(Image courtesy Burst)

Is there a paint shortage? This could cause your renovations to be delayed.

If you’ve been looking to renovate or make changes to your home lately, no doubt you’ve noticed some things are difficult to find — or they may be much more expensive when you can find them. Lumber was one material in high demand and also with supply chain shortages over the last year. Now you may be surprised to hear that the latest material hampering your home reno could be as simple as paint!

Home painters and DIYers around the country are finding it more difficult to get the paint they want as store owners both struggle to keep inventory on their shelves and meet rising costs from their suppliers.

There are a variety of factors, from high demand to supply chain disruptions — and even the weather! — that are making it so difficult to find and afford paint right now.

Reasons for the Paint Shortage

One of the most interesting reasons for the paint shortage is the unusual deep freeze that happened in Texas in February. The severe winter storm, a weather anomaly, that hit Texas caused prolonged power outages and damaged some suppliers’ plants.

This is a problem because the outages and plant damage slowed the production of petroleum, which is an essential ingredient for paint.

Recovery of suppliers for petroleum has been much slower than anticipated, with some plants not back to pre-storm operating levels over half a year later. 

And then suppliers had to deal with Hurricane Ida, which had impacts more severe and longer-lasting than initially believed. 

Without critical raw materials, there has been production delay, but now even with plants coming back online, the price of inputs –everything from resins and polymers used to make the paint to the steel used to make the paint cans — has started raising costs for paint companies.

Paint makers have responded to these higher raw material costs by raising their own prices, especially since they don’t expect to see improved supply or lower raw material pricing anytime soon.

But the weather event wasn’t the only reason for supply chain shortages. COVID has changed logistics, buyer behaviors, and other supply factors for a full range of products, paint included. 

And then there’s the simple fact that demand is off the charts! Since the pandemic started, so many people have been painting and doing home construction along with all the other construction going on. This high demand created a supply shortage in itself, which the lack of inputs hasn’t helped, so inventory is hard to come by just as prices are increasing.

If you’re in the market for paint for a home renovation or other project, this could affect your plans. Paint could continue to be scarce and costly for the foreseeable future.

Because not only will paint continue to be harder to find — and those particularly popular colors will be especially rare on the shelves — but manufacturers admit that prices are set to increase significantly toward the end of the year. So if you are planning a project that requires paint, you might want to go out and buy it immediately.