COVID-19 Fueled Exclusive Lumber Supply in Flooring Industry

COVID-19 fueled exclusive lumber supply in the flooring industry. The coronavirus outbreak started a little more than a year ago in the United States.

Since then, the hardwood flooring sector experienced supply limitations. Buyers primarily saw these limitations across flooring and wood harvesting. Thus, the lumber industry ran in short supply. Currently, experts predict that the supply shortage will last until the end of 2021.

According to the American Loggers Council (ALC), raw wood deliveries decreased by 6.7 percent from January to July 2020. This data is compared to the same period the previous year. Also, this corresponds to a decline of 21.4 million tons of raw wood delivered and a loss of USD1.83 billion in the business.

Explanation of How COVID-19 Fueled Exclusive Lumber Supply

COVID-19 impacted practically every industry in the United States. The flooring space felt much of the impact.

What is the reason for this?

There has been a substantial reduction in the production of raw wood due to COVID-related protocols. These protocols include measures to minimize the workforce, institute lockdowns, and employ social distancing. While these measures kept many workers safe, the supply shortage simultaneously met a rise in demand. Unfortunately, the increase in demand occurred during a period when many sawmills closed down, drastically reducing the availability of kiln-dried lumber.

Flooring now faces a unique challenge: Balancing delivery time and lumber cost. For homeowners, the best strategy is to long-term plan wood flooring renovation projects. This long-term emphasis ensures that the materials are in stock. In addition, homeowners are more likely to face reduced materials cost due to scheduled buying.

While many companies fear a shortage spanning years to come, as vaccination distribution increases, so does the likelihood of a return to form at the start of the supply chain. In the meantime, Scharm Floor Covering offers its customers the ability to buy materials months ahead of a scheduled project, ensuring quality supply for a quality price. To schedule your hardwood renovation project, contact the flooring specialists at Scharm Floor Covering.