A construction job, whether it's residential or commercial, is an incredibly complex project with an enormous number of moving parts. Many of those moving parts relate to materials — and everything has to come from somewhere. By knowing where some of the most common building materials originate, you can make more informed (and potentially more cost-effective) decisions as your project takes shape.
* Lumber. According to Family Handyman, most of our domestic lumber supply originates in the U.S. and Canada. This includes softwoods, such as framing lumber, and hardwoods, which are used for trim and flooring.
* Concrete. The weight of bagged concrete and other cement products can make shipping prohibitively expensive, so most of the U.S. supply (about 75 percent, according to Concrete Financial Insights) is domestically produced, with plants scattered around the country to further reduce transportation costs.
* Tile. Most tiles are imported, with much of the supply originating in India, Spain, and Mexico. Mohawk Industries, which dominates the American tile industry, produces ceramic tiles at several plants located mostly in the South.
* Drywall. Drywall is mostly made from gypsum, and as the world's largest gypsum producer, the U.S. also produces most of our own drywall.
* Steel. According to the International Trade Administration, about one-fifth of the U.S. steel supply, which includes structural steel beams used in construction, is imported.