Prices for materials used in door and window manufacturing took a slight dip from November 2019 to December 2019 and seem to be a mixed bag of ups and downs on a year-over-year basis, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

In December, the monthly PPI for flat glass in the commodity category fell by 0.3% from the previous month and rose by 1%, compared to a year earlier. 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 fell 0.6% from November 2019 and grew 1.4% 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 stayed the same from the November 2019 level and grew 4.6% from the December 2018 report a year ago. Prices for metal doors and frames rose 0.1% in December, growing 1.3% year over year. Prices for wood window units were unchanged for another month in December, but rose 6% on a year-over-year basis. Prices for wood doors for interior and exterior applications were up from November 2019 by 0.2% but down 0.3% compared to December 2018.

The price for thermoplastic resins and plastic materials continues to drop, by 3.3% from November 2019 and by 11.1% compared to December 2018. Prices for fiberglass plastic products went down by 0.8% since November and by 0.1% year over year.

The cost of builders’ hardware, which includes hardware used in doors and windows, was up 0.8% from November to December and that price is 1.6% higher than in December 2018.

Monthly and Yearly Change in Door and Window Material Prices