Red Oak is on the rebound after a lull

What a difference a few months can make. For several years, there has been a glut of red oak on the market, causing wholesale prices to drop below $1/bf. When prices fell below $.90/bf, loggers stopped cutting red oak because there was no money to be made. It's taken about three years, but because of mill closures and reduced logging, the old supply-and-demand theory has kicked in and red oak has finally emerged from its doldrums. Within the last four months, prices have increased between 10 and 15 percent.