Why Lumber Prices Are Climbing Across Eastern Washington
If you’ve priced out a deck, fence, or remodel lately, you’ve probably felt it: lumber costs are creeping up again, and the reasons go well beyond your local yard. Framing lumber is currently trading around $500 per thousand board feet nationally, and new tariffs on Canadian softwood — with combined rates near 35.9% — are pushing the landed cost of that lumber higher than it’s been in a year. Since so much of the softwood used in framing and construction across the Pacific Northwest comes through Canadian supply chains, that increase doesn’t stay at the border. It moves through distributors, into retail pricing, and eventually onto the stack of two-by-fours sitting in your driveway in Spokane, Colville, Kettle Falls, or Airway Heights.
This isn’t an abstract, national-headline problem for us. Our region relies heavily on regional distribution networks tied to that same Canadian softwood supply, so when tariffs move, our shelf pricing moves too — often faster than people expect.
What Rising Costs Mean for Your Summer or Fall Project
Whether you’re building a deck in Colville, replacing a fence line in Kettle Falls, or framing an addition in Airway Heights, timing your material purchase now matters more than it has in past years. Here’s what we’re watching:
Framing lumber prices are trending upward, with little sign of dropping meaningfully before fall. Tariff-driven cost increases also tend to stack across multiple purchasing cycles — meaning another jump is likely as we head into early fall, not just a one-time bump. Decking boards, fence pickets, and treated lumber are climbing right alongside dimensional framing stock, so this isn’t isolated to one product category. And if you’re a contractor bidding multi-week jobs, it’s worth building in some cushion for backordered materials that may reprice mid-project.
Here’s the practical version: a Spokane homeowner planning a 12×16 deck this August could realistically pay noticeably more for identical materials than someone who buys the lumber package today. That gap is the whole reason to pay attention to timing, not just price tags.
How to Lock In Today’s Pricing Before Fall
The smartest move for most builders and homeowners right now is simple: purchase materials — or at least commit to pricing — before the next round of tariff-driven increases hits. That’s exactly what we’re helping customers do at Builders Supply & Home Center.
Because we’re locally owned and have served Eastern Washington since 1979, we work directly with regional mills and suppliers and aren’t solely dependent on the same import channels driving up costs at larger chains. That gives us more flexibility on framing lumber pricing in Spokane and decking material pricing in Colville, even while national numbers keep climbing.
We’re also running a short-term Price Lock promotion this month. Customers who pre-purchase framing lumber or decking materials can lock in today’s pricing for 30 days — a direct hedge against the increases we expect heading into fall. If you have a project on the calendar for late summer or early fall, this is the moment to take advantage of it.
Actionable Steps to Take This Week
You don’t need to start construction today to protect your budget. Here’s what we recommend doing right now:
Get a firm materials estimate this week instead of waiting until you’re ready to break ground — pricing conversations are free, and they give you a real number to plan around. Ask our team about pre-purchasing framing lumber, decking boards, or fencing material at current prices, especially if your project is scheduled for August or later. Check stock at your nearest location, since availability varies between our Airway Heights, Spokane, Colville, and Kettle Falls yards, and we can help you source from whichever location has what you need. Talk with us about regional and domestic lumber alternatives, which in some cases offer more price stability than Canadian imports right now. And if concrete, fasteners, or other hardware are part of your project, buy them alongside your lumber order to avoid extra trips as availability tightens.
Why Local Sourcing Gives You an Edge Right Now
One real advantage of working with a locally owned supplier is agility. As tariffs reshape national supply chains, we’re able to lean on regional mill relationships built over more than four decades in this community — relationships that don’t shift overnight the way big-box import contracts do. That translates into more consistent framing lumber pricing in Spokane, steadier decking material availability in Colville, and dependable hardware and building supply stock in Kettle Falls and Airway Heights, even when national headlines suggest otherwise.
Don’t let a fall price increase catch your project off guard. Stop by our Airway Heights, Spokane, Colville, or Kettle Falls location this week to talk with our team about current framing lumber and decking pricing, ask about the Price Lock promotion, and get a real estimate for your project. You can also shop anytime at bldrsupply.epicor-inet.com. Lock in today’s prices before the next increase hits — your project budget will thank you.