lumber/wood materials costs?

[JohnR66]

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??

 

[LukeA]

Around here 2x4x8s are up about 20% from their winter price.

 

[HarryN]

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]

Doesn't the price go up after a lot of storms hit a large area, or a major hurricane?

 

[JohnR66]

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]

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.