Lumber Prices Overnight

[karoc]

OMGoodness, I have put together a material list and recorded prices. For all you guys that say Supply/Demand, 2x4x16 was 6.28 couple days ago. Today 16.48 or so at HD, I also check few other things such as 2x6x10'-16' which also went up over night. I have talk with guy who has several logging trucks and he say he is not getting anymore money that several yrs ago. Think its more when you close out all the independent lumber owners and all your stuck with is big box stores. Right when I am trying to retire

 

[jollygreengiant]

Great. Right before we were hoping to do a big project

 

[haveissues]

It has been steadily climbing again around here for a while and the quality of wood is complete ****, even for home depot standards.

 

[RivennHewn]

Woods free around here!

 

[LB-1911]

2x4x16 was 6.28 couple days ago.
Today 16.48 or so at HD, I also check few other things such as 2x6x10'-16' which also went up over night.

16 ft 2x4 for $6.28 ? $16.48 is more in line for 16 footer.

 

[firebirdparts]

Yeah I don’t think the 6.28 was quite right. Sounds right for a 10.

 

[karoc]

Guess I should took screen shot, maybe HD is in error. Zip 7/16 at local HD is 34.00 while other HD at 45.00 sheet OSB think was at 26.00 sheet. But it’s all going up again outrageous

 

[karoc]

Shame, bit bullet and pay price or hold out? What’s strange it doesn’t look like it affects commercial bldgs. Where I work and live commercial bldgs still being built

 

[jonshonda]

I don't think a 16' 2x4 was that cheap even before scamdemic! But yes, prices are going up again. New tariff increases with Canadur.

 

[JoeMcGov]

If you like graphs...

Lumber - Price - Chart - Historical Data - News

Lumber fell to 597.04 USD/1000 board feet on June 4, 2026, down 0.08% from the previous day. Over the past month, Lumber's price has risen 3.47%, but it is still 1.32% lower than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this...

tradingeconomics.com

 

[mike93lx]

If you are ordering more than 1500ish in lumber, call the pro desk. They will discount it and set you up with a pro extra account that gets perks. I have saved a bunch of money getting them to quote on projects

 

[Sumboodie]

Guess I should took screen shot, maybe HD is in error. Zip 7/16 at local HD is 34.00 while other HD at 45.00 sheet OSB think was at 26.00 sheet. But it’s all going up again outrageous

$35 a sheet here for 7/16" OSB. Huber OSB is not available other than at the local lumber yard and it's $$. Good stuff though. My Dad made it for 37 years.

 

[Chip03q9]

OMGoodness, I have put together a material list and recorded prices. For all you guys that say Supply/Demand, 2x4x16 was 6.28 couple days ago. Today 16.48 or so at HD, I also check few other things such as 2x6x10'-16' which also went up over night. I have talk with guy who has several logging trucks and he say he is not getting anymore money that several yrs ago. Think its more when you close out all the independent lumber owners and all your stuck with is big box stores. Right when I am trying to retire

Prices for 2×4×8 6.48 in MD i sign a contract in August for a 36×36 ×14 foot walls 2 12×12 doors at that time 2×4×8 3.25 building was done in October began framing interior 2×4was 4.25 finished framing before the reach 6.48 still have lot's of work to be done everything is very expensive wiring plumbing heating etc.

 

[Showkey]

2x4-16 was never suppose to be $7.00

 

[acer66]

Zip sheeting recently went up $10 or so to around $44 again around here.

 

[ybnormal]

It's the pandemic. My project handyman told me to hold off on buying wood for the next year or so because:
1) prices are going up
2) all the construction trades are booked out on projects almost 6 months in advance anyway

Everybody's getting projects done due to stay at home and the retailers know it. If you can afford to wait another couple years until it all settles down, I would. As for commercial customers, that's irrelevant, they're using steel and even if their costs are going up, they'll simply raise the rent.

 

[nadogail]

Lumber is a commodity, commodity prices have been known to fluctuate wildly.

 

[reader2580]

Lumber futures dropped to just over $600 about two months ago, but have jumped again to around $1200 so basically double in two months. Some economists are predicting $1,400 by end of year.

