What Materials Will Be Hardest to Get in 2026?

What Materials Will Be Hardest to Get in 2026?

As the U.S construction pipeline stays busy heading into 2026, material demand is being shaped by infrastructure spending, data centers, manufacturing reshoring, and tighter efficiency standards. Some materials are becoming must haves on nearly every job, while others are seeing pressure from supply limits, tariffs, and long lead times.

Here are the five materials expected to stay in the highest demand this year and why.

Concrete & Cement

Concrete remains unavoidable. According to the U.S Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S consumes over 100 million metric tons of cement annually, with demand closely tied to highways, data centers, and large foundations. That baseline alone keeps concrete permanently in high demand heading into 2026.

Steel (Structural & Rebar)

Steel demand remains strong due to industrial and infrastructure work. The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reports that construction accounts for roughly 40-45% of U.S steel consumption, making it the single largest end use market. As long as large scale projects continue, steel stays central.

Lumber & Engineered Wood

Lumber demand tracks housing and light commercial work. The U.S Forest Service and APA consistently show that over 90% of new single family homes use wood framing, keeping lumber and engineered wood products in steady demand despite price swings.

Insulation & High-Performance Envelope Materials

Insulation demand is tied directly to codes. The U.S Department of Energy notes that building energy codes adopted by states now require significantly higher insulation performance than pre-2015 standards. This pushes insulation from value engineering target to required scope on most new builds.

High-Performance Glass & Fenestration

Glass demand follows energy performance rules. DOE backed studies show that windows account for roughly 25-30% of heating and cooling energy loss in buildings. This is why low-E and high-performance glazing has become standard on commercial and institutional projects.

TheJobWalk Thoughts:

Going into 2026, nothing flashy is driving demand. It’s the fundamentals. Concrete, steel, and lumber are still carrying most jobs, while envelope and efficiency materials are now standard, not upgrades. The real difference between smooth projects and stalled ones comes down to planning. The teams that buy early and respect lead times stay moving. Everyone else will be left waiting.