone up 50% . . . \
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