U.S. wallboard product sales 2010-2023
Building materials in the United States: wallboard
After its tremendous downturn following the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis, the housing industry in the United States is making a comeback, especially in markets like New York, Dallas, and Houston. S&P/Case Shiller's national home price index for the United States was expected to grow to some 278.7 points in 2021, up from around 135 points in 2011, the worst year for U.S. housing in half a decade. As a result, building material manufacturers are trying to tap into the market and have begun to raise prices dramatically. Thus, homebuilders are faced with increasing costs of building materials. Major companies involved in building materials include the United States Gypsum Corporation, Lafarge, and Wacker.Wallboard, which is also known as drywall, plasterboard or gypsum board, is a panel made of gypsum plaster. The panel is usually sandwiched between two thick sheets of paper to make interior wall and ceilings. Wallboard construction is prevalent in North America in comparison to the traditional usage of lath and plaster due to quicker application. Some 42 million metric tons of gypsum was consumed in the U.S. in 2022.