Finnish Lumber Prices Hit 18-Month High Amid Export Demand and Forest Policy Shifts

Nordic softwood lumber prices have been under upward pressure heading into 2026. Finnish spruce sawfalling has held in the range of roughly $0.78-0.83 per board foot (about EUR 233-248 per cubic yard at source), and while month-to-month changes have been modest, the broader trend over the past 18 months has been steadily higher. The drivers are familiar: strong Asian export demand, sustainability-driven constraints under Finland’s revised National Forest Strategy 2035 (adopted in October 2023), and growing competition from the construction and bioenergy sectors for available timber supply.

Impact on sauna manufacturing

For sauna manufacturers, lumber represents 25-40% of total material costs depending on product type. The cost pressure is particularly real for companies producing traditional Finnish-style saunas that rely on Nordic spruce, pine, and aspen.

Several manufacturers have announced price increases on select product lines, citing raw material costs. Others are absorbing the increases in the short term while evaluating alternative sourcing strategies.

We’re watching these prices very closely. At some point, the cost pressure will force a rethink of materials strategy across the industry.

Alternative materials gaining traction

The lumber cost environment is accelerating interest in alternative materials for sauna construction. Thermally modified wood from producers like Thermory offers an alternative to raw Nordic softwoods for sauna paneling and bench materials, with better dimensional stability and moisture resistance. North American basswood and engineered wood products are also seeing increased specification from manufacturers looking to diversify their material base. At the accessory end of the value chain, legacy Finnish makers like Hukka Design show how non-timber materials such as soapstone can also reduce dependence on volatile lumber inputs for selected sauna products.

Outlook

Market analysts at Fastmarkets and Global Wood Markets Info characterize the Nordic softwood market as stable but not in rebound, with prices unlikely to fall meaningfully while demand from Asia and the bioenergy sector remains strong. For sauna manufacturers, this means continued margin pressure and a stronger incentive to diversify sourcing.