The Lumber Word

About The Lumber Word

The Lumber Word is the weekly podcast for the North American lumber and building materials industry. Three lumber industry veterans break down lumber prices, market trends, supply and demand, sawmill production, inventories, transportation, housing, and the forces moving the physical lumber market. From CME lumber futures and commodity trading to Canadian and U.S. production, wholesalers, distributors, dealers, and homebuilders, The Lumber Word brings real-world perspective from people actively participating in the market. Each week, we discuss what we're seeing, what we're hearing, where the lumber market may be headed—and occasionally disagree about all of it. If you buy, sell, trade, produce, transport, or invest in lumber and building materials, this is your market conversation.

Publisher

Ashley Boeckholt

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

28 Jul 2023

Latest episode

29 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

148 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Oct 2026

   EP 189: Buy, Buy, Buy? The Lumber Market’s Next Big Trade

   Is the lumber market approaching one of the best buying opportunities of the year—or are buyers still too early? In Episode #189, Ashley Boeckholt, Gregg Riley, and Matt Beymer debate a weakening cash market, aggressive mill discounts, low inventories downstream, and the prospects for a seasonal rebound. Ashley lays out the bearish case, including inventory pressure from VMI programs, uncertain housing demand, and the risk that prices stay low. Gregg argues that buyers with storage and capital should begin building their first-quarter positions in stages. Matt examines seasonal production curtailments, changing Hem-Fir versus SPF values, and the risks of cutting 2027 contracts and VMI commitments.

2. 

   23 Oct 2026

   EP 188: Low Inventories, Lower Expectations — What’s Holding Lumber Up?

   The lumber market is sending mixed signals. Buyers are keeping inventories lean, mills are struggling to maintain profitability, and housing demand continues to disappoint. Yet lumber is still moving, and certain products are commanding surprising premiums. This week on The Lumber Word, Ashley, Gregg, and Charles welcome back Mike Logelin of Gulf Coast Shelter for an unfiltered discussion of the North American lumber market heading into the final months of 2026. From Southern Yellow Pine versus SPF pricing and mill breakevens to weak housing starts, construction labor shortages, and the challenge of making money while holding inventory, the group digs into what buyers, sellers, and traders are experiencing firsthand. They also debate CME lumber futures, contango, delivery economics, the lack of liquidity in Southern Pine futures, and whether regional basis risk makes effective hedging harder than it should be. As Gregg puts it: “The only positive that I can find right now is how negative everyone is.” Is extreme pessimism a sign of a turning point—or is there more pain ahead? Tune in for market insight, honest disagreement, and a few laughs.

3. 

   9 Oct 2026

   EP 186: Back to the Lumber Futures — Short Funds and the Last Lumber Cowboys

   Lumber prices are soft—but the demand picture may surprise you. Scott Hall of Matheus Lumber joins The Lumber Word crew to explain why his company’s lumber volume has held relatively steady, where multifamily business is growing, and what customers are already booking for 2027. Ashley Boeckholt, Gregg Riley, Matt Beymer, and Charles discuss whether SPF, US Species and SYP are finding a bottom, how mill curtailments may be supporting prices, and why freight remains a major challenge. Scott shares how he manages inventory against future commitments, why buying too far ahead can add costs, and what’s driving Texas builders toward Southern Yellow Pine studs. The conversation also covers tight construction financing, the outlook for housing demand, and a key question: has supply fallen fast enough to keep weak demand from pushing lumber prices much lower? Episode timeline 00:00 Welcome and the first Patreon Insiders livestream 01:09 Lumber market overview: seasonal weakness and discounted cash prices 02:37 Spruce outlook: mill economics and potential curtailments 04:51 Southern Yellow Pine: freight and regional price differences 08:32 Meet Scott Hall of Matheus Lumber 10:27 Multifamily demand: steady volume and shifting regional activity 13:23 Booking 2027 projects and the risks of pricing too far ahead 16:02 How builders buy lumber—and how Scott manages inventory 19:19 Inside storage: protecting lumber and panels 20:51 Species switching: Southern Yellow Pine versus Douglas fir studs 22:16 Finger-jointed studs: pricing, availability, and alternatives 25:23 Western lumber update: is Douglas fir finding a bottom? 27:03 Gregg’s bottom call on spruce 2x4s 27:53 Homebuilder pressures and financing structures 30:24 Multifamily financing: contractors putting equity into projects 31:49 Has housing demand bottomed? The outlook into 2027 36:22 Q4 buying, curtailments, and a potentially higher price floor 37:59 Mill profitability and the importance of product mix 40:01 Why Western mills produce different sizes and grades 41:55 The Man in the Arena and lessons from trading every day 43:04 Patreon appreciation and a possible AI addition to the show 46:48 Thanks to Scott and closing remarks Timestamps match the original recording. Edits or an added intro will shift them. Advertiser Fastmarkets RISI Tiranth Amarasinghe Product Marketing Manager Tiranth.Amarasinghe@fastmarkets.com www.fastmarkets.com Show Contacts: Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com

Who has been a guest on The Lumber Word

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Bart Charles
• Russ Taylor
• Alison Coughlin

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

17 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

18 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 46 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

62

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

77

Contact The Lumber Word

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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Questions about The Lumber Word