Windows & Doors

50 Most Innovative New Products: Exterior Products

Sept. 1, 2008
11 min read

Your First Defense

Chosen for its durability in dry, fire-prone weather, Trex’s Accents Fire Defense decking was developed for outdoor living spaces and decks in the Southwest and California. The planks are self-extinguishing, even under extreme heat and flames. Like the original Trex Accents, the Fire Defense planks are reversible with either a wood grain or a smooth finish.

For more info, click here.

 

The Cascade Effect

McFarland Cascade’s special composite formula of rice hulls and recycled plastic makes Terratec Naturals deck boards very dense and durable. The product line has an embossed wood grain texture and will feature two profiles: Traditional deck boards, which install with screws through the surface, and Architectural boards, which use Terratec’s own hidden Quick Clip fasteners.

For more info, click here.

 

Down the Drain

The Subterra Stone is the latest additon to the Belgard Environmental series’ line of permeable concrete products from Oldcastle Architectural and has new technology enabling it to allow rainwater to drain. Whereas traditional paver products merely allow water to runoff, Subterra uses a 9½ percent void ratio, allowing rainwater to naturally drain through the paver into native soils.

For more info, click here.

 

High and Dry

You’ve seen deck drainage systems, but not one that has surface boards supported by the same structural design used to create a waterproof deck joist support system. The DryJoist by DryJoist (both the company and product go by the DryJoist name), has an underside that creates a flat surface that can be painted. And because it’s made with marine-grade aluminum, the drainage system won’t deteriorate.

For more info, click here.

 

The Underlying Factor

Want better performance than traditional roofing felts? Use DuPont’s RoofLiner with Elvaloy to create a moisture barrier on all types of roofs, including concrete, slates, wood shakes and standing seam metal sheets. One roll of RoofLiner with Elvaloy replaces five rolls of 30-pound roofing felt and is five times lighter.

For more info, click here.

 

Definitely Not a SISsy

The Structural Insulated Sheathing (SIS) Plus is a new addition to Dow’s Styrofoam line. The sheathing panels combine structural, insulation and weather barrier properties in one product. The structural sheathing material is attached to a polyisocyanurate foam insulation that is covered by resilient exterior skin that reduces heat and energy loss.

For more info, click here.

 

Grab the Sun

Known for its pool cover expertise, Fafco is branching out. The SunGrabber Solar Domestic Hot Water (SDHW) heating system is a lightweight, all-polymer solar hot water system that is designed to efficiently collect solar energy and use the energy to heat water for household use. It can also be used with existing water heaters.

For more info, click here.

 

Stick It and Forget It

You need a reliable adhesive as soon as the mercury drops. Typar found one and applied it to its latest Peel & Stick flashing. The newly incorporated Quik-Peel technology allows users to peel half the width of the release paper while leaving the other half in place for easy weather barrier installations.

For more info, click here.

 

MAXXimum Roofing

The Cosella Dorken’s Delta MAXX Titan brings new technology to roofs. The roof underlayment is weatherproof and vapor-permeable and can be used on most roof slopes. The silver titanium surface bounces back and reflects up to half of the suns’ radiant heat. A woven polyester bottom layer soaks up any moisture penetration.

For more info, click here.

 

Need a Head Start?

Made from fast-growing northern hardwoods and certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, LP’s SolidStart LSL is a new wood product line made from compressed thin wood strands protected with both end- and edge-seals. Remodelers can use this in a bunch of applications, because the line has a dimensional strength of 1.75E and outperforms many other wood products.

For more info, click here.

 

Just Add Water

Sakrete’s 5000 Plus concrete mix is made for high-performance repairs and only requires water in the mix. It achieves more than 5000 psi. It is ideal for high-strength applications in slabs, walkways and repairs and can also be used for concrete countertops.

For more info, click here.

 

A Shear Thrill

For the really big jobs, look to iLevel by Weyerhaeuser’s Shear Brace to help your structures withstand Mother Nature. After all, more municipalities are enforcing International Residential Code (IRC) requirements for wall bracing. The boards are available in lengths up to 20 feet for tall wall framing.

