Lumber Prices Are Climbing Again — Here’s What’s Really Going On
If you’ve priced out a deck, fence, or framing project in the last few weeks, you’ve probably felt it: lumber costs are creeping up again. Framing lumber prices have risen roughly 4.7% month-over-month heading into late summer, and a new round of softwood duties on Canadian lumber imports takes effect in August. That’s the real story behind the increase — not a temporary supply hiccup, but a structural shift in costs tied directly to tariff policy.
Because so much of the framing lumber used across the Pacific Northwest either comes from or passes through Canadian mills, this isn’t just a big-builder problem. It reaches everyday projects throughout Eastern Washington — backyard decks in Spokane, fencing projects outside Airway Heights, sheds and outbuildings near Colville, and barns and additions around Kettle Falls. Whatever you’re building, there’s a good chance the lumber in it is affected.
Here’s the practical part: tariff-driven price increases historically don’t hit all at once. They tend to accelerate once the new duty schedule officially takes hold. That means the pricing you see today is likely to look better than what you’ll see in September or October. If you’ve got a project planned for late summer or fall, this is the window to act — not after the new rates are baked into supplier invoices.
Who Should Be Watching This Closely
Some Eastern Washington customers have more to gain by acting early than others. If any of these describe you, now’s the time to start planning your material purchase:
Contractors with jobs scheduled for late summer or fall completion should lock in framing packages now rather than pricing them at bid time and buying later. Homeowners planning a deck, fence, or shed before winter weather sets in will save real money by purchasing before the August tariff changes ripple through supplier pricing. Rural property owners in Colville and Kettle Falls tackling barns, outbuildings, or larger acreage projects — where material lists tend to be bigger — stand to save the most in raw dollars. And if you’ve been comparing pricing between a local supplier and a big-box store farther from home, factor in that our pricing reflects direct relationships with domestic mills, not just marked-up national averages.
What You Can Do Right Now
You don’t need to have your entire project finalized to start protecting your budget. Here’s what we recommend this week:
Get a real material estimate. Stop by our Spokane-area, Airway Heights, Colville, or Kettle Falls location and let our team walk through your project — even if it’s still in the planning stage. Knowing your actual board footage now means you can buy smart instead of guessing later.
Ask about locking in current pricing. We’re offering price-hold options on framing lumber purchased this week, which gives you room to finalize plans without worrying that costs will jump again before you’re ready to build.
Consider a partial purchase. You don’t have to buy your entire project’s materials today. Framing packages, fencing lumber, or deck boards purchased now — even for a project you won’t start until October — can shield a good chunk of your budget from the August increase.
Ask about domestic alternatives. Not every project requires Canadian softwood. Our team can point you toward domestic species that perform just as well for your specific application, often at a more stable price point.
A Community Partner Since 1979
Builders Supply & Home Center has been family-owned and serving Eastern Washington for nearly five decades. We’ve watched lumber markets shift before — through previous tariff rounds, supply shortages, and everything in between — and we’ve always focused on the same thing: giving our neighbors straight answers instead of headlines to worry about.
Our teams in Spokane, Airway Heights, Colville, and Kettle Falls know the terrain and the kinds of projects that actually get built out here — city decks, rural fencing, barns, additions, and everything in between. We’re not guessing at what you need; we’re building alongside you.
Talk to Us Before Fall Pricing Hits
If you’ve got a project on the calendar for this summer or fall, don’t wait for the August tariff changes to catch your budget off guard. Stop into your nearest location — Spokane, Airway Heights, Colville, or Kettle Falls — and talk with our team about your material list and current pricing options. You can also check inventory and get started anytime at bldrsupply.epicor-inet.com. A little planning now can save you real money before the fall price climb kicks in.