Why Is Lumber So Expensive; All kinds of construction jobs require lumber. Even a modest renovation may require wood of different dimensions.
When you go to your neighborhood hardware shop, you could be amazed by the cost of lumber.
Even smaller items can command an expensive price. When you consider that certain kinds of lumber are inexpensive, the cost increase could confuse you.
Below are 10 of the reasons why lumber is so costly.
Why Is Lumber So Expensive? (Top 10 Reasons)
1.High Demand
The lumber industry is in constant great demand.
It could be framing a brand new home, or a brand new company, or used in making furniture or any other project. There’s always a need for lumber.
The demand for this kind of product raises the price.
In economics fundamentals, goods’ price depends on demand and supply.
If the demand is high for a product, the price rises.
If there is a shortage of demand for a good, the price will decrease.
With the demand that is currently there for lumber in the market, its cost will always move towards the upper end.
There are specific periods of the year when the need for wood is more significant than average.
The warmer months are mainly characterized by increased lumber demand since it’s the best time for building and renovation projects.
All are trying to acquire lumber.
However, the reverse is true in the winter months.
As people cannot complete as many projects in their homes, the demand for lumber is reduced, and its cost is reduced.
The cost of lumber is high because demand for it is generally high.
Logging Enterprise
To get lumber, logging companies must remove trees from diverse parts of the globe.
There are many issues in the logging industry, with deforestation being one of the most significant issues.
In Brazil, particularly some companies in the logging industry aren’t cautious about the practices.
This is why the quantity of wood in the world is rapidly decreasing.
Although it’s challenging to realize the decrease in it as there are many trees around all over the globe, it’s still a significant issue in the regions that are logging-prone.
Certain logging companies are better at ensuring they’re planting trees they’ve cut down.
This means that they have to incur more costs to continue to perform their duties sustainably.
As logging gets more expensive, the company must transfer the costs to the purchaser.
The purchaser, a lumber or hardware store, is then required to pay for the cost.
They place a price that is high on it.
The cost of lumber is high because it is costly to loggers using sustainable methods.
Limited Resource
It is also a scarce resource.
Replanting trees is a way to stop deforestation. The speed at which trees are growing is much slower than the rate of the logging process.
Certain types of wood, such as bamboo, are not as restricted.
It’s since bamboo tends to increase.
Bamboo is easier to plant and maintain the status quo than other kinds of wood.
The type of resource that is restricted comes at a higher cost.
This is because there’s a shortage of supplies to move around.
Demand cannot be met, and prices rise accordingly.
If deforestation goes unchecked and without sustainable methods to counteract it, the cost of lumber will only go up.
Lumber will get more complex and less accessible.
It is costly because there’s an indefinite amount of harvestable trees worldwide.
Rare Types Of Lumber
The type of wood you purchase can also affect its cost.
There are common varieties of wood and rare kinds of wood.
Common varieties of wood are simple to pick and are generally plentiful throughout the world.
Some examples include:
- Fir
- Cedar
- Birch
- Pine
- Spruce
They’re typically used in construction projects and other projects, such as furnishings and equipment.
Some varieties of lumber are designed and intended for use in exceptional cases.
They are sometimes employed in the making of art instruments or musical instruments.
Since they’re scarcer and more expensive, it’s much easier to utilize these.
The most common examples of wood include:
- African Blackwood
- Ebony
- Sandalwood
- Holly
- Pink Ivory
- Brazilian Rosewood
These kinds of wood are difficult to come across out in nature.
They also have unique characteristics unique to no other type of wood.
African Blackwood, for example, is a block of dark wood with a stunning appearance.
The price of African Blackwood is $100 per foot of the board, and a single log may cost you around $9,000.
After the process of turning the wood into lumber, it costs $13,000 for each cubic square meter.
One of the main reasons the tree’s price is so high is that it’s tiny and slow-growing.
Logging companies need to be aware of the amount they trim down because it is difficult to get it replaced.
The wood is known for its long tradition in musical instruments.
Another illustration could be Brazilian Rosewood.
This fantastic kind of wood is available in a range of darker shades.
You can find pieces of lumber with deep red and yellow sap lines or even more dark purples.
Because of its fantastic quality and color, Carpenters uses this wood to create furniture pieces and flooring.
It requires little maintenance due to its long-lasting nature and protects against decay and insects.
The reason it’s expensive apart from its unique color is that the logging industry exploited it extensively for some time.
It’s being controlled so that only a few pieces of wood are available at any moment.
The price of one foot of Brazilian Rosewood is $70.
It’s expensive when you’re seeking a unique kind of wood.
Processing
Before lumber is placed onto the floor to be sold, it must undergo a series of steps to be processed.
The logging company sells the logs in their entirety to a lumber retailer, who can then treat them on its own or perform the processing themselves.
