February 2026 Whole House Commodity Report

By Don Magruder

Material cost Inflation Impacts Index over the last 30 days. The RoMac Building Supply Whole House Commodity Index (Index) for February 2026 increased a whopping 2.3 percent to $52,938 over the last month, and it is at the highest level since September 2022. A combination of mill curtailments and shutdowns, along with tariff and duty challenges, is finally catching up with the market despite lackluster housing demand. The latest housing starts announced in January for October 2025 were down 7.8 percent from the prior year, and residential home sales, according to the National Association of Realtors®, were down 8.4 percent. With housing activity at these levels, it is hard to understand how prices can surge, but the disruptions are forcing mills and manufacturers to cut production.

As most builders know all too well, the fixed costs of operating businesses are not declining, nor are labor costs, especially amid ongoing immigration issues. These costs have been building in the supply areas for some time, and with the increases in wood commodity prices this month, they are now manifesting in the Index. Housing starts remain weak, and the risk for builders is that any meaningful increase in housing starts will result in even larger inflationary gains in commodities and labor because the capacity has continued to shrink.

Here are the significant price movers over the last 30 days

1. CDX Plywood was up 10.4 percent, and OSB sheathing was up a whopping 33.7 percent.

2. #2 Yellow pine 2x4 was up 8.8 percent while 2x6 pine was down 3.8 percent and 2x12 pine dropped 3.1 percent.

3. Spruce studs were up 5.6 percent, while 2x4 dimensional spruce added 3.5 percent, and 2x6 spruce increased 4.5 percent.

4. Treated 2x4 pine was up 7.4 percent, while 4x4 treated pine added 1.4 percent.

5. After three months of increases in pine, truss pricing increased 9.2 percent on higher wood and labor pricing.

6. CDX Plywood was up 10.4 percent, and OSB sheathing was up a whopping 33.7 percent. 

7. #2 Yellow pine 2x4 up 8.8 percent while 2x6 pine was down 3.8 percent and 2x12 pine dropped 3.1 percent.

8. Spruce studs were up 5.6 percent, while 2x4 dimensional spruce added 3.5 percent, and 2x6 spruce increased 4.5 percent.

9. Treated 2x4 pine was up 7.4 percent, while 4x4 treated pine added 1.4 percent.

10. After three months of increases in pine, truss pricing increased 9.2 percent on higher wood and labor pricing.

Let’s get ready for a great spring home-selling season. 

The RoMac Building Supply Whole House Commodity Index is based on wholesale costs for the base components required to build a 2,200-square-foot wood-frame home with a concrete stem wall in Central Florida. The Index includes foundation, metal, concrete, block, stucco, cement, wood framing, siding, sheathings, trusses, roofing, drywall, insulation, windows, doors, trim, garage doors, and most building hardware. It does not include décor, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, landscaping, or labor. Because the Index uses current wholesale costs, this should be a strong indicator of the direction of building prices for the next 30-45 days.

Don Magruder is the Chief Executive Officer of RoMac Building Supply in Central Florida.

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