Trump Imposes 10% Wood, 25% Furniture Tariffs

US President Donald Trump announced on Sept. 29 new tariffs on imported wood and furniture, including 10% on wood and 25% on kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and upholstered furniture, expanding measures under Section 232 of the 1974 Trade Act.

The tariffs take effect on Oct. 14 and will rise on Jan. 1 to 30% for upholstered wood products and 50% for cabinets and vanities from countries without US trade agreements. The administration cited national security concerns, arguing that imports have harmed the domestic wood industry, caused factory closures, disrupted supply chains, and reduced US production capacity. Wood’s role in defense infrastructure, ammunition transport, and missile systems was also highlighted.

Canada, the largest US supplier of softwood lumber, faces the steepest impact. Its producers already contend with combined duties of around 35% from a long-standing dispute over publicly harvested timber. Canada has pledged financial support for its lumber sector and is pursuing tariff relief under the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement review.

Mexico and Vietnam, major suppliers of wooden furniture since tariffs on Chinese goods began in 2018, will also be affected. Current tariffs on Chinese furniture imports stand near 55%. Some exemptions apply: wood from the UK is capped at 10%, and imports from the EU and Japan at 15%, under existing trade agreements. A previously announced 20% tariff agreement with Vietnam has not yet been formalized.

Trump has increasingly relied on Section 232 measures while awaiting a Supreme Court decision on broader “reciprocal” tariffs. The US Chamber of Commerce criticized the move, arguing that wood imports do not pose a security risk and that the tariffs will raise costs for US businesses and housing construction.