Price trends, forecasts, and supply data for gypsum wallboard, fiberglass batts, spray foam, and mineral wool.
Current direction, confidence, year-over-year change, and volatility.
Insulation and drywall are high-volume, relatively low-cost materials that nonetheless have outsized budget impact due to the sheer quantities required in most projects. Gypsum wallboard alone is used in virtually every interior partition and ceiling, and insulation is required in all exterior envelope assemblies and increasingly in interior partitions for sound control.
The gypsum wallboard market is an oligopoly dominated by four manufacturers (USG/Knauf, National Gypsum, Georgia-Pacific, CertainTeed) that control over 95% of U.S. production capacity. This concentration gives producers significant pricing power, and the heavy, fragile nature of wallboard limits economical shipping distances to roughly 300 miles from the manufacturing plant.
Gypsum wallboard is manufactured regionally throughout the U.S., with plants strategically located to serve construction markets within a 200-300 mile radius. Supply is primarily domestic, though some Canadian imports supplement northern markets. The concentrated producer base means that plant shutdowns or maintenance outages can quickly tighten regional supply.
Insulation products have more diverse supply chains. Fiberglass batts are manufactured domestically by Owens Corning, Knauf, and CertainTeed. Spray foam chemicals are produced by multinational chemical companies. Mineral wool is manufactured by Rockwool (with expanding U.S. production) and Thermafiber. Lead times are typically 1-3 weeks for standard products.
Current risk factors affecting insulation & drywall availability and lead times.
Drywall demand follows construction activity, peaking in spring through fall. Producers typically announce price increases in Q1. Insulation demand has become less seasonal as energy code compliance requirements ensure year-round installation. Winter weather can disrupt drywall deliveries in northern markets.
For details on how we calculate these forecasts, see our methodology. View all categories on the Price Index overview.
Wallboard is heavy and fragile, making it expensive to ship. Prices are set regionally based on proximity to manufacturing plants, local competition, and market demand. Coastal and remote markets typically pay 15-30% more than markets near production facilities.
Increasingly stringent energy codes (IECC 2021, local amendments) require higher R-values and continuous insulation in many assemblies. This increases insulation material quantities by 20-50% compared to previous code cycles, impacting project budgets even when unit prices are stable.
Spray foam costs 2-4x more per R-value than fiberglass batts but provides air sealing benefits that batts cannot match. For budget-constrained projects, hybrid approaches (spray foam at air barrier, batts to fill remaining cavity) offer a cost-effective compromise.
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