Insulation & Drywall Price Index | Flume
Insulation & Drywall Price Index
Price trends, forecasts, and supply data for gypsum wallboard, fiberglass batts, spray foam, and mineral wool.
Insulation & Drywall price trends
Historical pricing and 6-month forecast for insulation & drywall.
Price Trends & Forecast
This data represents predictive estimates based on market signals and historical trends. It is not financial advice. Flume makes no guarantees regarding accuracy and assumes no liability for decisions based on this data.
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Insulation & Drywall
Updated Aug 3, 2026
Data source: Flume Price Index — historical price trends and 6-month forecasts for 20 construction material categories, normalized to a base index of 100.
Categories covered: Insulation & Drywall.
The Flume Price Index is a predictive model that analyzes macroeconomic indicators, supply chain data, and market signals to forecast construction material price movements. Data is updated monthly. This is not financial advice. Visit tryflume.ai for methodology and full data.
Insulation & Drywall scorecard
Current direction, confidence, year-over-year change, and volatility.
Construction Material Price Index
This data represents predictive estimates based on market signals and historical trends. It is not financial advice. Flume makes no guarantees regarding accuracy and assumes no liability for decisions based on this data.
Insulation & Drywall
+2.1%
▲ Rising
-0.2% YoY● steady
3mo outlook
Updated Aug 3, 2026
Data source: Flume Price Index — price prediction scores across 20 building material categories including direction, confidence level, year-over-year change, volatility, and forecast horizon.
Categories covered: Insulation & Drywall.
Understanding Insulation & Drywall Prices in Construction
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.
Key Pricing Drivers
- Natural gas prices - a major cost input for both gypsum drying and fiberglass melting
- Gypsum rock availability and synthetic gypsum supply from coal power plant scrubbers
- Energy code upgrades requiring higher R-values and continuous insulation
- Residential and commercial construction volume, the primary demand driver
- Transportation costs, which represent a significant portion of delivered wallboard cost
- Petrochemical costs affecting spray foam and rigid foam insulation products
Insulation & Drywall tariff & trade impact
How current tariffs and trade policy affect insulation & drywall pricing.
Tariff Impact
This data represents predictive estimates based on market signals and historical trends. It is not financial advice. Flume makes no guarantees regarding accuracy and assumes no liability for decisions based on this data.
Insulation & Drywall
33.6%301/232
Updated Aug 3, 2026
Data source: Flume Price Index — tariff rate trends and 3-month changes for construction materials by category, showing trade policy impact on building costs.
Categories covered: Insulation & Drywall.
Supply Chain Context
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.
Insulation & Drywall supply chain risk assessment
Current risk factors affecting insulation & drywall availability and lead times.
Supply Chain Risk
This data represents predictive estimates based on market signals and historical trends. It is not financial advice. Flume makes no guarantees regarding accuracy and assumes no liability for decisions based on this data.
Insulation & Drywall
40moderate
Updated Aug 3, 2026
Data source: Flume Price Index — supply chain risk scores for construction material categories combining tariff exposure, freight pressure, and import dependency indicators.
Categories covered: Insulation & Drywall.
Seasonal Patterns
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.
Year-over-year construction material price changes
How insulation & drywall price movements compare across all tracked building materials.
YoY Price Change Heatmap
This data represents predictive estimates based on market signals and historical trends. It is not financial advice. Flume makes no guarantees regarding accuracy and assumes no liability for decisions based on this data.
Year-over-year price change by category. Red = prices rising, green = prices falling.
