US Wood Tariffs: An Updated Tariff Landscape

The introduction of new tariff rates on imports of conifer wood products and related derivatives represents a potential driver of competitive realignment in the U.S. Wood & Furniture market.
In particular, starting from October 14, the Trump administration imposed a fixed duty of 10% on imports of conifer wood from all trade partners. As for derivative products — such as upholstered wooden furniture and kitchen and bathroom furniture — the applied rate is 25%, with the exception of countries benefiting from specific trade agreements with the United States, for which the rate set by the existing agreements remains in force (for example, for the European Union the rate is set at 15%).

The three reference tables, divided by product category — Conifer sawnwood and timber, Upholstered wooden furniture, Kitchen and bathroom furniture — cross 2024 export values with the updated tariff schedule, providing the basis to read the impact by country and understand how the competitive balance might evolve for the main suppliers of these products to the United States.

Tab.1 - Conifer sawnwood and timber

In the Conifer sawnwood segment, the United States imports mainly from Canada, which in 2024 exported to the U.S. market for a total value of over five and a half billion dollars.
The tariff introduced on these products is a uniform 10% for all major trade partners. The flat rate facilitates price comparability: the competitive lever therefore remains primarily cost, logistics, and quality rather than specific tariff advantages.
Canada’s dominance is unlikely to be dented by a symmetrical duty; European exporters remain high-value niche players, where certifications and the selection of raw materials make the difference.

Tab.2 - Upholstered wooden furniture

Turning to Upholstered wooden furniture, the picture is more diversified: Vietnam (USD 3.7 billion) and China (USD 2.3 billion) are the top two suppliers, but will face high duties (25%). They are followed by Mexico (USD 734 mln, 25%), Italy (USD 308 mln, 15%), and Canada (USD 256 mln, 25%).
With the end of the 0% rate, U.S. buyers will rebalance purchases: large volumes remain in Asia and North America for price reasons, while in the mid-to-high ranges space opens up for Europe — especially Italy and, to some extent, France — favored by lower duties (15%). In practice, a competitive corridor emerges for European producers focused on higher value-added offerings.

Tab.3 - Kitchen and bathroom furniture

In the Kitchen and bathroom furniture segment, Vietnam (USD 2.1 billion) and China (USD 1.6 billion) remain at the top, affected by 25%; they are followed at a distance by Canada (USD 913 mln, 25%) and Mexico (USD 678 mln, 25%).
Italy (about USD 543 mln) ranks fifth but benefits from a 15% rate, significantly lower than its main competitors.
The increase in these rates reduces the appeal of the major Asian and Canadian hubs, while the 15% leaves Italy a competitive space for design and customization that can offset production/logistics costs.

Conclusions

The new U.S. tariff framework shifts the focus from pure cost advantage to producers’ ability to create perceived value, resulting in significant competitive repercussions depending on the product segment. In the case of conifer wood, Canada maintains its leadership thanks to the uniform 10% rate. For upholstered furniture and kitchen/bathroom furniture, however, the new tariff structure penalizes traditional low-cost suppliers such as China and Vietnam, opening competitive opportunities for Europe, with Italy particularly favored in the mid-to-high ranges thanks to a lower 15% rate.

The reaction of U.S. demand will therefore depend on the extent to which consumers change their choices in response to the relative price shifts resulting from the duties levied on different international suppliers.