GREENFIELD, Wis.— If you are in the market for new home furniture, particularly anything custom, you may be waiting a while to get it. 

Across the country furniture stores are seeing unprecedented delays when it comes to getting furniture in stock. What used to take eight to 12 weeks may now take up to eight to 12 months.

Shopper Katy Rodberg was glad to find a recliner in stock at Biltrite Furniture in Greenfield after shopping around other places without luck. 

“I’ve been looking for a chair for the past two weeks and everything has been coming in August or later," says Rodberg.

While many standard items like mattresses and chairs remain in abundant supply at Biltrite, store owners Randi and Gail K. say the store has not been spared entirely from the challenges.

When it comes to custom furniture specifically, keeping up with demand has been a big challenge.

“We have some builders out maybe 20 weeks where before it was maybe eight weeks. It's those more customized options,” says Randi K. 

So what is contributing to the shortage? It is a myriad of factors.

First off, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand as more people look to spend their disposable income on home related decor. 

“It was the demand; factories can only produce as much as they can in a given timeframe,” says Gail K. 

Other factors have also contributed, including a national foam shortage. Foam is used to make everything from mattresses to ottomans and couches. Severe storms in Texas impacted the petroleum industry; foam rationing went into effect limiting the supply. 

It has all led to challenges for furniture stores. 

“Its labor, supply, trucking, high demand, foam shortages, all this big bubble its causing,” says Randi K. 

At this point it isn’t clear when supply may start returning to normal, but it is expected to take some time. ​