Lord Wood presents its timber brief for Friday, 16 October 2026.
The key news: Madison’s benchmark softwood lumber index fell 1% to $500 per thousand board feet in the week to 9 October. Lumber futures closed at $536.50 on 15 October, down 3% in a month and 14.5% in a year. Mills report a lack of trucks and rail cars, and delivery is expected to stay difficult through the end of the year.
What it means for timber buyers: Price is not the only risk now. Getting wood moved on time is the harder part. Buyers who book transport early are getting better service.
Example (illustrative): A container load of about 20 thousand board feet at today’s futures price of $536.50 costs about $10,730, or about Dh39,406 at Dh3.6725 per dollar, before freight and duties.
Advice for partners: Lock in transport and loading dates first, then fix price. Keep two to three weeks of buffer stock for winter projects. Confirm lead times in writing.
The honest caution: Lumber prices are near their lowest in about two years, but they can move quickly on storms, tariffs or mill closures. Low prices today do not guarantee low prices next month.
Lord Wood — timber you can build on.
