Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Has Timber Prices and Shortages Impacting EU and UK Wood Projects

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions applied by the EU and UK on Russia for that action have European architects and designers struggling to source wood for their projects. And it is easy to see why: In 2021, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine provided nearly a quarter of the worldwide lumber trade and 53% of the EU’s timber imports.

There are still limited supplies available, but with everyone now drawing from the same but smaller pool of material suppliers, the fear of shortages and higher prices is growing. The shortages have already impacted several projects, with timber-frame contractors either canceling commitments or refusing to set material costs in advance, as the cost of timber rises almost daily. Users are reporting that the cost of solid oak and birch plywood have doubled in the past few months. Structural timbers have increased by 20%.