Trump Imposes New Tariffs on Lumber and Furniture: What This Means for You
President Donald Trump has taken a bold step that could significantly impact the cost of building and furnishing homes across the United States. On Monday, he announced hefty new tariffs on imported wood products, including lumber, kitchen cabinets, and upholstered furniture. This move comes at a time when prices for home construction and furnishings have already been climbing, raising concerns about further cost increases for consumers.
In an official proclamation, Trump declared that starting October 14, the U.S. will impose a 10% tariff on imported softwood lumber and timber—materials widely used in construction and various wood products. Additionally, a 25% tariff will be applied to kitchen cabinets, vanities, and upholstered wooden furniture. But here’s where it gets even more controversial: beginning January 1, the tariff on cabinets will jump to 50%, and the tariff on upholstered furniture will rise to 30%.
Trump first revealed these tariff plans in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, last Thursday. According to the proclamation, these tariffs are designed to protect and strengthen American industries, enhance national security, and create more high-quality jobs within the country.
He stated, “In my judgment, the actions in this proclamation will, among other things, strengthen supply chains, bolster industrial resilience, create high-quality jobs, and increase domestic capacity utilization for wood products such that the United States can fully satisfy domestic consumption while also creating economic benefits through increased exports.” Essentially, Trump argues that these tariffs will help the U.S. become more self-reliant in wood production and reduce dependence on foreign imports.
This move follows a directive from the White House earlier this year, when the Commerce Department was tasked with investigating whether imported lumber—mostly from Canada—poses a threat to U.S. national security. Trump has repeatedly criticized Canada, America’s largest lumber supplier, accusing it of flooding the U.S. market with lumber and imposing unfair tariffs on American wood products.
Trump insists that the U.S. has ample timber resources to meet its own needs, pointing to an “abundance of timber resources that are more than adequate to meet our domestic timber production needs.” However, this perspective is not without its critics.
Industry experts caution that the situation is far more complex. While the U.S. does boast around 300 billion trees, economists and homebuilders warn that the country currently lacks the industrial infrastructure to process enough lumber to meet demand. Imposing steep tariffs on Canadian lumber could inadvertently drive up the cost of building materials, which in turn might push housing prices even higher—exacerbating the already serious housing affordability crisis.
Lumber is a cornerstone of the American homebuilding industry, with roughly 30% of the softwood lumber used annually being imported from Canada. It’s important to note that Canadian lumber imports are already subject to countervailing and anti-dumping duties totaling 14.5%, so these new tariffs add another layer of cost.
The impact of tariffs isn’t limited to lumber. Furniture prices have also seen a notable increase over the past year, partly due to tariffs imposed on imports from China and Vietnam—two of the largest exporters of furniture to the U.S., with combined exports valued at $12 billion last year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, furniture prices rose 4.7% from August 2024 to August 2025, with living room and dining room furniture experiencing a sharp 9.5% increase over the past 12 months.
Before these tariffs, furniture prices had generally been declining for over two years. Trump argues that foreign manufacturers have oversupplied the U.S. market, harming domestic producers, and that these tariffs are necessary to revive American manufacturing strength.
The announcement of these tariffs has already rattled the stock market, with shares of major furniture retailers like Wayfair, RH, and Williams-Sonoma dropping in recent days. Trump has highlighted the struggles of U.S.-based furniture makers, particularly in states like North Carolina, which has seen its once-thriving furniture industry decline.
In a Truth Social post, Trump blamed the “large scale ‘FLOODING’” of imported products for the challenges faced by American manufacturers. He emphasized the need to protect U.S. manufacturing for reasons of national security and economic fairness.
But here’s the part most people miss: While these tariffs aim to protect domestic industries, they could also lead to higher prices for everyday consumers and slow down the housing market’s recovery. Is the trade-off worth it? Could there be alternative strategies to support American manufacturers without burdening consumers?
What do you think? Are these tariffs a necessary step to safeguard U.S. industries, or do they risk doing more harm than good? Share your thoughts and join the conversation below!
Correction: This article has been updated to reflect the accurate tariff increases scheduled for January 1.
