The latest Producer Price Index (PPI) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows prices for materials used in door and window manufacturing mostly increased, not only from February to March 2023, but on a year-over-year basis as well.

In March, the monthly PPI for flat glass in the commodity category was the first to drop, sliding 0.1% from the previous month, while remaining up 10.6% compared to the previous year. According to BLS, the commodity classification “organizes products and services by similarity or material composition, regardless of the industry classification of the producing establishment.”

The index for flat glass manufacturing in the industry classification also dropped from February, down 0.5%, but remained in the positive on a year-over-year basis, up 11.7% from March of 2022. The industry classification measures “changes in prices received for the industry’s output sold outside the industry (that is, its net output).”

The PPI for metal windows increased by 0.1% from February, clocking in at 9.1% over the March 2022 report. Prices for metal doors and frames leveled out from February to March, but improved by 4.4% compared to last year. Prices for wood window units rose 0.3% from the previous month and was up 18.2% on a year-over-year basis. Prices for wood doors for interior and exterior applications also flat-lined in March 2023, but increased by 15.8% over March 2022 pricing.

The price for thermoplastic resins and plastic materials went up 1.4% over February 2023, but saw a drop of 8.8% from March of last year. Prices for fiberglass plastic products increased by 1.3% from the previous month and had an increase of 15.5% over the previous March.

The cost of builders’ hardware, which includes hardware used in doors and windows, showed no change from February to March, but rose by 4.0% from March 2022.

Monthly and Yearly Change in Door and Window Material Prices