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Report from
North America
US tropical hardwood imports cooled in August
US imports of sawn tropical hardwood fell by 12% in
August, retreating after a strong July. At 16,003 cubic
metres, August imports were 5% higher than in August
2025. A 15% decline in imports from top-supplier Brazil
accounted for much of the loss. While imports from most
suppliers fell, imports rose from leading suppliers
Cameroon (up 27%) and Malaysia (up 45%).
The US imported 1,975 cubic metres of Meranti in
August, up 169% from the previous month and the largest
monthly amount imported in at least 15 years. Imports of
Meranti sawnwood are up 18% so far this year. Total
imports of tropical hardwood are about the same as last
year, down less than 1% through the month of August.
In Canada, imports of sawn tropical hardwood bounced
back somewhat after two months of significant declines.
Imports rose 30% in August to just above US$1.55
million, which was 27% below the August 2025 level.
Despite the monthly rise, Canadian imports of sawn
tropical hardwood trailed last year’s by 21% through
August.
Hardwood plywood imports rebound
US imports of hardwood plywood, which have lagged for
most of this year, rebounded in August to their highest
level of 2026. August imports rose 14% from the previous
month to 255,254 cubic metres. Despite the gain, imports
for the month still fell nearly 7% short of the level from
August 2025.
Imports from most of the top supplying nations saw a
larger increase with imports from Indonesia up 33%,
imports from Malaysia up 23% and imports from
Cambodia up 18%.
Imports from Vietnam, however, fell 12% in August and
are down 64% so far this year. Total imports of hardwood
plywood are down 28% versus last year through August.
Veneer imports fell 13% in August
Imports of tropical hardwood veneer, usually strong in
August, surprisingly slipped 13% from the previous
month. Veneer imports throughout 2026 have been well
ahead of last year but, at just over US$3.07 in August,
imports for the month were 22% lower than for last
August.
Imports from Cameroon were down 23% in August, while
imports from Italy and India were both down more than
70%. Total imports of tropical hardwood veneer are still
well ahead of last year despite the weak August
numbers,up 12% year to date.
US flooring imports rebounded in August
US imports of hardwood flooring and assembled flooring
panels both gained sharply in August. Imports of
assembled flooring panels rose 18% from the previous
month to US$26.9 million, a level 31% above that of
August 2025.
Imports from Canada climbed 27% while imports from
Vietnam rose a healthy 24%. With the strong month, total
imports of assembled flooring panels for the year so far
have caught up with last year’s pace, with totals for 2025
and 2026 statistically even through August.
Imports of hardwood flooring rose 22% from the previous
month in August but continue to considerably lag 2025
totals. At US$4.8 million, imports for the month were 32%
below those of the previous August.
Imports from Malaysia saw a 43% increase while imports
from China rebounded after a very weak summer. Total
imports of hardwood flooring remain 27% percent behind
last year through August.
Despite a housing and remodeling market that continues to
face economic headwinds, the wood flooring industry is
heading into 2027 with cautious optimism. The National
Wood Flooring Association (NWFA)’s annual Industry
Outlook survey found 58% of respondents expect sales to
grow in 2027, while 30% anticipate sales will remain on
par with 2026.
Dan Natkin, CEO of Essex Finishing, believes the market
is poised for a reset. “At some point in the next 18 to 24
months, we’re going to see kind of a release of spending.”
That optimism comes despite continued weakness in the
broader housing and remodeling markets. The Leading
Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) from the Joint
Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University,
released in July 2026, projects that home improvement and
repair spending will continue to lose momentum through
mid-2027.
LIRA, which provides a short-term outlook for national
spending on improvements and repairs to owner-occupied
homes, projects year-over-year growth of just 0.5% in the
second quarter of 2027. That would mark a third
consecutive quarter of slowing growth, as reduced housing
starts and broader economic uncertainty weigh on
remodeling activity.
Conditions remain challenging on the new construction
side. Elevated interest rates, high land costs and persistent
inflation continue to concern homebuilders. Even with
those pressures, NWFA members see opportunities ahead.
