Demand for wall coverings used as alternatives to paint (i.e., ceramic tile, wood paneling, wallpaper and finished gypsum board) is forecast to expand 5.7 percent per annum through 2007 to $2.5 billion, the Freedonia Group announced. Growth will accelerated significantly from the 1997 through 2002 period for products and the end-use market. The advances in wall covering demand will be driven by both construction expenditures and fashion trends, although the effects of these two factors vary based on the specific product under consideration. These and other trends are presented in a study from Freedonia called "Wall Coverings."

In this study, it reports that finished gypsum board will show the fastest growth, with demand dependent on patterns in the construction of new manufactured housing.