Understanding the Building Materials Category (ID 115)
The Building Materials category, identified by the numeric ID 115, is a specialized segment within the Google Product Taxonomy designed for structural components and foundational construction supplies. Occupying the path Hardware > Building Materials, this category encompasses items used for residential or commercial construction projects, ranging from exterior structural pieces to interior architectural finishing materials. Utilizing this category ensures that your items are indexed correctly within Google's shopping ecosystem, allowing the platform to surface your inventory to users actively searching for renovation, repair, or building supplies.
What Belongs in Building Materials
This category is designated for products that form the physical structure or permanent finishing of a building. Based on real-world examples from the US market, this includes foundational elements such as lumber, rebar, and various sheet stocks. You should also categorize heavy-duty construction items here, such as insulation materials (including thermal baffles), drywall sheets, and roofing panels made from materials like polycarbonate. Exterior finish products are a significant component, covering vinyl siding and louvered shutters. Interior structural and aesthetic finishing items also belong here, including molding (such as crown or cove profiles), wainscot paneling kits, acoustic foam panels for sound dampening, and countertops for kitchens or home bars. Furthermore, hardware essential to the installation or function of these structures, such as casement window handles, door slabs, and staircase kits, should be classified under this umbrella.
What Does Not Belong Here
It is common to confuse general hardware with specialized building materials. If your product does not contribute to the permanent structural or architectural integrity of a building, it likely belongs in a neighbouring category. For instance, if you are selling power tools, hand tools, or tool accessories, these must be placed under the Tools or Tool Accessories categories. Items intended for electrical installations (such as wiring or junction boxes) belong in Power & Electrical Supplies, while any item related to plumbing fixtures, pipes, or drains belongs in Plumbing. Products that are purely decorative or functional security devices, such as standalone locks and keys, should be categorized accordingly. Additionally, items related to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units or systems, as well as fuel containers and storage tanks, have their own specific categories and should not be placed in Building Materials.
When to Choose a Subcategory
Because Building Materials is a broad, high-level category, you should always aim for the most granular subcategory available to improve your ad performance. If your product fits within the listed subcategories, such as Doors, Windows, Roofing, Flooring & Carpet, or Glass, you should use that specific ID instead of the parent ID 115. For example, if you are selling a 6-panel interior door, do not use 115; use the specific ID for Doors. This specificity helps Google understand the exact nature of the item, which leads to more accurate display of your product attributes.
How to Use This in Your Feed
To assign this category in your product feed, use the google_product_category attribute. You may provide either the numeric ID or the full path. Google strongly recommends using the ID, as it is language-independent and less prone to errors. Use the following strings: 115 or Hardware > Building Materials. Remember that while this attribute is optional, failing to include it forces Google to guess your category, which often results in lower visibility or incorrect filtering. The product_type attribute is entirely separate; use it for your internal taxonomy, but keep google_product_category aligned with Google's official list to ensure your products are correctly mapped for the Shopping platform.