The Lumber Word

EP 142: Underbought, Overproduced, or Just Confused?

We jump right in by challenging each other on the ultimate lumber question — what would hurt the most people the most: prices going up or down? From there, it’s a full-on debate about seasonality, market psychology, and whether this “underbought” market is actually overproduced… or maybe it’s the other way around.As usual, we dropped plenty of gems on how each of us navigates the chaos to make money in today’s market. Then the spotlight turned to SYP — is it really the species of choice when it comes to switching and optionality?This one’s fast, fun, and a little confusing — in the best way possible. You’ll have to listen to make it all make sense.
 
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djalbert@fastmarkets.com
www.fastmarkets.com
Layman’s Lumber Guide
www.laymansguide.com
Matt@laymansguide.com
 
Show Contacts
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com

EP 141: Tariffs, Costs & the $800 Question

Russ Taylor joins Matt, Gregg, and Ashley to unpack tariffs, production costs, and the week’s price moves. Could lumber really hit $800 MBF in Q1? Tune in for sharp insights and insider tips every trader and builder will want to hear.
Guest:
Russ Taylor
Russtaylor@russtaylorglobal.com
www.russtaylorglobal.com
Advertisers:
Fastmarkets Random Lengths
djalbert@fastmarkets.com
www.fastmarkets.com
Layman’s Lumber Guide
www.laymansguide.com
Matt@laymansguide.com
 
Show Contacts
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com

EP 140: Market Check-in with Dustin Jalbert

Dustin Jalbert from Fastmarkets is back with us this week, and the crew dives deep into the latest twists in the lumber market. Charles kicks things off with a rundown on Southern Pine, then we shift into production trends and what last month’s housing completions mean for new home sales. Gregg and Dustin break down what they’re seeing on the production side while Matt ties it all together with some sharp insights. We talk timing on potential curtailments, what the rest of the year could bring, and what Dustin’s been hearing from both supply and demand. Smart money listens to The Lumber Word—and so should you.
 
Advertisers:
Fastmarkets Random Lengths
djalbert@fastmarkets.com
www.fastmarkets.com
Layman’s Lumber Guide
www.laymansguide.com
Matt@laymansguide.com
 
Show Contacts
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com
 

EP 139: Bottoms, Blips, and Behind the Paywall

Charles is back from wrangling cattle, Matt’s out in Texas, and Ashley and Gregg return from a wedding to dive into the latest lumber talk. Curtailment announcements gave the market a short-term jolt—does this signal a bottom, or are we still waiting? We break down what housing starts really mean, whether customers are sitting on healthy inventory or running on fumes, and what all this says about the months ahead. Plus, big news: The Lumber Word is taking the live version of the show behind a paywall.
Show Contacts
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com

EP 138: Reading the Lumber Market Warnings with Stinson Dean

Stinson Dean from Revol Building Solutions joins Matt, Gregg, and Ashley to break down the latest lumber market signals. Fresh off his feature in The Wall Street Journal, Stinson dives into supply and demand, what end users are doing, and how different scenarios could play out. The crew challenges each other with bold takes on where things may head next.
 
Guest: Stinson Dean stinson.dean@revol-ig.com
https://www.revolbuilt.com/
X @LumberTrading
Advertisers:
Fastmarkets Random Lengths
djalbert@fastmarkets.com
www.fastmarkets.com
Layman’s Lumber Guide
www.laymansguide.com
Matt@laymansguide.com
 
Show Contacts
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com

EP 137: Keys to the Lumber Castle

The Lumber Word crew is back with special guest Rob Cross from StoneX, a veteran voice in the lumber industry. Gregg may have handed out the keys to the lumber castle today with the sheer amount of free insight he shared. Charles breaks down what’s happening in the SYP market, while Matt dives into the cost stacks shaping price moves. Ashley takes a hard look at how greed and fear yanked this market from $700 to $520 in just one month. Rob brings the data with some fascinating lumber trading statistics—and if you stick around, you’ll hear how the team is planning their next moves.
Thanks for listening, and don’t forget to tell a friend about The Lumber Word!
 
