Wood and Faux Beam Cost Statistics
In October 2026 (preliminary), US producer prices for lumber were 31.0% above their 2019 average and goods used in residential construction 55.8% above, while 43.9% of homes in the Sacramento area and 62.7% in the Bay Area were built before 1980 (ACS 2020-2024).
This page collects the public numbers behind beam costs: what producers charge for lumber, for urethane foam products and for the goods that go into a new home, plus how old the housing is in two of the markets we serve, the Sacramento area and the Bay Area. They are price indexes and housing counts, not beam prices.
The numbers at a glance
+31.0%
Lumber, October 2026 (preliminary) vs the 2019 average. Softwood lumber +28.9%, hardwood lumber +32.2%.
+19.0%
Urethane and other foam products, October 2026 (preliminary) vs the 2019 average
Source: BLS PPI, PCU326150326150
+55.8%
Goods used in residential construction, October 2026 (preliminary) vs the 2019 average. All final demand: +35.6%.
Source: BLS PPI, WPUIP2311001 and WPUFD4
43.9%
Homes in the Sacramento area (El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties) built before 1980, margin of error +/-0.5 points
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024, B25034
62.7%
Homes in the nine Bay Area counties built before 1980, margin of error +/-0.3 points
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024, B25034
Producer prices for wood, foam and building goods
U.S. Producer Price Index, not seasonally adjusted. Oct 2026 values are preliminary.
| Series | 2019 average | Oct 2025 | Oct 2026 (P) | Change vs 2019 average | Change over 12 months | Highest month since 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lumber WPU081, 1982=100 | 210.4 | 259.115 | 275.584 | +31.0% | +6.4% | May 2021: 462.0 (+119.6% vs 2019) |
| Softwood lumber WPU0811, 1982=100 | 215.4 | 251.036 | 277.612 | +28.9% | +10.6% | May 2021: 581.5 (+170.0% vs 2019) |
| Hardwood lumber WPU0812, 1982=100 | 215.1 | 282.345 | 284.331 | +32.2% | +0.7% | May 2022: 316.108 (+47.0% vs 2019) |
| Urethane and other foam products PCU326150326150, Dec 2003=100 | 165.7 | 196.369 | 197.210 | +19.0% | +0.4% | Dec 2022: 205.209 (+23.8% vs 2019) |
| Inputs to residential construction, goods WPUIP2311001, Jun 1986=100 | 227.9 | 323.182 | 355.005 | +55.8% | +9.8% | Sep 2026: 355.005 (P), tied by Oct 2026 (P) (+55.8% vs 2019) |
| All final demand (benchmark) WPUFD4, Nov 2009=100 | 118.2 | 150.439 | 160.248 | +35.6% | +6.5% | Oct 2026: 160.248 (P) (+35.6% vs 2019) |
Index levels are not comparable across rows: each series has its own base period. Compare the percentage changes. The final demand index covers all goods, services and construction sold by US producers and is here as a benchmark.
How old are the homes in the Sacramento area and the Bay Area?
All housing units, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024. Margins of error at 90% confidence in brackets.
| Area | Housing units | Median year built | Built before 1980 | Built 2010 or later |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento area (4 counties) | 954,751 | – | 43.9% (±0.5) | 9.0% (±0.2) |
| El Dorado County | 94,653 | 1983 (±1) | 44.7% (±1.7) | 7.3% (±0.6) |
| Placer County | 179,266 | 1994 (±1) | 28.1% (±0.8) | 14.6% (±0.6) |
| Sacramento County | 598,385 | 1981 (±1) | 48.4% (±0.6) | 7.4% (±0.3) |
| Yolo County | 82,447 | 1983 (±2) | 45.0% (±1.7) | 10.6% (±0.9) |
| Bay Area (9 counties) | 3,007,420 | – | 62.7% (±0.3) | 8.1% (±0.1) |
| Alameda County | 637,212 | 1969 (±1) | 65.3% (±0.7) | 8.2% (±0.3) |
| Contra Costa County | 429,260 | 1978 (±1) | 53.2% (±0.9) | 6.9% (±0.3) |
| Marin County | 112,116 | 1967 (±1) | 74.9% (±1.8) | 2.9% (±0.4) |
| Napa County | 55,817 | 1976 (±1) | 57.1% (±3.4) | 6.8% (±0.7) |
| San Francisco County | 414,602 | 1946 (±1) | 76.5% (±0.9) | 8.0% (±0.3) |
| San Mateo County | 287,184 | 1966 (±1) | 72.5% (±1.1) | 6.5% (±0.3) |
| Santa Clara County | 698,837 | 1975 (±1) | 59.7% (±0.6) | 10.6% (±0.3) |
| Solano County | 164,693 | 1982 (±1) | 45.2% (±1.2) | 7.4% (±0.5) |
| Sonoma County | 207,699 | 1979 (±1) | 52.2% (±1.2) | 7.4% (±0.5) |
| California | 14,644,735 | 1976 (±1) | 56.0% (±0.1) | 7.9% (±0.1) |
| United States | 143,775,355 | 1980 (±1) | 49.7% (±0.0) | 11.4% (±0.0) |
Sacramento area = El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties (the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom metro area). Bay Area = Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma counties. Area totals add the county estimates.
