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Pressure-Treated Lumber Prices Are Firming Up This Fall
If you’ve priced out a deck or fence project in Eastern Washington recently, you’ve probably noticed something odd: while OSB and plywood prices have cooled off over the past year, pressure-treated lumber hasn’t followed the same pattern. Here at Builders Supply & Home Center, we’re seeing treated lumber running roughly 3% higher year-over-year, even as other building materials soften.
For homeowners and contractors in Spokane, Airway Heights, Colville, and Kettle Falls, that’s worth paying attention to. The takeaway is simple: if a deck, fence, or outdoor project is on your list, waiting until spring is likely to cost you more than building now.
Why Treated Lumber Isn’t Following the Rest of the Market Down
OSB and plywood prices are closely tied to new home construction, which has slowed in a lot of regions — so those categories have had room to ease. Pressure-treated lumber plays by different rules. Demand for PT lumber is driven mostly by remodeling and outdoor living projects — decks, fences, raised garden beds, pergolas — and that kind of demand doesn’t disappear once the new-construction market cools. Across Eastern Washington, outdoor project season runs well into fall, keeping pressure on supply.
On top of steady demand, treatment chemical costs and mill production shifts have tightened supply on treated dimensional lumber specifically. Many mills also slow seasonal production as temperatures drop, which typically means less material moving through the supply chain heading into winter — not more. Put those factors together, and it’s a fair bet that pressure-treated lumber prices in our region hold steady or climb further before spring, rather than retreat.
Why Fall Is Still a Smart Time to Build
It feels backwards to start an outdoor project as the weather cools, but fall is genuinely one of the best windows for building in our region — for reasons that go beyond pricing:
Lock in today’s costs. With prices trending upward, ordering your lumber now protects you from another increase before spring arrives.
Better building conditions. Fall in Spokane, Airway Heights, Colville, and Kettle Falls typically brings cooler, drier weather that’s easier on crews, better for concrete curing, and gentler on wood acclimation than the heat of July and August.
Less competition for materials and labor. Spring is peak season for contractors throughout Eastern Washington. Building in the fall means faster scheduling, shorter lead times, and fewer delays waiting on crews or materials.
Ready to enjoy when warm weather returns. Finish your deck or fence now, and it’s ready the moment spring hits — instead of sitting in line behind every other homeowner’s spring project.
What a 10×12 Deck Actually Costs Right Now
To put current pricing into real numbers, here’s a simplified materials estimate for a standard 10×12 ground-level deck using treated framing and decking:
Pressure-treated 2×8 joists and beams: $280–$340
Pressure-treated 2×6 decking boards: $420–$480
Concrete deck blocks or footings: $90–$130
Joist hangers, post bases, and connectors: $70–$100
Deck screws and fasteners: $40–$60
Most 10×12 deck projects in our service area currently run $900–$1,100 in materials alone, depending on grade and treatment level. Ordering now, rather than waiting until late winter, is a straightforward way to protect that budget.
Fence Projects Are Riding the Same Price Curve
The same pricing pressure applies to fence materials. Whether you’re replacing an aging perimeter fence outside Kettle Falls, adding privacy fencing in Airway Heights, or fencing pasture near Colville, treated post and rail lumber is tracking the same upward trend as decking boards. Even if installation won’t happen for a month or two, ordering your materials this fall locks in today’s pricing before the spring rush.
Make It Easy: Our Fall Deck & Fence Bundle
Rather than pricing out individual boards one at a time, stop by for our Fall Deck & Fence Bundle — pressure-treated 2x6x8 lumber, deck screws, and joist hangers or connectors packaged together at one flat price, with discounted delivery available on qualifying orders. It’s a straightforward way to get your project materials locked in before winter pricing takes hold.
Your Local Source for Building Smart This Fall
We’ve been a family-owned supplier to builders across Spokane, Airway Heights, Colville, and Kettle Falls since 1979, and we know the rhythm of building season here better than any national chain. Stop by your nearest location for a current quote, or let our team help you estimate materials for your exact deck or fence layout — no guesswork, no upselling, just straight answers.
Don’t wait for prices to climb further into winter. Visit us in Airway Heights, Colville, or Kettle Falls, or shop anytime at bldrsupply.epicor-inet.com. Let’s get your project built before the next price increase hits.
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