Entering the second quarter of 2026, the national building materials industry will usher in a wave of violent price increases.
From waterproofing and coatings to ceramic tiles and cement, almost all categories are rising, and leading companies have taken the lead with multiple rounds of increases. Owners and contractors who are preparing to renovate are unable to sit still.
1. Which building materials have increased?
How much?
- Waterproof (led by Oriental Yuhong): It has risen three times this year, and will rise another 3%-8% from April 30.
Asphalt prices rose by 53% and acrylic emulsion prices by 47%, forcing companies to increase costs. - Coatings (Nippon Paint, Sankeshu): Prices will increase across the board starting from April 1.
Wall paint prices increased by 5%-10%, while art paint and wood paint prices increased by 8%-15%. - Ceramic tiles/slates: In Guangdong and Shandong production areas, prices increased by 3-5 yuan per square meter, and by 0.1-0.3 yuan per piece.
Mainly natural gas (accounting for 30%–40% of costs) has skyrocketed. - Cement and steel: cement rose by 30-50 yuan per ton; rebar exceeded 4,200 yuan/ton.
2. Why the sudden collective price increase?
The core is that costs are exploding:
- International oil prices and energy have skyrocketed: conflicts in the Middle East have pushed oil prices to over $100, and asphalt, chemical raw materials, and natural gas have surged across the board.
- Raw materials soared collectively: titanium dioxide, resin, acrylic acid, etc. increased by 28%–53%.
- Shrinking supply + industry self-discipline: environmental protection production restrictions, peak-shifting production, coupled with leading collaboration, there is less low-price competition.
- Profits have bottomed out in the past few years: the price war has been going on for too long, and now the costs cannot be sustained, so we can only raise prices to save ourselves.
3. How much impact does it have on ordinary people?
- Renovation owners: For 100 square meters of home decoration, the overall budget will cost 5,000-10,000 yuan more.
- Engineering companies and real estate companies: winning bid prices are locked, materials are soaring, profits are being squeezed, and industry reshuffle is accelerating.
- Industry pattern: Small factories cannot bear it and have to exit, and the share of leading companies is getting larger and larger.
4. How will the price go next?
(April-May)
- Coatings and waterproofing are basically in place and running at a high level.
- Tile and cement prices were stable in April and may rise slightly again in May.
- The decoration season is here, and prices tend to rise but not fall. If you want to pretend, don’t wait any longer.
A word of reminder: Decorate in 2026, order materials early and lock in price early, you may spend thousands more a month later!
