MDF Shortage - Is anyone seeing this?

[John Makar]

Went to HD today, wore my mask and waited in line for 10 minutes to get in. Discovered my local store is completely out of sheet MDF of any form, in any dimension. One of the clerks said they are having problems with freight-haulers still being shutdown. Is anyone else seeing this?

Curiously enough, they had 6" 4/4 S4S prime Walnut in abundance, like they just got a new load.

[Jim Becker]

Could be a spot market shortage. They had plenty at the independent center I was at the other day.

[Paul F Franklin]

Local Menards and HD (NE Ohio) both show plenty in stock.....

[John Makar]

Well the shelves were completely bare here, SE of Denver. Nice Walnut, though not much good for templates. I have some of probably everything else in the loft, but MDF... you just pick it up at HD when you need it.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I live about eight miles from a major MDF plant. They re running 24/7/365 right now, but they always do. On a recent trip to Winston Salem, I commented to my wife about many blue trucks (same shipping firm) going the same way, toward our home. Saw these trucks for over 100 miles. All same brand, going towards home. Friday, went to help a friend with an electrical problem, and happened to be behind one of such trucks. Followed him, and he went to MDF plant. Between friends, and MDF plant, passed four out bound trucks. Four outbound trucks in a fifteen minute drive. So plant is shipping inventory as fast as they can make it. Perhaps someone has figured a way to substitute MDF for toilet paper;).

[Robert D Evans]

Depending on where you live, there might be a run on plywood and MDF due to the civil unrest. Just a guess.

[Brian Elfert]

You would be crazy to board up with MDF except as a last resort. I live in the Minneapolis metro area and the TV stations have been covering the protests and riots constantly. I see a lot of plywood boarding up windows in the TV shots, but surprisingly I don't recall any OSB and certainly no MDF.

[Andrew Seemann]

Boarding up with plywood is for amateurs. This is how they do it in the big leagues. You figure each one of those units of OSB is probably 2 tons. Then you stack them 4 high. . . .
434170

[John Makar]

Our zip code is for an 'unencorporated' area. City problems are interesting, I wish them luck. Local law enforcement is focused on keeping people from shooting coyotes from their back porch, especially when the coyote is on the bike path. I support greater coyote tolerance, less sure on the raccoons, but I also lock the kitties in at night, and have a laser site on the .223. We actually have Go Slow Zones for the bullsnake crossings. Nope, our shortage is not linked to defensive measures.

[Pete Costa]

Maybe someone figured out how to use mdf as toilet paper

[John Stankus]

Went to HD today, wore my mask and waited in line for 10 minutes to get in. Discovered my local store is completely out of sheet MDF of any form, in any dimension. One of the clerks said they are having problems with freight-haulers still being shutdown. Is anyone else seeing this?

Curiously enough, they had 6" 4/4 S4S prime Walnut in abundance, like they just got a new load.

I don't think I have ever seen Walnut at Home Depot. Though, I always recount when I used to work for Nortel Networks I used to have to travel to Ottawa frequently. I always enjoyed going to the Home Depot in my off time to see straight 2x4s :)
I was fascinated that you could get Maple 2x4s that were perfect up there (and cheap). Alas, none would fit in my carry on. Ottawa was always a fun business trip... Too bad Nortel went poof!

John

[Clark Hussey]

Was at the local HD yesterday there were no full sheets of any size . I’m in the Albany NY area. There was plenty of plywood.

[Jim Becker]

I don't think I have ever seen Walnut at Home Depot. Though, I always recount when I used to work for Nortel Networks I used to have to travel to Ottawa frequently. I always enjoyed going to the Home Depot in my off time to see straight 2x4s :)
I was fascinated that you could get Maple 2x4s that were perfect up there (and cheap). Alas, none would fit in my carry on. Ottawa was always a fun business trip... Too bad Nortel went poof!

John

I provided some training up there for folks after my employer (prior to retirement) acquired Nortel. :) Very nice area. And very interesting that you found actual straight lumber at the 'borg. But of course, closer to the source, too, I suspect.

[Brian Elfert]

I provided some training up there for folks after my employer (prior to retirement) acquired Nortel. :) Very nice area. And very interesting that you found actual straight lumber at the 'borg. But of course, closer to the source, too, I suspect.

I buy the majority of my lumber at Menards. I usually get the premium 2x4s for a little more money as I am far more likely to find straight boards. If I pull boards from the pile that are still part of the bunk the chances of finding straight 2x4s is pretty decent. Recently, I have noticed that Menards has been out of stock on the premium 2x4s pretty often.

I bought Timberstrand 2x4s for a project once to try them out, but they are over double the price of premium 2x4s. I am building a garage/shop with 16 foot sidewalls and wanted to use 2x8 LSL studs, but the price difference is huge.

[John Makar]

Okay, so had to go in to town today, stopped at another HD. This one had MDF, no Walnut, but some nice Hickory. Also, no line outside, but a safe distance thing inside.

No coyotes, racoons or bullsnakes. City slickers...

[Ben Helmich]

I have never seen Walnut S4S at a Home Depot or Lowe’s here in Texas. Pine, Red Oak, and one other one. “White Wood” maybe?