Some companies even engage an outside party to handle the processing on their behalf.
To process a log, the wood must go through various cutting steps.
Since construction workers and furniture makers require different lengths and widths of wood, the logs are cut into other dimensions.
It could undergo washing or other processes to make it suitable to be used in construction.
When it’s finished, the business can take it off to the lumber retailer.
If the lumber store handles the processing, they will require the equipment to accomplish this.
These are huge and potentially dangerous machines that experts should only use. Make use of.
Since it requires a substantial sum of money to operate the machinery, the lumber companies take on many expenses for processing the lumber.
They cost a lot of money and require frequent maintenance to ensure they function correctly.
This all contributes to the result of constructing lumber.
The actual log isn’t as costly as the timber that is made of it.
Because they work on the lumber, this work requires payment.
Lumber is costly due to the process it goes through.
Treated Wood
Certain types of lumber might undergo an additional step, increasing the price.
The wood used for outdoor use, such as decks and construction, typically undergoes a treatment step.
This process ensures that the lumber is durable when exposed to direct exposure to water and insects.
The aim of treated lumber is that it will last longer in circumstances that could typically lead to the wood’s rotting.
To achieve this, technicians put the wood in a pressurized enclosed chamber.
The chamber makes use of pressure to dry the wood as well as add different chemicals.
The chemicals are deposited onto the surface of the wood and absorbed into it for just a few centimeters.
These chemicals differ based on the intended use of the timber.
For decks, The chemicals can aid in making the wood water-resistant and anti-pest.
For docks and other kinds of wood, which will be in direct contact with water, employ water-resistant chemicals that can keep water bugs out and fish.
The lumber could undergo additional procedures to obtain treatments for fire-proofing and other properties.
It is a safer kind of wood that will last for many years before it begins to degrade.
Since chemicals and pressure chambers are costly, treated wood costs more than wood that is not treated.
The reward is that you won’t need to replace the lumber as frequently as treated wood.
In the end, the use of treated wood may result in saving you more money.
When you buy it, treated wood can be expensive.
Lumber can be expensive if treated.
Shipping Costs
The location where lumberyards and hardware stores obtain their lumber affects the price.
The further the store is away from the logging source, the more costly it will be.
Most of the wood is sourced mainly from the Amazon region of South America.
Retailers in the United States have to pay an expensive cost for this kind of wood because it has to travel far to reach the stores.
Logging companies have first to deliver the raw logs to a processing plant.
This means that they require special trucks specifically designed to haul logs.
Since logs are heavy and heavy, trucks are also highly heavy-duty.
It must also be able to traverse roads that are not paved because the trees originate deep within the Amazon.
The cost of operating and maintaining these kinds of vehicles is very high.
After the logs have been processed, the records must be them to the shop.
In certain instances, this could mean they’re traveling on a ship.
The company will have to hire a storage container for their lumber.
That’s expensive.
If you are shipping your lumber via roads will have to pay for the costs.
Costs for fuel, drivers’ salaries, and other expenses on the road can be pretty costly.
The further away a store is located from the company that logs and processing center, the more is required to get to the store.
Its mass is weighty.
Similar to anything heavy, it will cost more to transport it.
Because the hardware or lumberyard store is facing the expense of having the lumber shipped in, they will have to pay for the payment.
This results in a higher cost for lumber.
The cost of lumber is due to transportation costs.
Labor Shortages
It’s COVID-19 or strikes workers; labor shortages can affect the cost of lumber.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21 affected the industry of lumber in many ways, and workers could not remove trees.
Factories could not handle the logs they were given.
Stores, which were threatened with closures, were not equipped with the staff or inventory to maintain the supply of lumber.
The result was a slowing of the lumber supply and caused the cost to rise.
This is coupled with the increasing demand for lumber to finish home construction projects.
Since they were working from home, they had more time to complete home projects.
Some even had plans to turn one of their homes into an office.
With more people needing lumber and only a limited supply, the cost of it climbed.
While several logging and manufacturing companies are now operating normally the shortage of labor that led to the deficit continues to affect the cost of lumber.
This is because they attempt to fill the gap they didn’t work.
Since there’s a constant need for lumber, that gap is hard to fill.
This indicates that supply has not been able to meet the demand.
The cost of lumber is very high because.
The cost of lumber is due to labor shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the supply of lumber worldwide.
Bottleneck Supply Problems At Ports
A more recent problem that’s making the price of lumber increase is the issue at different ports across the United States.
The lack of storage containers makes it more difficult for ships to get out of port with the required items.
There are also fewer people operating cranes to remove the containers off ships.
Because fewer ships can depart the port, it means that fewer ships can access the port.
This is an enormous delay in the delivery of goods.
Although dockyards have increased their hours, and truck drivers are working all night and day to help ease the situation, there are still congestion in the ports.