| Category | Jul '25 | Aug '25 | Sep '25 | Oct '25 | Nov '25 | Dec '25 | Jan '26 | Feb '26 | Mar '26 | Apr '26 | May '26 | Jun '26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appliances | +3.5% | +2.9% | +3.4% | +3.5% | +3.5% | +4.6% | +4.7% | +4.5% | +4.0% | +3.4% | +0.8% | +0.0% |
| Bathroom Fixtures & Vanities | +4.0% | +4.0% | +4.0% | +3.7% | +3.7% | +5.2% | +5.8% | +5.9% | +6.0% | +5.6% | +5.0% | +4.9% |
| Cabinets, Millwork & Panels | +1.9% | +1.7% | +1.8% | +1.7% | +1.3% | +1.7% | +1.8% | +1.5% | +1.7% | +1.8% | +1.4% | +3.7% |
| Concrete & Cement | +1.1% | +0.8% | +1.1% | +0.7% | -0.1% | +0.4% | -0.2% | +0.0% | 0.0% | +0.8% | +0.5% | +0.6% |
| Electrical Wire & Components | +8.4% | +9.5% | +8.7% | +10.4% | +11.7% | +15.7% | +17.7% | +17.8% | +13.8% | +9.2% | +13.9% | +14.4% |
| Flooring | +1.1% | +1.5% | +1.6% | +1.3% | +1.3% | +1.2% | +1.0% | +1.2% | +1.5% | +1.9% | +1.3% | +1.5% |
| HVAC Equipment | +4.2% | +3.5% | +3.5% | +4.6% | +5.1% | +5.1% | +5.2% | +5.7% | +6.7% | +5.4% | +4.3% | +3.2% |
| Hardware & Accessories | +7.1% | +7.1% | +7.5% | +7.4% | +7.4% | +7.8% | +8.0% | +6.9% | +6.5% | +6.5% | +4.9% | +3.4% |
| Insulation & Drywall | +0.9% | +1.0% | +0.4% | +0.0% | +0.0% | +0.1% | -0.2% | -0.6% | -0.8% | -0.5% | -0.4% | -0.1% |
| Interior Doors | +0.5% | +4.0% | +3.9% | +3.5% | +4.2% | +4.8% | +5.4% | +6.0% | +5.9% | +7.7% | +8.1% | +7.2% |
| Lighting Fixtures | +6.0% | +5.9% | +5.7% | +5.7% | +5.6% | +5.7% | +5.7% | +5.4% | +5.1% | +4.1% | +3.5% | +0.9% |
| Lumber & Engineered Wood | +4.0% | +3.6% | -0.7% | -2.3% | -3.5% | -3.9% | -0.5% | -0.6% | -3.4% | +2.5% | +5.3% | +7.1% |
| Paint & Coatings | +1.0% | +3.0% | +2.9% | +3.1% | +3.1% | +3.6% | +3.6% | +4.6% | +4.7% | +5.4% | +6.2% | +6.2% |
| Plumbing & Piping | -16.6% | -16.8% | -16.4% | -9.5% | -9.5% | -10.1% | -9.8% | -2.9% | +13.3% | +13.2% | +15.9% | +16.8% |
| Roofing | +1.2% | +1.9% | +0.9% | -0.1% | +0.7% | +0.3% | -0.6% | +0.5% | -0.2% | +0.4% | -0.4% | +1.1% |
| Steel & Metal Framing | +3.1% | +6.9% | +8.8% | +8.2% | +6.1% | +14.7% | +16.9% | +18.2% | +16.3% | +14.4% | +8.8% | +16.5% |
| Stone & Countertops | +2.8% | +2.8% | +3.7% | +2.9% | +2.7% | +3.4% | +5.6% | +5.4% | +5.7% | +5.7% | +5.9% | +5.9% |
| Tiles & Stone | +0.7% | +3.0% | +1.8% | +1.2% | -0.8% | +1.5% | +0.1% | +1.2% | +0.2% | +0.8% | +0.7% | +0.6% |
| Windows | +5.6% | +8.3% | +8.7% | +8.4% | +9.8% | +10.4% | +9.6% | +9.9% | +9.0% | +9.2% | +9.4% | +8.8% |
Updated Aug 3, 2026
Data source: Flume Price Index — year-over-year price change heatmap across 20 construction material categories by month, showing price acceleration and deceleration patterns.
Categories covered: 20 building material categories.
Frequently asked questions
Why do drywall prices vary by region?
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.
How are energy codes affecting insulation costs?
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.
Is spray foam insulation cost-effective compared to batts?
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.