It seems like a never-ending list. The list of things that are in short supply. The latest is pressure treated wood. That's right, wood. If you were thinking of building a new deck or putting a fence in, you might want to check with your contractor or store before you start.

Our son Logan has been spending the summer digging holes and helping his uncle build fences with Extreme Fencing in Tea, South Dakota. We had caught wind a couple of times that Eric, the owner had to make trips to Brookings, or Sioux City to pick up some wood for a project. As I write this, I just received a text that they recently found wood and are actually building one right now. But it's in short supply.

So why the shortage of wood? There are a couple of factors. Hurricanes for one. According to the National Association of Home Builders,

Wood prices went up by 30% between Hurricane Harvey in August 2017 and January 2018.

And that's just for starters. In British Columbia, Beatle infestations and wildfires have created havoc on the industry along with skyrocketing trucking costs. Oh, and yes, China is buying more too.

As you can tell by the photo, we are ready for a new deck at our house. Due to the shortage, we opted for a few repairs to keep it safe and hope it will hold out another winter or two.

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