For more info, click here.

 

No More Mold

The latest product to join CertainTeed’s ProRoc line is the moisture and mold resistant gypsum board with M2Tech technology. The lightweight boards are easy to cut and install over steel or wood framing, and they may be finished and painted using conventional gypsum board techniques.

For more info, click here.

 

Stucco Redux

LaHabra’s NTS, or New Technology Stucco creates less dust and healthier working conditions. The formula needs less water and shsrinks less than other stucco products after it’s mixed. NTS is extremely pliable and is easy to clean up.

For more info, click here.

 

Breaking the Sound Barrier

 

National Gypsum can help remodelers deliver a solution to the noisy neighbor problem with its SoundBreak Gypsum Board. According to the company, SoundBreak, which installs and finishes just like traditional gypsum board, can achieve Sound Transmission Class (STC) ratings of 55 or above in most walls. It stamps out sound with its increased mass and a “constrained-layer damping” effect provided by a middle layer of viscoelastic polymer.

For more info, click here.

 

Crikey!

Want the balance of an angle grinder with the cutting power of a circular saw? You have it in Clarke’s Crocodile Saw. Made for wood, tile, marble and non-ferrous metals, the saw is compact and outfitted with five interchangeable 3¼-inch diameter blades. The 120-volt motor can crank out 4,000 RPMs and can make cuts up to 11/16-inches deep.

For more info, click here.

 

Writing on the Wall

Biary Innovation’s Magic-Stud-Finder provides, according to the company, 100 percent accuracy for finding both wood and metal studs — no batteries nor electronic parts necessary. The product won’t get faulty readings from pipes, cables and insulation, and it won’t leave any markings on the wall.

For more info, click here.

 

2-in-1

Would your roofers and flooring specialists like to have two utility knives in one? C.H. Hanson’s Flip Knife does the trick. Both ends of the tool can hold any standard-size blades, with a straight blade and a hook blade included. Blade changes are faster with the company’s One Touch system.

For more info, click here.

 

Exak-ly on Time

Keep tardy employees on the ball with Exaktime’s PocketClock/GPS software. You can turn a Windows Mobile-capable PDA into a portable time clock that also records the exact location of workers as they clock in and out. All your managers need to do is synch the PDA with your accounting or payroll system and you’re done.

For more info, click here.

 

Don’t Knock It

Wood doors — 81-percent Douglas-fir, to be precise — are back. Overhead Door’s EcoBuilt line uses recycled and unused Douglas-fir from mills and fuses it with exterior grade resins. The process forms a hardy, homogenous door panel that is specially formulated to resist moisture.

For mroe info, click here.

 

Low Maintenance Through and Through

Peachtree’s 700 Series’ features run from the inside out. New double-hung models have recessed cam locks while casements have a tandem locking system. Interiors are available in standard pine or one of five hardwood interiors: alder, oak, mahogany, maple or cherry, each of which comes ready to match a home’s other millwork.

For more info, click here.

 

Artistic Windows

A unique beveled-in profile and innovative hidden accessory grooves make Amsco’s vinyl Artisan Series windows a best buy for installers. The company’s new paint system and magnetic action lock round out the latest improvements. Exterior colors include autumn red, evergreen and bronze.

For more info, click here.

 

Open Wide

Remodelers looking for a solution to combine interior and outdoor living areas can use Hoppe’s Fold & Slide hardware. Made for openings up to 48 feet wide, the system can use wood or aluminum panels as large as 3 feet by 10 feet and up to 165 pounds per panel. Precision bearings make operation a snap, and the concealed bottom channel blends with the floor.

For more info, click here.

 

Access Granted

The garage has always been an organizational nightmare. Help your customers out with PremierGarage’s innovative, space-saving PremierAccess by pass sliding door system. It fits in spaces that don’t have enough room for swinging doors, so your customers won’t have to move their cars to get at their belongings.

For more info, click here.

To view the 50 Most Innovative New Interior Products, click here.