As the last of summer slow-down time for the North America construction framing softwood lumber industry passed by, many solid wood commodity prices slid down a bit further.
This was normal for the time of year; as Labour Day approached and the true shift into autumn assessment of the market situation will happen. All eyes will be on supply levels.
New home building was still low compared to historical levels and demand remained quite muted — for the third year — so end-users continued to be cautious about not building up inventory.
Their concern was that prices might fall more, leaving them stuck with expensive lumber in their yards. However, the data shows that prices were very level compared to the previous year and to 2024 as well.
Madison’s has been informing that sawmills first cut production before letting prices drop any lower, and that was the ongoing situation. There were more curtailments and even closure announcements in August.
In the week ending August 21, 2026 the price of Western Spruce-Pine-Fir 2×4 #2&Btr KD (RL) was US$480 mfbm, which was down -$10, or -2% from the previous week when it was $490, said weekly forest products industry price guide newsletter Madison’s Lumber Reporter.
That week’s price was down -$25, or -5%, from one month ago when it was $505.
Solid wood commodity pricing continued to meander in a broad, flat-to-downward trend. September couldn’t come soon enough for suppliers.
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KEY TAKE-AWAYS:
• Lower cash numbers on key dimension softwood lumber items confirmed negative price movement in lumber futures from previous weeks.
• It looked like the North American construction framing lumber market was building up to a riveting Autumn.
• Sellers of Western-SPF in the US continued to assert that the market had less downside left than perhaps purchasers hoped.
• Sales of Western-SPF in Canada experienced the typical late summer slowdown in the back half of August.
• Tight overall supply reduced the speed of this latest price correction downward.
• There was a surge of Eastern-SPF buying later in the week that buoyed the spirits of wary suppliers in that region.
• Producers in the Northeast extended sawmill order files by one or two weeks, carrying them through to September.
• After multiple weeks of downward sliding Southern Yellow Pine prices continued to flounder.
Madison’s Benchmark Top-Six Softwood Lumber and Panel Prices: Monthly Averages
