Prices for materials used in door and window manufacturing continued to increase from April 2021 to May 2021, while also rising on a year-over-year basis, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

In May, the monthly PPI for flat glass in the commodity category remained positive, increasing by 0.2% from the previous month and a full 4.0% over 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 continued the positive reports, up 0.8% from April 2021, and up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. 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 1.9% in one month, and increased 8.3% compared to the May 2020 report. Prices for metal doors and frames also increased from April to May, improving 1.6%, and growing 9.3% since last year. Prices for wood window units showed no change from April to May but were up 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. Wood doors for interior and exterior applications continued the trend of increasing prices, up 0.3% over April 2021 and 8.0% over May 2020.

The price for thermoplastic resins and plastic materials continued the trend of increasing prices, with month-over-month coming in at 0.4% over April 2021, and clocking a 57.0% increase compared to May 2020. Prices for fiberglass plastic products increased 1.4% from April to May but was up 8.1% over the same time last year.

The cost of builders’ hardware, which includes hardware used in doors and windows, increased 0.9% from April to May, but rose by 3.3% from May 2020.

Monthly and Yearly Change in Door and Window Material Prices