Fiberglass doors are being manufactured with newer, modern designs. These new designs are contributing to fiberglass growing faster than wood and steel materials, growing at 4.8% by volume compared to wood, which is growing at 4.2% and steel at 3.0%.
Geography has a significant impact on material selection in the residential exterior trim market in part because architectural styles vary regionally. Trim products also vary by region because regional climates vary widely. Different materials are suitable for a given climate because they have varying ability to withstand moisture or are better equipped to withstand thermal contraction.
The mix of pro dealer and retailer locations varies across regions in the United States, driven primarily by demand and population growth. While big box locations are consistent across the country, the proportion of lumberyards, specialty retailers, and specialty one-steppers differs across regions. The Midwest has the highest proportion of lumberyards at 45% of all pro dealer and retail locations, compared to the West where lumberyards have the smallest share, accounting for just 28% of all locations.
According to railing dealers, the fastest-growing railing product over the next three years will be aluminum: a material that is less expensive than stainless steel and which can be used on any type of unit (single family and multifamily low- or high-rise). Aluminum is a favorite of multifamily builders because it is durable and low maintenance, meets commercial code, works with multiple types of infill, and can be powder coated to match a cladding aesthetic.
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Residential builders and contractors surveyed last year by Principia named ease of installation above all other material decision drivers, followed closely by the cost of material and energy cost savings.
Ease of installation is critical to builders and contractors as a result of an ongoing labor shortage plaguing the construction industry. Ninety-three percent of contractors and 90% of builders indicated that lack of skilled or reliable labor would negatively impact their business over the next three years.
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Lumberyards sell more than half of residential exterior trim in the United States, with almost 6,000 locations nationwide. Big-box retailers—such as The Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Menards—are the second-largest outlet for exterior trim materials, with over 3,700 locations, although specialty one-step dealers sell more exterior trim materials by revenue.
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Homeowners are replacing windows in stages more frequently due to budget constraints. This behavior aligns with manufacturers’ price increases, which are being influenced by labor, freight, and raw materials costs. For example, a homeowner may want to improve curb appeal by updating windows in the front of the home and then finish with replacing the remaining windows in the home in following years as finances allow.
Over 17,000 LBM pro dealers and retailers exist in North America, with over 30,000 locations. The most common channel outlet is the lumberyard, with more than one-third of the total pro dealer and retailer locations nationwide. Big box stores account for about 4,000 U.S. locations but represent a growing portion of building products demand despite their national footprint.
In 2018, 37% of homeowners reported that they hired a decking contractor for their recent decking project. When a contractor was used, the deck was twice as likely to be a wood alternative material rather than wood compared to when a homeowner built the deck without a contractor. Homeowners who hire contractors are also likely to take their advice on brand, not just material.
Movable glass wall systems, or MGWS, remove the boundary between the indoor and outdoor living space, and are a popular trend in home design. MGWS are typically comprised of multiple glass panels that lift, slide, or fold along track systems, and are commonly referred to as multi-panel patio doors. MGWS demand is growing, reflected by the 2015–2018 compound annual growth rates (CAGR) for folding, hinged, and sliding MGWS doors shown below.
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