This influences the price of lumber in many ways.
The second is that it takes longer for stores to replenish their lumber.
This affects the amount of supply that they have available to customers.
With less lumber to sell, the cost for them goes up.
Another way delays in shipping can affect the cost of lumber is because it adds cost to the whole process.
As dock workers and truck drivers are required to work more hours, their wages must be paid.
It also increases the cost of shipping, increasing the cost of lumber.
The third reason is that the ship’s crew members also require extra compensation since they’re employed for longer periods.
They cannot finish the task until they have removed the container at the port.
This means that they’re paid more, making the process more costly.
It also increases the cost of lumber.
As long as they don’t ease the congestion at various ports across the United States, the supply of lumber will continue to decrease.
The cost of lumber is due to the bottlenecks in shipping at naval ports, which are affecting the supply of wood around the world.
Inflation
The last reason why the prices of lumber are high is due to inflation.
Inflation happens when a large amount of money flows into the system, but the economy hasn’t grown to match it.
The value of the currency decreases when the cost of goods increases.
This is the case with lumber.
The rate of inflation will drop. However, it could take several years.
Add this to the supply issues currently facing lumber, and it is likely that the cost of lumber to stay in the coming year or two years.
How To Save Money On Lumber
If you’ve got a remodeling project in your mind, you’ll need lumber.
But, the cost of lumber might be deterring you from progressing with the work.
Here are some ways to save the cost of lumber and start to work on renovating yours.
Find A Reuse Store
Instead of going to the local lumberyard or hardware shop, think about looking for a store that recycles.
A few of the more well-known types of reuse stores are directly from Habitat for Humanity.
The store is referred to as ReStore, and they offer a variety and types of construction supplies.
This is a non-profit organization, and you can support them in their amazing work by purchasing from them.
They purchase their inventory from builders, who have a surplus of building materials.
When they donate their building items to ReStore, the builders also receive tax deductions.
It is common to find items such as plywood, trim, and two-by-4s at the reuse store.
The great thing about shopping at this kind of shop is that the prices are much lower than those you’d pay at the lumberyard.
Shop At A Salvage Store
Another store type where you can get great deals is a salvage shop.
This differs from a store selling used furniture because they mostly sell furniture pieces.
They either purchase furniture from individuals and accept contributions from contractors, the general public, or even estate sales.
Unlike antique stores, which renovate their items, salvage stores typically sell their items in their original condition.
This means that you can find great bargains on these items.
If you’ve always wanted wood for furniture construction, It’s worth checking the salvage stores first.
There is a chance to discover furniture you love, and you can avoid buying lumber entirely.
Reclaimed Wood
It’s also worth checking out the local recycling groups to determine if a vendor sells recycled wood.
It’s a company in and of itself, and there are proprietors all over the country.
They find wood from abandoned buildings or scrap wood from construction sites and scrub it clean.
The wood is generally just as good as new and is available at a lower cost than fresh wood.
Reclaimed wood has the benefit of being full of individuality.
Shop Online
It’s the lumberyards with surplus lumber or a homeowner who has more lumber than they require to build a house. You can also look for lumber on the internet.
Searching through eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist will help you locate cheap lumber.
It can help narrow your search down to the precise kind of wood you require.
If you purchase anything online, spotting fraud is always possible.
Try to concentrate on purchasing from lumberyards, suppliers, contractors, builders, and suppliers before buying from individuals or homeowners.
Experts will be less likely to deceive you as they have to safeguard their reputations.
FAQS
Will lumber prices fall in 2022?
Lumber prices plunged to new lows in 2022 in April, as current home sales hit the lowest since the beginning of the outbreak.
Do you think the lumber prices will decrease?
Are lumber prices falling? It’s true. Lumber prices dropped to as low as $780 per 1,000 board feet during May and are currently trading at less than 600 dollars per thousand board feet, according to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
This is the lowest price for lumber in the current year – however, it’s still more than the record high for 2020 at $400 for a thousand board feet.
What is the reason lumber is so expensive in 2022?
The cost of lumber fell to $829 per 1,000 feet of board on Tuesday, which is the lowest price for the product for 2022.
Insider reported. Inflation-related increases in mortgage rates and a rise in inflation were blamed for the drop and drop in home improvements.
How long can the lumber prices remain in the high-priced range?
Prices for Board feet are 254 percent higher than the pre-COVID price levels.
“Futures markets suggest that lumber will remain above $1,000 per thousand board feet through September 2022,” Logan wrote.
Conclusion
The cost of lumber is due to demand, supply, and other variables that affect both.
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic and the rise in inflation, wood suppliers have struggled to fill the lumber demand and satisfy the current need for timber.
Lumber doesn’t need to cost a lot, but it does need to.
Use the suggestions above to locate inexpensive lumber for your next construction project.