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Lumber Prices Are Climbing Again — Here’s What’s Driving It
If you’ve priced out a deck, fence, or framing project in the last few weeks, you’ve probably felt it already: lumber is getting more expensive again. This isn’t sticker shock from your imagination or a random price bump at one store. New tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber are set to push the total import rate to 35.9% starting in August, and that increase is already working its way through the supply chain. Add to that a framing lumber index that’s climbed roughly 5.1% year-over-year, and you’re looking at a real cost shift for anyone building in Eastern Washington this year — not a short-term blip that’ll correct itself in a few weeks.
We’ve been in the lumber and building materials business in this region since 1979, and we’ve watched enough price cycles to know the difference between noise and a genuine trend. This one’s worth paying attention to. Our team at Builders Supply & Home Center keeps a close eye on these shifts because our customers in Spokane, Airway Heights, Colville, and Kettle Falls deserve straight answers about what’s coming — not a sales pitch dressed up as market news.
What’s Actually Behind the Price Increase
A large share of the softwood lumber used in Pacific Northwest construction — including framing stock sold right here in Eastern Washington — comes across the Canadian border. When tariffs go up, that added cost doesn’t quietly disappear into an importer’s margin. It moves through the supply chain step by step, from mills to distributors to retailers, and eventually lands on the price tag of every 2×4 and sheet of OSB on the shelf.
The August tariff deadline is the trigger point that industry analysts are watching most closely, and it’s the main reason prices are trending upward instead of leveling off heading into fall. Here’s the practical breakdown, in plain terms:
Framing lumber, specifically SPF dimensional stock, is running about 5.1% higher than this time last year. Tariffs on Canadian softwood are set to increase to a combined 35.9% effective in August. Panel products like OSB and plywood have stayed relatively stable so far, but that’s expected to shift once the new tariff structure kicks in fully. Contractors and homeowners with projects planned for late summer or fall are the most exposed to these coming increases, simply because they haven’t locked in materials yet.
What This Means for Your Summer Build
If you’re a homeowner in Spokane County planning a deck, or a contractor in Stevens County juggling several framing jobs at once, timing matters more than usual right now. Buying your framing lumber, OSB, and plywood before the August tariff changes take full effect could mean locking in today’s pricing instead of absorbing next month’s increase on the exact same materials.
This is especially relevant if you’re working on any of the following: deck and fence projects around Airway Heights and greater Spokane, barns, ag structures, and outbuildings near Colville or Kettle Falls, framing and remodel jobs where contractors are managing tight, fixed-bid budgets, or DIY garage builds and additions where lumber is the single biggest line item in the whole project.
In every one of those cases, the math is the same — the earlier you buy, the more predictable your total cost stays.
How to Actually Plan Around This — Starting Today
You don’t need to guess your way through this. Here’s what we’d suggest doing this week, not next month: Get a real material takeoff for your project now, even if you’re not buying yet, so you know exactly how much framing lumber, OSB, and plywood you’ll need. Ask us for a price comparison between ordering now versus waiting until after the August tariff change goes into effect — we’ll walk you through the numbers honestly. If you’ve got a bulk order coming for a deck, shed, fence line, or ag building, talk to us about locking in pricing ahead of the increase. And if your timeline is flexible, prioritize buying framing lumber first, since that’s the category seeing the steepest increases right now.
Unlike ordering from a distant distribution center where pricing is set hundreds of miles away, our team at all three locations — Spokane, Airway Heights, Colville, and Kettle Falls — works with local and regional supply directly. That means we can talk with you about what’s actually happening with your specific order, not just recite a number on a shelf tag.
A Simple Rule of Thumb for Eastern Washington Builders
If your project is planned for August or later and requires a significant amount of framing lumber, it’s worth a quick conversation with us now, before the tariff deadline hits. Locking in current pricing on bulk orders — especially framing packages for decks, sheds, and ag buildings common throughout Stevens County and rural Eastern Washington — is one of the simplest ways to protect your budget from this kind of volatility.
Prices are moving, and the August deadline is closing in fast. Whether you’re framing a garage in Airway Heights, building a fence line in Colville, or putting up an ag structure near Kettle Falls, now’s the time to talk with a local team that understands both the market and your project. Stop by our Spokane, Airway Heights, Colville, or Kettle Falls location, or shop online anytime at bldrsupply.epicor-inet.com. We’ve been helping Eastern Washington families and contractors plan smart builds since 1979 — let’s get yours locked in before prices climb again.
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