Rant: Just found out birch plywood has gotten 30% more expensive since last year

I was pricing out materials for a kitchen job in Portland and my supplier showed me the price sheets. Has anyone else seen this jump or is it just my area?

3 comments

3 Comments

caleb_thomas931mo ago

Focus on the supply chain for cabinet shops @willow407 - big shops are panic-buying birch to replace maple and cherry which have spiked even worse, which drags prices up for regular folks like us.

willow4072mo ago

Got a buddy who tried to save a few bucks and bought regular plywood instead of birch for a bookshelf project last month. He ended up with warped boards and a finish that looked awful after sanding, so he had to scrap the whole thing and redo it with birch anyway. By the time he bought the birch and wasted all that extra time, he probably spent more than if he'd just paid the higher price upfront lol. Sucks that this is happening all over, not just in Portland. I feel like every time I hear someone price out lumber now it's just bad news.

gavina732mo ago

Respectfully gotta push back a little here, @willow407. Your buddy's mistake was buying garbage plywood, not saving money on birch specifically - cheap birch veneer can warp just as bad if you grab the wrong grade.