lumber/wood materials costs?

JohnR66

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 1, 2007
Messages
1,052
Location
SW Ohio
I use 1/4" thick 4x8 foot panels. I cut them down to stiffen up packages for shipping fragile items. I went to buy some this morning and my jaw hit the floor when I saw the price tag. It is around $9 now. I checked two different home improvement stores. I paid $5.50 earlier in the year and $6.50 about a month ago. Not sure on other construction product prices.

Why is this? Flood damage recon or??
 

HarryN

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Messages
3,976
Location
Pleasanton (Bay Area), CA, USA
Wood is a commodity and reflects the value of the currency, similar to the price per barrel of oil.

Low prices = China buys up the supply. High prices = trade deficit problem.
 

blasterman

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 17, 2008
Messages
1,802
Doesn't the price go up after a lot of storms hit a large area, or a major hurricane?
 

JohnR66

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 1, 2007
Messages
1,052
Location
SW Ohio
Doesn't the price go up after a lot of storms hit a large area, or a major hurricane?

I don't know. I haven't noticed anything drastic in the last 3 years I've bought the stuff and there have been floods. I have noticed the winter summer price cycles that are usually less than $1 fluctuation. To jump $3.50 is insane. I guess if people want it, they're going to have to shell out more for shipping.
 

blasterman

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 17, 2008
Messages
1,802
After doing some quick googling it seems a big reason for the price jump is when the housing market took a slam a couple years ago the price for number nose-dived to historic lows. This closed a lot of lumber mills, or at least idled them. Production hasn't been keeping up with demand the past 6months.
 
Top