Dealing With a Paint Shortage and Price Increases
Like many materials and goods in the past year, the painting industry is dealing with a supply chain issue. As a result of a paint shortage, the price of paint has risen more than once recently. Of course, this has also affected the price of professional painting services as well. How did this paint shortage start, and when will things return to normal?
Reasons for the paint shortage
Similar to other supply chain problems, there are multiple reasons behind the paint shortage. While the immediate assumption is to blame the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there are actually several other, more pressing reasons. The pandemic has only worsened the primary reasons for the shortage.
The 2021 Texas Winter Storm
You likely remember the terrible blizzard that hit Texas this past winter. Many pipes froze, production of chemicals stalled for several weeks in some places, and distribution of both raw materials and finished goods grinded to a halt.
In regards to paint, many of the important raw materials needed to produce paint come from warehouses in Texas. The damage that the storm had on the supply chain was long-lasting, and the impact hasn’t completely recovered. Prices rose roughly ten percent in February on average, across all painting products.
Besides the price increase, some of the most common products were not available for purchase. Many painting companies needed to quickly switch to more expensive paints that they didn’t have as much experience using.
Import and demand influence
In addition to the production problems in Texas, other raw material imports from China have been difficult or impossible to get. Titanium dioxide, used in sunscreen, food coloring, and paint, is one such material.
Couple all of these material issues with a rising demand for paint and painting services, and you’ll understand where we’re at. Tampa and surrounding counties continue to be a hot destination for people moving to Florida, and there’s no sign of it slowing down. As a result, more people are renovating older homes, and new construction needs paint.
The ongoing COVID pandemic
Another issue facing the painting industry is the ever-present pandemic. A labor shortage due to COVID has affected warehouses, wholesale painting companies such as Sherwin Williams, and your local painters. “The shortage is so widespread that simply finding primer proves to be a challenge,” says Old Crow’s founder, Travis Nolan.
Many homeowners have taken the pandemic as an opportunity to work on their houses, adding to demand. With the delta variant on the rise, these issues aren’t likely to go away anytime soon. The painting supply chains never had an alternative plan for something like this. As we go into the height of the busy season for painting companies, expect delays and higher prices.
How to work with the paint shortage
It can be a bit discouraging to deal with the current shortage. If you plan on starting a painting project by yourself, make sure the primer you need and the color you want are both in stock. Be ready to either wait a while, or compromise with a slightly different shade of the color you were eyeing.
Hire a local painting company
One way to save yourself some headache on a painting job is to hire locally! In July of 2021, paint prices rose again by about 7 percent. Old Crow Painting helps you coordinate paint colors on any painting project. We offer exterior, interior, commercial, and weather proofing services for your home or business building. Even in these crazy times, estimates for any project are free!