An Overview of the Hardwood Industry in the 21st Century

Abstract

Hardwood lumber production in the United States reached a peak in 1999, with an estimated 12.6 billion board feet of output. However, the early 2000s ushered in a major structural shift – the large-scale offshoring of U.S. furniture manufacturing. Once the single largest user of hardwood lumber until the late 1970s, wood furniture has become the smallest major market for hardwood lumber today. As U.S. furniture production moved offshore, the industry shifted its focus toward housing and construction markets, which were entering a period of robust growth in the early 2000s. Sectors producing housing fixtures, including cabinets, flooring, and millwork, all saw strong demand during this period. This bolstered demand for the higher value “appearance grades” of hardwood lumber. However, the housing market crash came in 2007–2008, which remains the single most significant disruption to the hardwood industry in recent history. The crisis profoundly reduced demand for many hardwood products.

Citation

Bowe; Scott; Bumgardner; Matt. 2026. An overview of the hardwood industry in the 21st century. Forest Resources Association, Technical Release 26-TR-02, 2 p.