$6.28 for a 2x4x16 must have been a fluke because a 2x4x8 has been around that price for a bit now.

 

[mcbane]

2x4x16 is an odd size and you pay a premium per board ft. At my local HD, 2x8x16 is $19.98. Back in August 2020 (before lumber prices went really crazy) I paid $19.92. So only a $0.06 increase since 2020.

If you are willing to rip down 2x8s, you could save a few bucks without spending much time.

 

[reader2580]

If you are willing to rip down 2x8s, you could save a few bucks without spending much time.

I've been told that ripping down lumber is not a great idea as the two pieces are likely to twist. I have no idea how much truth there is to that.

I am shocked to see that a 2x6x16 has gone up almost 20% since I last last checked earlier in the week.

 

[mike93lx]

I've been told that ripping down lumber is not a great idea as the two pieces are likely to twist. I have no idea how much truth there is to that.

Lots of truth. Ripping lumber can easily pinch a blade and even with a riving knife, it can be dangerous.

 

[reader2580]

Lots of truth. Ripping lumber can easily pinch a blade and even with a riving knife, it can be dangerous.

It isn't the actual process of ripping the lumber they were concerned about. They say the two pieces after being cut are much more likely to twist and warp. Like I said, no idea if there is any truth to that.

 

[jh87]

It isn't the actual process of ripping the lumber they were concerned about. They say the two pieces after being cut are much more likely to twist and warp. Like I said, no idea if there is any truth to that.

Lots of truth to that. I rip downalot of 2x4s to make my own 2x2s at work and many times you rip down a perfectly straight 2x4s and it turns into two bananas. Lumber often has a lot of tension and stress in it.

 

[mcbane]

Lots of truth to that. I rip downalot of 2x4s to make my own 2x2s at work and many times you rip down a perfectly straight 2x4s and it turns into two bananas. Lumber often has a lot of tension and stress in it.

I should have qualified my response to ripping wet wood, since OP was talking about HD lumber. Warping not a problem if you are ripping super wet wood and then forcing it to remain straight as it dries (which you need to do anyway for wet wood that you aren’t ripping).

 

[rwilly]

On October 19th, 2x6x10 #2 better white wood was $8.55.
Last Sunday on January 9th, the same board was at $15.55.

Home Depot, Seattle suburb.

 

[jonshonda]

If people just took their foot off the gas and coasted for a while, aka not paying these premiums , they wouldn't get away with charging these prices.

 

[reader2580]

I'm pretty sure wood framed apartments, new housing developments, and wood framed commercial buildings use the vast majority of the lumber in the USA. I doubt the lumber market would change much if every single DIYer and homeowner stopped doing any projects for a year.

I will be 50 years old in a few weeks. The longer I wait the less time I have to use my new garage. Also, every year your body gets weaker as you age. For someone in their 30s or early 40s waiting a year or two is not going to have as much impact on them. If you still have 30 or 40 years of time to enjoy your garage shaving a year or two from that is not a big deal. At 50 years old I have 20 years until age 70. How much will I be able to do by age 70? My father is 75 years old and has serious hip problems so he can't do as much these days.

Finally, with my luck lumber will cost even more in 2023 or 2024 if I wait. Lumber futures are right around $1,200 now and forecasted to be just over $1,400 by the end of the year. Forecasts can be absolutely be wrong and lumber futures could end up falling.

 

[reader2580]

On October 19th, 2x6x10 #2 better white wood was $8.55.
Last Sunday on January 9th, the same board was at $15.55.

Not surprising since lumber futures have nearly doubled since late October to today.

 

[reader2580]

There is a local lumberyard that sells a lot of surplus/damaged material they get cheap. They got a huge shipment of strand type 2x4x8 just over a year ago. They have been selling them for $5 for the past year and still have a bunch left for $5. They are not quite 100%, but they work fine for building walls. Most of what they sell as surplus is not dimensional lumber. They have 8" Smartside lap siding for $9 each which is almost half off the price of new. It has paint defects, but you paint it in your color of choice and it is fine. They are also a full line lumberyard selling new grade A material.

My point is to see if you have a place like this locally to save on the cost of building materials.

 

[fteufert]

Back in 1910 when my house was built, they used scavenged wood, like the sill plate that has burn marks from a fire.

