Framing & Wood
4 indexesUsed in: Framing, sheathing, subfloors, trim, windows and doors
One year+8.3%
Since Jan 2020+40.2%
Construction costs · national producer price indexes
Illinois Construction Material Prices: Lumber, Concrete, Steel & More
Official monthly U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Indexes help Illinois homeowners and builders compare how much more or less construction materials cost than in earlier periods. These national indexes measure relative producer price levels—not dollar prices or Illinois store prices.
National PPI · not Illinois retail prices
Inputs to residential construction, goods
349.0Producer price index · Aug 2026
- One-year change
- +7.8%
- Since Jan 2020
- +53.1%
- Below recorded peak
- 0.0%Peak: Aug 2026
BLS special index
Construction materials
National producer price index, not a material price in dollars.
375.9+10.1% over one yearAug 2026
Latest release: Aug 2026Last checked: Oct 3, 2026, 7:08 PM CT
Material categories
Editorial groupings of available national series. Choose a category to inspect its recorded history.
Concrete & Masonry
4 indexesUsed in: Foundations, slabs, driveways, block and brick
One year+3.5%
Since Jan 2020+44.8%
Metals
3 indexesUsed in: Structural steel, rebar, connectors and beams
One year+16.3%
Since Jan 2020+81.0%
Roofing, Insulation & Drywall
3 indexesUsed in: Roofing, insulation and drywall
One year+1.3%
Since Jan 2020+50.4%
Electrical & Plumbing
3 indexesUsed in: Wire, fixtures and pipe
One year+11.9%
Since Jan 2020+61.2%
Finishes
1 indexUsed in: Paint
One year+5.9%
Since Jan 2020+50.6%
Recorded national series
Explore the indexes
Compare national producer price index levels or change from the start of the selected range.
Chart mode
National producer price indexes
Framing & Wood
Time range
Softwood lumberLumber & woodPlywoodMillworkRDN Category Index
Index levels are relative measures, not dollars or Illinois retail prices. Observations before January 2000 are quarterly samples in this chart; later observations are monthly. The RDN Category Index is an equal-weighted editorial composite, not an official BLS index.
Series start dates: Softwood lumber: Jan 1947; Lumber & wood: Jan 1926; Plywood: Jan 1947; Millwork: Jan 1964.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, retrieved from FRED®: Softwood lumber; Lumber & wood; Plywood; Millwork.
Recorded comparisons
Change by index
Comparisons use available reported observations. Sort buttons order series within each category.
Warm: higher producer prices, potential cost pressure Cool: lower producer pricesBelow peak is a distance from the recorded high, not a change over time.
| National BLS index | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headline construction indexes | |||||||
| Residential construction inputs | +0.9% | +7.8% | +10.8% | +28.8% | +68.4% | +53.1% | 0.0% |
| Construction materials | +0.3% | +10.1% | +12.6% | +20.1% | +74.0% | +61.1% | 0.0% |
| Framing & Wood | |||||||
| Softwood lumber | −1.9% | +11.8% | +10.6% | +2.8% | +43.2% | +33.3% | +49.3% |
| Lumber & wood | −1.5% | +7.6% | +12.1% | +1.2% | +38.9% | +36.8% | +38.0% |
| Plywood | +1.5% | +10.7% | +8.1% | −8.3% | +51.4% | +54.1% | +36.3% |
| Millwork | −0.1% | +3.2% | +7.7% | +23.1% | +47.3% | +37.6% | +0.1% |
| Concrete & Masonry | |||||||
| Ready-mix concrete | +0.1% | +2.3% | +7.5% | +30.8% | +55.5% | +40.3% | +0.2% |
| Concrete products | +0.4% | +4.2% | +10.8% | +37.6% | +65.0% | +48.1% | 0.0% |
| Brick & clay tile | +0.3% | +1.0% | +7.6% | +26.3% | +42.6% | +34.5% | 0.0% |
| Sand & gravel | −0.3% | +6.8% | +21.5% | +45.3% | +81.8% | +57.2% | +0.3% |
| Metals | |||||||
| Steel mill products | +1.7% | +23.4% | +18.0% | −4.5% | +116.2% | +103.5% | +15.2% |
| Structural metal | +1.5% | +3.1% | +1.6% | +18.2% | +84.2% | +62.9% | +2.9% |
| Bar joists & rebar | +3.2% | +23.6% | +5.7% | +19.6% | +96.1% | +78.7% | 0.0% |
| Roofing, Insulation & Drywall | |||||||
| Asphalt roofing | +0.5% | +3.9% | +9.2% | +29.9% | +65.9% | +50.8% | 0.0% |
| Insulation | +0.5% | +1.1% | +7.9% | +26.7% | +54.8% | +49.5% | +0.4% |
| Gypsum & drywall | 0.0% | −0.9% | +4.6% | +24.2% | +61.6% | +50.9% | +1.8% |
| Electrical & Plumbing | |||||||
| Copper wire | +4.2% | +27.2% | +56.8% | +49.1% | +150.1% | +99.4% | 0.0% |
| Plumbing fixtures | 0.0% | +5.1% | +14.7% | +28.8% | +53.1% | +35.4% | 0.0% |
| Plastic construction products | −0.2% | +4.8% | +3.5% | +17.6% | +67.1% | +55.0% | +1.9% |
| Finishes | |||||||
| Paint | +1.6% | +5.9% | +8.7% | +35.2% | +68.1% | +50.6% | 0.0% |
One-year comparisons
Largest recorded moves
Ranked national producer price indexes, using each series’ latest reported month.
