cabinet plywood shortage?

[eugene thomas]

i am going to build some kitchen cabinets for someone and called place that bough from in past and had some decent stock for prices. he told me their out. maybe have what want in month, says hard to get latley plywood latley and price is getting crazy... i ran to menards and got what needed but their supply was running thin also seemed like.

[ChrisA Edwards]

I think you need to call around. I went to my local Plywood place, two days ago, they hadn't plenty.

[Mick Simon]

My brother told me the same thing a couple of days ago. He's been waiting on Baltic birch for a month from his usual supplier. He buys around 1000 sheets per year. His supplier said it's been backordered for a month due to lack of availability of shipping containers.

[Scott Brader]

I just bought a couple of sheets of Baltic Birch plywood from Bliffert's in Waukesha, Wisconsin last weekend. They had a lot of it in stock and their price was great! I was shocked at how inexpensive it was based on some of the stories I've heard from others.

[Stewart Lang]

There is indeed a shortage around the country. However there is also still some supply getting in, so it's not to say *everywhere* is out, some places are still able to get supply and some have more difficulty. You just have to call around and see who's got what around you.

[Bruce Wrenn]

It's not just plywood. Monday went to local distributor to pick up a piece of hard maple. Was told they were out of both hard and soft, and weren't sure when they would be getting any. With mortgage rates under 3%, everybody is building. Even saw a refi under 2% today. Where were these rates when we had a mortgage?

[Cary Falk]

I was at my wood store last week and it looked like they weren't having a shortage in plywood or lumber.

[Ron Citerone]

I called a supplier for Baltic Birch and they have some, but he had to check inventory to be sure. It sounded like it might be a problem here too. Turns out they have 12 sheets left.

[Edwin Santos]

My brother told me the same thing a couple of days ago. He's been waiting on Baltic birch for a month from his usual supplier. He buys around 1000 sheets per year. His supplier said it's been backordered for a month due to lack of availability of shipping containers.

Same situation in the Phoenix area.
Specifically with 5x5 1/2" BB with UV clearcoat, which many of us use as the mainstay material for drawers. The domestically produced Baltic Birch which comes in 4x8 sheets is available though. I find prices on all these products have gone up 20-30%.

I hope it is all just supply chain disruption that will normalize both in terms of price and availability, at some point.

[glenn bradley]

As we can see from the variance in responses, some folks prepared for and reacted to the supply chain wrinkle better than others. It is nothing new in business to wrap yourself in a comfortable bubble and assume all the supporting mechanisms that let you do what you do will just be there. One's approach to their supply chain is often the difference in being OPEN and posting a FIRE SALE sign when things get wonky.

We don't all have the massive purchasing engines of large businesses. That includes your local lumber yard. Shop around. Hopefully your supply issue is a very local one and your needs can be met with a bit of a drive. I try to support my community and the businesses in it favoring "Leo's Cafe" over "Denny's" although both employ my neighbors. There are times when the locals can't get me what I need and that is when I go online. If I have to drive an hour or so to get something or (when realistic) pay a bit more and have it magically appear on my doorstep I have it shipped.

The big shocker for me was siding and drywall in my area. I am getting ready to skin my new shop and the cost today will be roughly double my budget. I have been dealing with some tough decisions. I am trying to stay viable by scheduling things I really wanted to get done right away for later in the year when prices (at least so reported by suppliers) will go down a bit. Like the jumps in cost for coffee, baltic birch and other commodities due to drought, flood or whatever . . . the prices will never return to what they were when the emergency occurred. Hopefully the things that doubled will go back to a measly 30% increase

Buddy can you spare a dime . . . er, I meant five bucks?

[John TenEyck]

Here in WNY it's spotty, but what is constant is prices have gone up and continue to rise almost weekly.

John

[Robert Hayward]

Neighbor needed two sheets of 1/2" OSB. I almost dropped over at the price. HD was $35.00 a sheet! With only about ten sheets left in stock.

[Jim Becker]

Robert, building materials are currently as much as double the cost as about a year ago.

[Kevin Jenness]

This link may help illuminate the worldwide supply chain problems https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/06/b...-shipping.html