They shared how rising costs, changing consumer
preferences and evolving market conditions are shaping
their expectations and strategies for 2027.
See: https://hardwoodfloorsmag.com/2026/10/01/2027-nwfa-
industry-outlook-optimism-despite-uncertainty/
Moulding imports gained for a third month
US imports of hardwood moulding continued their steady
rise in August, gaining 6% from the previous month.
Imports rose for a third straight month in August but
continue to stay much lower than the previous year.
At just under US$15 million, imports for the month were
down 13% from August 2025. Imports from top-supplier
Canada rose 15% in August while imports from Brazil
leapt 46%. Imports from China continue to wane, falling
28% in August and down 72% versus 2025 year to date.
Through August, total imports of hardwood moulding
remain 14% behind last year.
US imports of wooden furniture rose 5% to highest
level of 2026
US imports of wooden furniture rallied in August, rising
5% to their highest level of the year. At US$1.39 billion,
the month’s imports trailed last August’s figure by 13%,
as this year’s furniture imports remain significantly lower
than in recent years.
Monthly imports were boosted by a 16% rise in imports
from Malaysia and a 12% rise in imports from Canada.
Imports from top-supplier Vietnam rose 3% while imports
from Indonesia gained 8%. For the year to date, total US
imports of wooden furniture trail last year by 21%.
The August gain may reflect a turnaround in the entire US
furniture market. New residential furniture orders rose 5%
in July compared to June figures and were up 9%
compared to July 2025, continuing a streak of year-over-
year growth, according to the September issue of
Furniture Insights.
Approximately two-thirds of participants in their monthly
survey reported increases in July compared to a year ago.
Year to date, new orders are up 5% over 2025 figures.
“The participants in our stats programme saw new orders,
shipments and backlogs increase year over year for the
third straight month, marking the first time that we’ve seen
such a continuous positive trend for all three categories
simultaneously since the COVID-boom days in mid-
2021," said Mark Laferriere, assurance partner at Smith
Leonard, the accounting and consulting firm that produces
the monthly report.
See: https://www.smith-leonard.com/2026/09/04/aug-2026-
furniture-insights-2/
and
https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/furniture/residential-
furniture-orders-shipments-backlogs-all-grow
US, China agree on 'more favorable tariff treatment'
The US and China reached new trade and investment
arrangements during President Xi Jinping’s September
2026 state visit to Washington, including the relaxation of
tariffs affecting sawnwood and other wood products
exported from the US to China, while the Chinese goods
coming to the US targeted for relief are non-furniture
items like small appliances, toys and holiday decorations.
According to a 25 September White House fact sheet, the
US-China Board of Trade, which was operationalised
during the visit, reached consensus on recommendations
for more favorable tariff treatment covering US$30 billion
of non-sensitive goods in each direction.
On 27 September, the White House released additional
details on the US-China Board of Trade, including its
working procedures, the terms of reference for the 30-
FOR-30 framework and the 30-FOR-30 lists of products
recommended for reduced tariff treatment.
The two sides agreed that the initial focus of the Board of
Trade is to be on a dialogue to consider lists of mutually
agreed-upon imported goods totaling roughly US$30
billion on each side, with a view toward providing reduced
tariff treatment to those goods in a reciprocal manner.
The two sides further agreed to work expeditiously to
identify certain goods for inclusion in the “30-for-30”
framework. The Board of Trade also launched a working
group to address barriers to agricultural market access.
Currently, wooden furniture coming from China remains
subject to existing duties. This includes previous Section
301 tariffs, plus heavy anti-dumping duties, which can
reach more than 200% for specific items like wooden
bedroom furniture.
See: https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/09/fact-sheet-
president-donald-j-trump-advances-a-fair-and-reciprocal-
relationship-with-china-while-hosting-historic-state-visit/
and
https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-
industry-news/us-china-agree-more-favorable-tariff-treatment-
30b-goods
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