Every year, the BUILDER Brand Use Study investigates which manufacturers builders across the country turn to the most, and ranks the companies based on a number of factors, including the brand’s familiarity, the quality of products, and how many builders cite the company as their “most used brand.” The study focuses on 51 categories of the home, from structure to finishes and everything in between. In the following chart, we present the top brand in each of those 51 categories.
For additional information on these companies, click through the interactive table below that connects with our Manufacturers Directory.
To view all of the data collected in the 2017 BUILDER Brand Use Study, download a PDF of the full survey results here: 2017 Brand Use Study Summary and Results
Product Category |
Brand Familiarity |
Brand Used in Past 2 Years |
Brands Used Most |
Quality Rating |
Bath Fixtures and Accessories |
Delta / Kohler |
Kohler |
Kohler |
Kohler |
Bathroom Ventilation/Fans |
NuTone |
NuTone |
Broan / NuTone |
Panasonic Eco Solutions |
Cabinets: Semi-Custom, Custom and Stock |
KraftMaid |
Armstrong |
KraftMaid Cabinetry |
Wood-Mode |
Carpet |
Mohawk |
Shaw |
Shaw |
Shaw |
Caulks/Sealants |
Gorilla Glue |
GE Silicones, Sealants, Adhesives |
GE Silicones, Sealants, Adhesives |
GE Silicones, Sealants, Adhesives |
Central Vacuums |
NuTone |
NuTone |
NuTone |
Beam Central Vacuum System by Electrolux |
Ceramic Tile |
Daltile |
Daltile |
Daltile |
Porcelanosa |
Closet/Organization Systems |
ClosetMaid |
ClosetMaid |
ClosetMaid |
California Closets |
Decking: Composite/PVC |
Trex Company |
Trex Company |
Trex Company |
AZEK Deck |
Decorative Moldings & Columns: Exterior |
CertainTeed |
HardieTrim (James Hardie) |
HardieTrim (James Hardie) |
Permacast (HB&G) |
Decorative Moldings/Trim/Columns: Interior |
Fypon |
Fypon |
Fypon |
Enkeboll Designs |
Doors: Garage |
Overhead Door |
Overhead Door |
Overhead Door |
Wayne Dalton |
Doors: Entry, Interior |
JELD-WEN |
Therma-Tru Doors |
Therma-Tru Doors |
Therma-Tru Doors |
Doors: Patio/Wide Window Openings |
Andersen |
Andersen |
Andersen |
Andersen |
Electrical Systems/Load Centers |
GE Appliances |
Square D by Schneider Electric |
Square D by Schneider Electric |
Square D by Schneider Electric |
Exterior Foundation Waterproofing (Construction Phase) |
TUFF-N-DRI (Tremco) |
TUFF-N-DRI (Tremco) |
TUFF-N-DRI (Tremco) |
WATCHDOG (Tremco) |
Engineered I-Joists |
Boise Cascade |
Trus Joist (Weyerhaeuser) |
Trus Joist (Weyerhaeuser) |
Trus Joist (Weyerhaeuser) |
Exterior Wall Sheathing |
Dow Styrofoam |
Dow Styrofoam |
ZIP System Wall Sheathing (Huber Engineered Woods) |
ZIP System Wall Sheathing (Huber Engineered Woods) |
Faucets |
Kohler |
Kohler |
Kohler |
Kohler |
Fireplaces |
Heatilator |
Heat & Glo |
Heat & Glo |
Vermont Castings |
Flooring: Laminate, Vinyl, Wood |
Armstrong |
Armstrong |
Armstrong |
Armstrong |
Garage Door Openers |
LiftMaster |
LiftMaster |
LiftMaster |
LiftMaster |
Generators |
Generac |
Generac |
Generac |
American Honda |
Housewrap |
Tyvek (DuPont) |
Tyvek (DuPont) |
Tyvek (DuPont) |
Tyvek (DuPont) |
HVAC |
Carrier |
Carrier |
Carrier |
Mitsubishi Electric / Trane |
Insulation |
Owens Corning |
Owens Corning |
Owens Corning |
Owens Corning |
Kitchen Appliances |
GE Appliances |
GE Appliances |
GE Appliances |
Wolf Appliance |
Laundry Appliances |
GE Appliances |
Whirlpool |
GE Appliances |
Bosch Home Appliances |
Lighting |
Halo |
Halo |
Halo |
Halo |
Lighting Controls/Switches |
Leviton |
Leviton |
Leviton |
Lutron |
Locksets/Hardware |
Kwikset |
Kwikset |
Kwikset |
Baldwin Hardware |
Manufactured Stone |
Eldorado Stone |
Eldorado Stone |
Eldorado Stone |
Eldorado Stone |
Oriented Strand Board |
Georgia-Pacific |
Georgia-Pacific |
Georgia-Pacific |
Advantech (Huber Engineered Woods) |
Paints/Stains/Varnishes |
Sherwin-Williams |
Sherwin-Williams |
Sherwin-Williams |
Benjamin Moore |
Roofing: Asphalt/Fiberglass Shingles |
CertainTeed |
GAF (including Timberline) |
GAF (including Timberline) |
GAF (including Timberline) |
Roofing: Clay/Concrete/Synthetic Tiles |
CertainTeed |
CertainTeed |
CertainTeed |
CertainTeed |
Roofing: Metal |
American Building Components (ABC) |
American Building Components (ABC) |
American Building Components (ABC) |
Metal Sales Manufacturing |
Shower Doors/Surrounds |
Kohler |
Kohler |
Kohler |
Kohler |
Siding: Brick & Brick Veneer |
Eldorado Stone |
Eldorado Stone |
Eldorado Stone |
Glen-Gery |
Siding: EIFS/Stucco |
Dryvit Systems |
Dryvit Systems |
Dryvit Systems |
Omega Products |
Siding: Engineered Wood |
LP SmartSide |
LP SmartSide |
LP SmartSide |
LP SmartSide |
Siding: Fiber Cement |
HardiePlank (James Hardie) |
HardiePlank (James Hardie) |
HardiePlank (James Hardie) |
HardiePlank (James Hardie) |
Siding: Insulated/Vinyl |
CertainTeed |
CertainTeed |
CertainTeed |
CertainTeed |
Surfacing: Laminate/Quartz/Solid Surfaces |
Formica |
Formica |
Formica |
Staron Quartz |
Underlayment |
Durock (USG) |
Durock (USG) |
HardieBacker (James Hardie) |
Schluter-Systems Inc. (Canada) |
Wallboard |
Sheetrock (USG) |
Sheetrock (USG) |
Sheetrock (USG) |
Sheetrock (USG) |
Water Heaters |
Rheem |
A.O. Smith |
A.O. Smith |
Rinnai |
Windows: Fiberglass |
Integrity from Marvin Windows and Doors |
Integrity from Marvin Windows and Doors |
Integrity from Marvin Windows and Doors |
Integrity from Marvin Windows and Doors |
Windows: Vinyl |
JELD-WEN |
JELD-WEN |
JELD-WEN |
YKK AP |
Windows: Wood & Clad-Wood |
Andersen |
Andersen |
Andersen |
Marvin |
Windows: Skylights/Roof |
Velux |
Velux |
Velux |
Velux |
METHODOLOGY
The BUILDER Brand Use Study is sponsored by Hanley Wood, publisher of BUILDER, and conducted by The Farnsworth Group, a leading industry market research firm. The survey was conducted online and included Hanley Wood subscribers classified as “builders, builders–developers, or general contractors.” The data was collected from November 2016 through January 2017 and is based on 936 qualified responses.
Download the full 2017 Builder Brand Use Study report here.