Now in 2022, the same thing will happen. Pulling nails might be cheaper than buying new!

 

[tstaude]

Whew!
I got my osb before it went back up!
60 sheets of 5/8 for $29, now $41
50 sheets of 1/2 for $15, now $29

demand must be on the rise

 

[johnharris]

I lucked out last October when I purchased lumber for my garage. I got 85 sheets of OSB for $13.90 each. Truss package for 28' garage with 7/12 pitch was $2,200. That included 22 commons and 2 gables. In August the manufacturer wanted $4,000 for those trusses. The Pro Desk at HD also gave me a discount for spending over $4,200 in lumber.

With the prices climbing again I wouldn't purchase that lumber now.

 

[Chip03q9]

I'm pretty sure wood framed apartments, new housing developments, and wood framed commercial buildings use the vast majority of the lumber in the USA. I doubt the lumber market would change much if every single DIYer and homeowner stopped doing any projects for a year.

I will be 50 years old in a few weeks. The longer I wait the less time I have to use my new garage. Also, every year your body gets weaker as you age. For someone in their 30s or early 40s waiting a year or two is not going to have as much impact on them. If you still have 30 or 40 years of time to enjoy your garage shaving a year or two from that is not a big deal. At 50 years old I have 20 years until age 70. How much will I be able to do by age 70? My father is 75 years old and has serious hip problems so he can't do as much these days.

Finally, with my luck lumber will cost even more in 2023 or 2024 if I wait. Lumber futures are right around $1,200 now and forecasted to be just over $1,400 by the end of the year. Forecasts can be absolutely be wrong and lumber futures could end up falling.

 

[FredWanaker]

My neighbor follows the market. The other day he told me that compared to when we did our fences last spring, (and prices were outrageous) lumber futures are up again. In mid-March they were $854 per 1000 board feet. That went to $1645 in early May, fell back to $844 in September and are now back up to $1224 per thousand board feet and climbing.

 

[Chip03q9]

Will be 70 in August just got my garage up need to finish in side I put it off for 5 years 36×36 with 12 foot over hang for my camper health still good energy level not so much as 5 years ago .I would say your right about building when your younger get it built soon as you can I have 45000 in garage now, will have 65000 when done.

 

[d.mcfarland]

I had a couple different recessed light fixtures in my cart (Home Depot) and overnight all prices were up $2 a fixture exactly.

I think they went through and raised prices across the website over the last few days.

 

[Toolfool]

I had to settle for a tubular steel building because of lumber prices the past couple of years. Now finishing the interior. All framed out, pulling wire now (another thing that has gone crazy). Planned on plywood on all the walls (refuse to use OSB for anything) but looking at needing over 100 sheets !! (Don't get me started on the spray foam prices I'm getting)

 

[reader2580]

I'm not sure what the picture of a pole barn is supposed to mean. I am not allowed to build a pole barn by city code. What they really don't want is the vertical steel siding. The last time I checked it cost just as much to build a pole barn with sheathing and lap siding as it did to stick build. You basically have to build full stick built walls in between the posts.

I can build a single story garage up to 3,000 square feet and 45 feet tall, but it must have siding and roof that closely match the house.

 

[R6 Racer]

I had a few projects that were on my 2 do list & I ran into the same problem.
Your way ahead already, you know a logger... millions don't. IF he will sell you logs your better off than most. Getting logs is the hard part.

Again... IF (tiny word Huge meaning) you have the space you can do what I did. Buy yourself a mill & make your own lumber. For what I would have had to pay for the wood materials for my projects, I paid for the mill and the logs. It takes time but now I own a mill that can make me as much as I choose.
A 2" x 4" x 8' costs me less than a buck when I have to buy logs. Dam near free when I don't. (less than a dime)

BUT! Im super lucky, I have a forest. Your luck is knowing a logger.

Steve

 

[nadogail]

Lumber is a Commodity; just like Pork Bellies, Wheat, Corn, Crude Oil and Gasoline. Commodity prices have been known to swing overnight and many Commodity traders have become rich while many others were losing their shirts. Just as gasoline prices swing, lumber will have it's ups and downs.