Hardware Price Trends: BLS PPI Data for Door and Hardware Bids
Estimating division 8 packages requires managing material costs that shift between bid submission, submittal review, and final delivery. For commercial subcontractors and estimators handling doors, frames, and locksets, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index for Hardware provides a verified benchmark for commodity cost movement. Reviewing this index gives bidding teams an objective baseline when pricing work, verifying supplier quotes, and structuring escalation protections.
Hardware PPI Snapshot: Key Historical and Current Benchmarks
The BLS tracks commodity data under series title Metals and metal products-Hardware (series code WPU104), which uses an index base period where 1982 equals 100. Values published under this series are not seasonally adjusted. Data points from recent months are treated as preliminary and remain subject to revision for four months after initial publication.
As of September 2026, the hardware index stands at 314.3 (raw 314.328). Across the data window from January 2017 to September 2026, the series reached its lowest monthly value of 212.3 in March 2017 and hit its highest monthly value of 314.7 (raw 314.746) in July 2026. The September 2026 reading sits just -0.1% below that peak.
| Timeframe / Benchmark | Index Value | Change to Latest (September 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Latest Month (September 2026) | 314.3 | 0.0% |
| One Year Earlier (September 2025) | 303.9 | +3.4% |
| Two Years Earlier (September 2024) | 285.4 | +10.1% |
| Five Years Earlier (September 2021) | 250.6 | +25.4% |
| Pre-Pandemic (January 2020) | 225.8 | +39.2% |
| Window High (July 2026) | 314.7 | -0.1% |
| Window Low (March 2017) | 212.3 | N/A |
Long-Term Price Movements Across Annual Averages
Looking at multi-year shifts illustrates how hardware expenses have compounded across commercial projects. In 2017, the annual average for hardware stood at 213.8. It climbed gradually through 2018 at 218.1 and 2019 at 223.8, reaching 227.6 in 2020. The pre-pandemic level in January 2020 was 225.8, meaning the September 2026 figure of 314.3 represents a cumulative increase of +39.2% over that baseline.
Larger annual jumps followed in subsequent years. The annual average rose to 245.9 in 2021 and jumped to 276.9 in 2022. It reached 286.0 in 2023 before leveling off slightly to 285.4 in 2024. Prices accelerated again to an annual average of 298.3 in 2025, and the average for 2026 through the first nine months (January through September) stands at 310.3. Compared to September 2021 (250.6), the current level shows a five-year rise of +25.4%.
Recent 13-Month Trend: Late 2025 Through September 2026
Short-term monitoring reveals steady upward pressure over the past year. Monthly readings across the trailing 13-month window include:
- September 2025: 303.9
- October 2025: 304.4
- November 2025: 304.9
- December 2025: 305.4
- January 2026: 306.3
- February 2026: 307.2
- March 2026: 307.3
- April 2026: 307.5
- May 2026: 310.7
- June 2026: 310.6
- July 2026: 314.7
- August 2026: 314.4
- September 2026: 314.3
Over the twelve months from September 2025 to September 2026, the index climbed +3.4%. Between August 2026 and September 2026, the month-over-month change was -0.0%, indicating that hardware costs plateaued near the record level set in July 2026.
Carrying Hardware Costs in Door and Frame Estimates
Door hardware packages often involve long procurement lead times, making them vulnerable to price shifts. When building bids alongside companion trades such as metal door and trim pricing, estimators must avoid using static price sheets. Recommended practices include:
- Confirming the duration of vendor quotes and tying proposed pricing to manufacturer expiration dates.
- Referencing the official BLS hardware PPI series WPU104 when establishing baseline cost documentation for negotiated work.
- Accounting for the four-month preliminary status of recent index figures before closing final accounting reviews.
- Incorporating structured price escalation clauses to address commodity shifts occurring between bid award and product release.
Sources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Producer Price Index series WPU104
Published October 30, 2026. No affiliate links on this page. Facts come from the sources linked above; check them for updates.