Biggest increases
- Copper wireLatest: Aug 2026+27.2%
- Bar joists & rebarLatest: Aug 2026+23.6%
- Steel mill productsLatest: Aug 2026+23.4%
- Softwood lumberLatest: Aug 2026+11.8%
- PlywoodLatest: Aug 2026+10.7%
Biggest decreases
- Gypsum & drywallLatest: Aug 2026−0.9%
Illustrative index sensitivity
Project material cost estimator
Scale a materials amount you provide by changes in national producer price indexes. Calculations happen in your browser; nothing is stored or sent.
Enter your own historical materials amount, not the whole project cost.
Category mix
Illustrative editorial assumptions — not sourced cost breakdowns.
Selected weights: 100%.
Materials only. This illustration excludes labor, permits, delivery, local Illinois pricing and supplier markups. National producer indexes are relative price measures, not dollar prices. This is not a supplier quote or a forecast.
How to read these indexes
Different measures answer different questions. An index is a comparison over time, not a local price tag.
Producer prices, not dollars
The BLS Producer Price Index measures average changes in selling prices received by domestic producers. An index level is relative to its specified base period—for example, 1982=100—and is not a price in dollars.
National scope
BLS does not publish state-level PPIs for these materials. Illinois retail and installed prices also reflect transport, dealer markups, local demand and labor. No series here should be read as an Illinois supplier quote.
Release timing and comparisons
These are monthly, not seasonally adjusted observations. Recent months may be preliminary and revised about four months later. Comparison windows count back from each series’ latest available release month, which may differ between series.
RDN Category Index
Each available category composite is an equal-weighted geometric mean of its member series, rebased to 100 at their first common month. It is an Illinois RDN editorial composite, not an official BLS index.
History shown on charts
Chart points before 2000 are quarterly samples; later chart points are monthly. Summary statistics are calculated from full monthly history, including months omitted from the pre-2000 chart display.
Estimator assumptions
Project-mix weights are editable editorial illustrations, not sourced bills of materials. The estimator applies recorded national index movements to an amount you enter; it cannot calculate an Illinois purchase or installation price.
Frequently asked questions
Are these Illinois material prices?
No. These are national producer price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. They do not measure Illinois store prices, delivered prices or contractor quotes.
Why don’t you show the price of a 2×4?
An index measures relative price change across a defined group of products, not the price of a particular board. Retail prices also depend on grade, dimensions, location, transportation and seller.
How much have lumber prices changed since 2020?
Use the “Since Jan 2020” column in the change table for each available wood-products index. The indexes cover different products and may move differently; the displayed comparison is calculated from recorded observations rather than a single retail lumber price.
How often is this updated?
Stored source data are checked daily. BLS generally publishes producer price indexes monthly, around the middle of the following month. Reporting periods differ by series, and recently published values may be revised.
Can I use this to adjust a contractor quote?
Use the indexes for rough historical context only, not as a substitute for a current, itemized local quote. A contract may have its own price-escalation terms; ask a qualified professional to explain terms before signing.
What does “% below peak” mean?
It compares the latest recorded index level with that series’ highest recorded level. It does not mean the current dollar price is discounted by that percentage, and a zero value means the latest level is at its recorded peak.
Methods & provenance
Source inventory
Every displayed series is a national BLS producer price index, not a dollar price or an Illinois retail observation.
| Category | BLS index | FRED series ID | First observation | Latest period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| headline | Inputs to residential construction, goods | WPUIP2311001 | Jun 1986 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| headline | Construction materials | WPUSI012011 | Jan 1947 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| framing & wood | Softwood lumber | WPU0811 | Jan 1947 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| framing & wood | Lumber and wood products | WPU081 | Jan 1926 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| framing & wood | Plywood | WPU083 | Jan 1947 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| framing & wood | Millwork | WPU0821 | Jan 1964 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| concrete & masonry | Ready-mixed concrete | WPU1333 | Jan 1971 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| concrete & masonry | Concrete products | WPU133 | Jan 1926 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| concrete & masonry | Brick and structural clay tile | WPU1342 | Dec 1984 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| concrete & masonry | Construction sand and gravel | PCU212321212321 | Jan 1965 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| metals | Steel mill products | WPU1017 | Jan 1939 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| metals | Fabricated structural metal | WPU107405 | Jun 1981 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| metals | Fabricated bar joists and rebar | WPU1074051 | Jan 1961 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| roofing & envelope | Asphalt roofing | WPU136101 | Jan 1975 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| roofing & envelope | Insulation materials | WPU1392 | Jan 1947 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| roofing & envelope | Gypsum building materials | WPU13710102 | Feb 1994 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| electrical & plumbing | Copper wire and cable | WPU10260314 | Dec 1986 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| electrical & plumbing | Plumbing fixtures, fittings and trim | WPU105402 | Jan 1975 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| electrical & plumbing | Plastic construction products | WPU0721 | Jan 1970 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |
| finishes | Prepared paint | WPU0621 | Jan 1935 | Aug 2026 | FRED source page |