 
Show Contacts
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com
Guest: Robin Cross: Robin.Cross@StoneX.com

EP 136: Inflation, Rates, and Lumber’s Selloff—A Fireside Chat with Brian Wesbury

In Episode #136 of The Lumber Word Podcast, Matt, Gregg, and Ashley take the lead while Charles tends to the cattle. This week’s guest is none other than Brian Wesbury, Chief Economist at First Trust LP, and one of our most popular returning guests. Despite his busy schedule, which includes numerous media appearances, Brian always makes time to share his perspective on economics and lumber with our listeners.
The episode kicks off with a brief discussion of the lumber market before diving into a wide-ranging conversation on the current economic situation in the U.S.
Together, the team and Brian break down critical topics such as inflation, interest rates, the housing market in Washington D.C., stock performance, and what the future may look like for the broader economic landscape. As Brian shared his insights, the conversation provided a unique lens into how today’s challenges and policies will shape tomorrow’s opportunities.
Listeners who have been following the podcast over the past few months will not be surprised by the recent selloff in lumber. The Lumber Word team has consistently prepared its audience for these market shifts, giving buyers and sellers across North America the foresight they need to navigate the industry with confidence.
As always, The Lumber Word Podcast remains committed to delivering the most relevant and actionable insights into both lumber markets and the broader economic forces that impact them. With Brian Wesbury’s expertise and the team’s grounded industry perspective, Episode #136 is a must-listen for anyone who wants to stay ahead in the lumber and construction supply chain.
 
Show Contacts
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com
Guest: Brian Wesbury: bwesbury@ftadvisors.com
 
First Trust: www.FTPLP.com
 
 
Advertisers:
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djalbert@fastmarkets.com
www.fastmarkets.com
Layman’s Lumber Guide
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Matt@laymansguide.com

EP 135: Sitting on Hands

Matt, Charles, and Ashley run the desk while Gregg’s in Canada. With light trading, mills sitting still, and buyers hesitant, the market’s stuck in confusion. Housing starts look steady, but tariff noise has everyone frozen. Will SPF pick a direction, or will SYP and U.S. species finally wake up?
 
Show Contacts
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com
 

EP 134: Futures Drop & Builder Playbooks

This week, we’re calling our shot on just how low September Lumber Futures could go—and why a cash market adjustment may be right behind it. If you’re buying, selling, or negotiating in the next 30 days, you’ll want to hear this.
We’re also joined by returning guest Chris Beard from John Burns Research & Consulting, with sharp insights on builders powering through price swings, the rise of build-to-rent, and SYP–SPF species swaps. Packed with market moves, builder intel, and trading tips you can use now.
 
Show Contacts
Guest Chris Beard: chrisbeard@jbrec.com
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com
 

EP 133: Lumber Lows: Inflection Points, Mills Uncertainty, and Timber Tactics in a Shaky Market

Join hosts Matt, Gregg, Ashley, and Charles for Episode #133 of "The Lumber Word" Podcast, your weekly deep dive into the wild world of lumber markets. This episode unpacks the latest cash and futures trends, explores key inflection points amid truckers scrambling for orders, and mills in Canada and the US starting to look for real orders.
We debate why raising prices doesn't always mean buyers bite, how CVD/AD duties are baked into costs, and the curious pull-up of species prices in a vacuum. Plus, insights on SYP's potential sell-off, Canadian production costs hitting $700 US in Chicago, CME basis adjustments, and testing channel bottoms. Is Hem-Fir the new CME basis that traders will look at since it can be delivered? We discuss potential curtailment announcement risks, deep discounts on truck orders from the secondary market, fading demand despite rate drop discussion, undervalued gems like 2x12 coastal and Green DF items, big boxes shifting to SYP premiums, seasonal weakness ahead, buyer/seller strategies, and finally selling those FJs at a premium. Whether you're buying, selling, or just timber-curious, this episode delivers the unvarnished truth on lumber's twists andturns!
Show Contacts:
Gregg Riley: Gregg@sitkainc.com
Charles DeLaTorre: cdelatorre@ifpwood.com
Matt Beymer: mattbeymer@hamptonlumber.com
Ashley Boeckholt: ashley@sitkainc.com