Russian Birch prices

[afish]

Dang, was at my plywood dealer today and asked about Russian birch since they have been out for atleast a couple months or so.  She said probably a few more weeks but the price is going to me much more.  She didnt have an exact figure but said probably about $150 per sheet.  Thats almost 3X more then what I was paying.  I knew it was going to be more but at $150 they can keep it.  My primary use was for building drawers but I have found some pre finished metal drawer boxes that I like so far and will probably end up being my go to in the future. I havent done the math but they cant be much more by the time I buy the R.B., Dominos, primer, finish, plus the time and labor to spray and assemble. IS anyone here paying $150'ish for RB, crazy?  BB/BB

 

[Chainring]

Here I sit, with tons of new Festool and I'll be making a scrap wood table this weekend.

I'm afraid (okay, not really) to see prices at our local yard where all the seasoned contractors pick up their supplies.

 

[Cheese]

Don't know if you have access to a Menards, but they offer Tiger Ply in metric thicknesses. I've used the stuff before and it comes pre-finished. It works out great for some projects, you just need to pick & choose.
https://www.menards.com/main/c-13334.htm?noResultsFound=true

 

[escapegoat]

I'm seeing USD $150 per sheet for 5'x5'x18mm baltic birch plywood in the Boston, Massachusetts area. A 4'x8' is $195 USD.

 

[afish]

Thanks for rubbing in the Menards... Having been from Mi originally Menards was new to our area just before we moved and all I can say is wow. I loved that place. Not sure if it was just because it was new but they had everything and everything was always in stock.  Here is S. Fl we only have HD and Lowes and they are the absolute worst run stores I have been to.  Nobody ever down stocks so chances are they dont have it or its 20' up in the air if they do.  The shelves feel about half empty Im about 98.5% guaranteed to have to visit a min. of 2 stores every time I go even if Im picking up just one thing.  I have actually sent Menards 2 separate emails practically begging them to open a store here.  They would make a killing.  Sorry for rant but Cheese you touched a nerve with that one.  I never used tiger ply.  But OOUCH 195 for 4x8 I thought 150 was rough.  Either way 195 or 150 I wont be buying it.  I needed to build some drawers and have been on the fence which way to go (RB or metal drawers) I was undecided even when I was paying in the $60 range for RB.  I finally got tired of waiting and bought some of the metal drawer boxes.  Glad I did at 150-195 its a no brainer. 

 

[WastedP]

At the beginning of the year, I was warned by my birch ply supplier that last year's forest fires and high temps were going to constrain log supplies.  The permafrost didn't firm up enough to allow the trucking needed to deliver logs to mills.  April orders for June delivery were going to be higher priced.

Then the lumber market in general skyrocketed.  Stack that on the other thing, and my price for birch ply more than doubled between March and May.

I don't know if the Sveza mills are making money hand over fist on this, or if they are just hanging on.  I talked with my lumber broker yesterday, and there are mills in the NW riding high, while others are going under.

 

[4nthony]

I picked up a 5x5 sheet of 18mm yesterday for $106. It's been at that price for a couple months now.

I forget the exact prices of the other sheets, but I'm thinking...

- 12mm 5x5 was about $89
- 15mm was around $95

They had 4x8 sheets of 24mm for about $240.

I'm in the LA/OC area.