UK Timber shortage

chickenrunner said:
No chance! They've all been snapped up by people 'staycationing'. ;)

Edit: On the upside individual bags of crisps are back in Stokesley Coop (after a week) but I didn't check out the thorny issue of broccoli supplies.
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Don't worry - I don't like broccoli.
 
SE4 Red said:
Ordered a sofa and armchair from Barker & Stonehouse at the start of May and delivery is end of August.

There was also 12 week delivery times on made.com for a lot of their sofas when we were looking.
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When I ordered my sofa 14 years ago there was a 12 week wait - I ordered one Saturday and there is a 12 week wait.
 
12-14 weeks is standard on sofa most are made to order, not kept in stock.

The timber shortage is nothing to do with the EU - They get blamed for a lot but the timber shortage is not one.

In some way the microprocessor (chip) shortage is similar, demand has shot up but production has been below normal as producers expected the pandamic shut down to last longer than it has. VW Group are quoting March 2022 for next deliveries to some car leasing companies.
 
red_harrington said:
I've always wondered why they don't use bricks like everyone else?

Houses made of bricks won't burn down, nor will they get blown apart in a tornado.
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red_harrington said:
I've always wondered why they don't use bricks like everyone else?

Houses made of bricks won't burn down, nor will they get blown apart in a tornado.
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Clearly The Three Little Pigs isn’t a popular book in the US.
 
Redwurzel said:
12-14 weeks is standard on sofa most are made to order, not kept in stock.

The timber shortage is nothing to do with the EU - They get blamed for a lot but the timber shortage is not one.

In some way the microprocessor (chip) shortage is similar, demand has shot up but production has been below normal as producers expected the pandamic shut down to last longer than it has. VW Group are quoting March 2022 for next deliveries to some car leasing companies.
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Genuine question: why is it not an EU issue? Given most of our Timber is imported from the EU:
 
red_harrington said:
I've always wondered why they don't use bricks like everyone else?

Houses made of bricks won't burn down, nor will they get blown apart in a tornado.
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from a site:

Wood is one of the main features for housing construction in the United States. Although there are more resistant materials such as brick and concrete, wooden houses continue to be the favorite element in the American construction sector. In this blog, we are going to tell you 7 reasons why Americans prefer wooden houses.



1. Origins

At the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century, Europeans, especially the British, arrived in North America, which led to the need to build many houses in a very short time. Using wood was ideal because it allowed house construction to be faster than using cement and brick. Wooden houses began as a need to build houses quickly but ended up becoming an identity hallmark for Americans.



2. Material availability

In the United States, there are large forests where tree cutting takes place. For this reason, it is very easy to find this material. Wood is also easy to work with, repair, and locate.



3. Economy

Derived from the previous point, the great abundance of wood in the United States allows the prices to be significantly less than the material used in other continents, like brick and cement.



4. Mobility

There are numerous studies that indicate that Americans have a high mobility rate. They can change their homes up to five times, so building wooden houses quickly and affordably allows them to relocate. This high mobility encourages cheap house construction in a fast way.



5. Reduced taxes

Depending on the state in which the house is built, taxes on wooden houses can be much lower than taxes on houses built with cement and brick.



6. They are easy to build

If you are skilled, you can build a wooden house. Not so long ago, there were numerous kits in the US market that allowed the owner to build their own wooden house. These packages included everything you needed so that in a few months you could build, for example, a house in the countryside at a very low cost. Of course, you must be very crafty and have some architecture knowledge, but, in short, working with wood is very simple.



7. They are safe

Unlike brick, wood is a flexible material capable of withstanding low-intensity earthquakes or light tornadoes. However, in areas that usually suffer this type of inclement weather, houses have a brick basement where to shelter. If the house suffers any damage from a tornado or earthquake, it is cheaper to repair it if it is made of wood because the material is affordable.
 
Randy said:
David Hopkins, chief executive of the TTF, said: "The pandemic has been the biggest factor causing the problems between supply and demand… but there are other factors at play. We've got these huge forest fires raging across North America that will take lots of timber out of production.

"The fires, and now the bugs, are taking out a significant volume from the market."

Also there's a massive clue in the title of the article. I was talking to a joiner in the pub the other night who told me he's quoting 50% more on his estimates as he has work booked in till December 2022 and people are still accepting his quotes. People have used money for holidays that they can't go on for house renovations instead.
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@SmallTown

👍🏻
 
Yes I saw that on the beeb. A worldwide shortage, partially due to wild fires, alleged climate change and an increase in the worldwide demand for timber. Canada and the United States were both mentioned as providers of the timber but NOT Europe, and nothing to do with Brexit
 
Spraggons Den said:
Yes I saw that on the beeb. A worldwide shortage, partially due to wild fires, alleged climate change and an increase in the worldwide demand for timber. Canada and the United States were both mentioned as providers of the timber but NOT Europe, and nothing to do with Brexit
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Most of our wood seems to came from the EU.
www.forestresearch.gov.uk

2018 - Origin of wood imports - Forest Research

Table 3.8 presents data on the source of selected wood products that have been imported into the UK in 2017. Sawn softwood, particleboard, fibreboard, and paper and paperboard were overwhelmingly imported from EU countries in 2017 (Table 3.8): Sweden (42%), Latvia (16%) and Finland (14%)...
www.forestresearch.gov.uk www.forestresearch.gov.uk
 
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