Lumber prices and alternatives

RatLabGuy said:
At Home Depot, a regular 2x4x8 Prime stud is down to "only" $4.64.
PT ground-contact is only $3.38.
PT Weathershield Prime PT is $4.58.

Why is PT cheaper? I'm assuming there is a notable grade difference between GC and Prime, but is it just that even within Prime, there remains higher demand for non-PT for general construction?
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PT is generally all #2 grade whereas a "prime stud" would be a #2 Prime or even a #1. Plus, framing lumber is many times SPF (spruce/pine/fir) which is more costly and ain't from around here. So transportation costs to the SE is higher.

I was gonna update this, but I've been busy selling material at a 40% loss o_O
Dimensional lumber is down nearly 60% (or more for some sizes) over the last month. Panels are finally dropping rapidly. 1/2" CDX we were paying $60+ per sheet for, is now close to where it was back in the day. Close, but not quite all the way down.
OSB is still way higher than it should be at a retail level. If a yard is selling based off replacement cost, they are selling wayyyy under Lowes and HD. If they are selling based on what they paid for it, they are are likely in the $40ish range.
We saw this coming and stopped buying a few weeks ahead of the price drops. So we did and still are losing a bit on some items, but luckily we had very little holdover inventory compared to most.
 
Jody Treadway said:
PT is generally all #2 grade whereas a "prime stud" would be a #2 Prime or even a #1. Plus, framing lumber is many times SPF (spruce/pine/fir) which is more costly and ain't from around here. So transportation costs to the SE is higher.

I was gonna update this, but I've been busy selling material at a 40% loss o_O
Dimensional lumber is down nearly 60% (or more for some sizes) over the last month. Panels are finally dropping rapidly. 1/2" CDX we were paying $60+ per sheet for, is now close to where it was back in the day. Close, but not quite all the way down.
OSB is still way higher than it should be at a retail level. If a yard is selling based off replacement cost, they are selling wayyyy under Lowes and HD. If they are selling based on what they paid for it, they are are likely in the $40ish range.
We saw this coming and stopped buying a few weeks ahead of the price drops. So we did and still are losing a bit on some items, but luckily we had very little holdover inventory compared to most.
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It’s painful , but you have to remind yourself that you made more money on the way up. We have two more hacks of painful osb to sell ($12 per sheet loss) and then we will be in the good again.
 
sammi_davis said:
It’s painful , but you have to remind yourself that you made more money on the way up. We have two more hacks of painful osb to sell ($12 per sheet loss) and then we will be in the good again.
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Yep, we ain't sweating anything. We're only upside down in like 3 bundles of 2x6 PT. I sold them to a concrete sub for form building just to move them.
 
Saw OSB at Mount Airy Lowes for $22

12’ 6x6 for my shelter are down to $32.
 
Oh man I need to go check retail prices on 1/2" 3-layer plywood. I have been waiting to start sheathing the interior of my shed. Yes, weird but I am insulating it and want the walls able to take shelving, holds, and anything else without studs.
 
OnlyOneDR said:
Oh man I need to go check retail prices on 1/2" 3-layer plywood. I have been waiting to start sheathing the interior of my shed. Yes, weird but I am insulating it and want the walls able to take shelving, holds, and anything else without studs.
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If you're near Asheville or Raleigh, lemme know if you'd like me to send you a quote. You can pick up at either of my yards.
 
Cheaper than I can get it from my suppliers...
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Jody Treadway said:
You need a new supplier. We're $8.50 sheet cheaper before any buddy deals
F'real.
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I was in slowe's yesterday and saw something I'd never seen.

Now Im a sparky not a lumber peddler but has anyone else ever seen or bought ADX plywood?
I didnt even know that was a thing.

It was basically cabinet grade luan backed with bark.
 
Ron said:
I was in slowe's yesterday and saw something I'd never seen.

Now Im a sparky not a lumber peddler but has anyone else ever seen or bought ADX plywood?
I didnt even know that was a thing.

It was basically cabinet grade luan backed with bark.
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"A" face, "D" back, with eXterior grade glue. Good for cheap cabinetry type work.
Lowe's tends to sell CCX grade sheathing plywood which is just a little higher than standard CDX grade. Maybe so their clients don't complain when one side is rougher than the other?
 
Jody Treadway said:
"A" face, "D" back, with eXterior grade glue. Good for cheap cabinetry type work.
Lowe's tends to sell CCX grade sheathing plywood which is just a little higher than standard CDX grade. Maybe so their clients don't complain when one side is rougher than the other?
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Yeah I knew what it stood for...Ive seeen lots of ACX or BCX or even BDX.
Id never even heard of ADX.
 
Met with builder this week. Was told windows were being ordered really far out. Spring at the earliest for a start date. I hope lumber keeps falling.
 
Jody Treadway said:
If you're near Asheville or Raleigh, lemme know if you'd like me to send you a quote. You can pick up at either of my yards.
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I will take you up on that soon. I need to scrap and rebuild my deck as well.
 
Well, the drop was fun while it lasted...
Got word the 3 biggest plywood mills in the SE are offline until 3rd week of October. Import plywood shipping costs are up nearly $6500 PER CONTAINER. What does this mean to us?
Panel prices are about to go up fast as well. In the last 2 weeks they have risen $200/mbf or $6 sheet. It ain't gonna get better any time soon.
Narrow lumber is also going up. Everyone who was sitting on high cost material when the bottom dropped is now buying all they can once they sold off their high cost stuff. This is causing another supply/demand issue.
I don't think we will see the crazy prices we did in the spring and summer. But 20-30% higher priices within a month is likely according to my mill reps.
 
Are they offline for valid reasons or does this smell like market manipulation to you?
 
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