Hardwood Review editors recap availability status of yellow birch, cerry wood, hard maple, red oak, poplar and walnut - with some sellers sitting on inventory they couldn't move.

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Yellow Birch – Ongoing weak distribution yard demand continued to hurt sales of upper-grade Yellow Birch. Mills and yards that have had any success selling Yellow Birch in the current market have done so by sorting to customers’ specs.

Cherry Wood – Upper-grade Cherry remained abundant, but the commons sold well despite slower year-end cabinet plant purchasing.

Hard Maple – Increased Hard Maple production in the North Central region has improved kiln-dried lumber availability and stabilized most prices. Northeastern contacts, however, reported higher prices for most Hard Maple items, driven by wet-weather-induced production declines.

Red Oak – Northern Red Oak price declines have slowed for the most part. Appalachian 4/4 and 5/4 Red Oak prices trended down, but inquiries picked up and prices firmed up for 6/4 and 8/4. Demand and prices for Southern 4/4 and 5/4 FAS/1F Red Oak were unchanged, albeit at relatively low levels. Markets for Southern 4/4 and 5/4 #1 Common Red Oak slowed and prices softened. Most residential and truck trailer flooring plants in all regions kept purchasing quotas in place on 4/4 and 5/4 #2&3A Common Red Oak.

Poplar – Buyers expressed some frustration at steadily rising Appalachian Poplar prices. Southern Poplar sales have picked up alongside Appalachian, but prices have not firmed up much.

Walnut – Walnut sales were slower and several sellers were sitting on inventories they couldn’t move.