Real wood beams vs faux: what lumber prices did from 2019 to 2026
US producer prices for lumber were 31.0% above their 2019 average in October 2026 (preliminary), down from a May 2021 peak of 119.6% above, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index. Read the study for the monthly chart and how lumber compares with foam products.
What this means if you are planning a beam project
- Material prices have reset higher since 2019.
All 6 indexes on this page are above their 2019 averages. Goods used in residential construction rose the most of the 6 (+55.8%), lumber rose 31.0% and urethane foam products 19.0%. A budget based on 2019 prices is likely to come in low.
- Lumber is the one that swings.
Lumber peaked at 119.6% above its 2019 average in May 2021. Our study tracks the month-by-month moves. If you are pricing solid timber, ask how long the quote holds.
- Older homes are common here.
62.7% of Bay Area homes and 43.9% of Sacramento-area homes were built before 1980. Among the 13 counties, median year built runs from 1946 in San Francisco to 1994 in Placer. A quote starts from the room you have, so we start by asking for photos, the room size and the ceiling height.
- These are not beam prices.
A producer price index tracks what producers receive, not what a finished beam costs installed. See what drives a beam quote, or ask for a free rough estimate from photos.
Sources and limits
Sources
- BLS PPI: PPI Commodity data for Lumber and wood products-Lumber (series WPU081), monthly 2016 to October 2026.
- BLS PPI: PPI Commodity data for Lumber and wood products-Softwood lumber (series WPU0811), monthly 2016 to October 2026.
- BLS PPI: PPI Commodity data for Lumber and wood products-Hardwood lumber (series WPU0812), monthly 2016 to October 2026.
- BLS PPI: PPI industry data for Urethane and other foam product mfg. (series PCU326150326150), monthly 2016 to October 2026.
- BLS PPI: PPI Commodity data for Inputs to residential construction, goods (series WPUIP2311001), monthly 2016 to October 2026.
- BLS PPI: PPI Commodity data for Final demand (series WPUFD4), monthly 2016 to October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020-2024, table B25034 (Year Structure Built) and table B25035 (Median Year Structure Built), for 13 counties, California and the United States.
How the figures are calculated
- Change vs 2019 average = latest monthly index divided by the 2019 annual average published by BLS, minus 1.
- Change over 12 months compares Oct 2026 with Oct 2025.
- Built before 1980 adds the B25034 rows for 1970 to 1979 and every earlier decade. Built 2010 or later adds the rows for 2010 to 2019 and 2020 or later. Margins of error for sums and shares use the Census Bureau approximation formulas.
Limits
- Producer price indexes are national and measure what producers receive. They are not retail or installed prices.
- The Oct 2026 index values, and the three months before, are preliminary and can be revised.
- The urethane foam index covers all urethane and other non-polystyrene foam products, not just decorative beams.
- Year built is reported by survey respondents and is less precise for older homes. The 5-year estimates describe 2020-2024 as a whole, not a single year.
- The index values come from the BLS data viewer and were checked against the BLS Excel export on November 13, 2026.
Use the data
Elite Ceiling Designs. (2026, November 13). Wood and Faux Beam Cost Statistics. https://www.eliteceilingdesigns.com/research/wood-beam-cost-statistics. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Both tables are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit Elite Ceiling Designs and link to this page. Price index CSV · Housing age CSV.
Send a photo and the room size. We will take it from there.
Room dimensions, ceiling height, a photo of the space as it is now, and whether you want it installed or supplied. That is enough to scope it and come back with a rough estimate — free.
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